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20th Century Women Judith M. Barzilay [email protected]
20th Century Women: JMB
Katharine Graham 1917 - 2001
Josephine Baker 1906-1975
Alma Mahler 1879 - 1964
Katharine Meyer Graham Socialite, newswoman, publisher • Born 1917 NYC, died 2001 in Boise, Idaho • Family was exceptionally wealthy •4th of 5 children of • Eugene Meyer, 1875 - 1959 • Agnes Ernst, 1887 – 1970 •Privileged upbringing but emotionally deprived •The Three Taboos • Money • Sex • Being “Jewish”
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Katharine Personal
Katharine Graham Education and Early Influences • Governesses • Madeira School • Vassar • University of Chicago • Her siblings
Katharine Graham Marriage and Social Life
• Philip Graham • Meet and wed • The 3 taboos (again) • Phil and Felix • Famous friends
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Katharine Photos
Katharine Graham in Washington
• Traditional marriage • Managed the house & family • Charity work • Society activities
Katharine Graham Phil’s Tragedy
• Had warnings • Phil’s drinking • Phil’s mental health • Phil’s affair • Phil’s suicide
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Katharine Graham Takes Over
• Resolved to save the company for her children • As publisher she had tremendous influence • Struggles to manage her newspaper staff • Steep learning curve for business side • Help from Warren Buffett • Sexism • Labor Troubles
Katharine Graham, her finest hour Pentagon Papers •1967 study of Vietnam War policy • 1st Am’d: “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of… the press” • Issue: could current administration (1971) restrain papers from publishing based on threat to national security?
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Pentagon Papers continued… • NY Times restrained: 1st time ever in U.S. history of prior restraint • WAPO’s role • SCt 6 – 3: gov’t loses; Papers can print but decision left room for criminal and civil jeopardy • Now Nixon Administration openly at war with WAPO
Katharine Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Pb5tqX7e4
Katharine Graham Personality • Traditional • Capable of deep • Intelligent friendships • Lacked confidence • Always learning • Became a feminist • Diligent • Courageous
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Katharine Graham Legacy • Defender of Freedom of the Press • Successful executive • “Most powerful woman in America?” • Award – winning writer
Josephine Baker Entertainer, Spy, Activist • Born St. Louis, MO, 1906, died in Paris 1975 • Mother, Caroline McDonald, was unmarried • Her father, unknown, was probably white • Chaotic childhood • Close with her grandmother and great-aunt
Josephine as a baby
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Josephine Baker Performer • Early show business career • Finally, New York • Broadway! Shuffle Along, 1921, Chocolate Dandies, 1924 • Highest paid chorus girl
Josephine Baker Personal Life • Married 4 times • Willie Wells (she was 13) • Billy Baker (she was 15) • Jean Lion (1937) became French citizen • Jo Bouillon • “Count” Pepito, her lover and astute manager • She had countless lovers, male & female
Josephine’s Husbands 3 & 4
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Josephine Baker Career • Paris in the 1920’s • Danse Sauvages • Club & concert performances • Films • She becomes a star • Returns to US
Josephine at Work
Banana Dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmw5eGh888Y&feature=youtu.be La Cubana Dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QYqbGJbn7o Siren of the Tropics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhEhK4bgYtI Les Deux Amours https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHrOV8YorHI
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Josephine Baker, Spy • Recruited to French WWII Intelligence • Spied in Lisbon • Spied in North Africa • Performs for French & American soldiers • France honors her as Hero of the Resistance
Josephine Baker, Mother • Always loved babies • Could not become pregnant • “The Rainbow Tribe” • Eventually 12 adopted children • Diverse backgrounds • Les Milandes as home
Rainbow Tribe
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Josephine Baker, Activist • Speaks out for civil rights • US tours in 1950’s & 1960’s • March on Washington
Josephine at the Civil Rights March
Josephine Baker, Personality • Charismatic, courageous• Politically naïve • Creative, theatrical • Stubborn • Hardworking • Generous • Grandiose • Impulsive, erratic
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Josephine Baker, Legacy • Consummate Entertainer • Citizen of the world • Outspoken advocate for universal brotherhood • Heroine of the Resistance
Alma Schindler Mahler Gropius Werfel, wife, muse, composer, writer • Born 1879 Vienna, Austria; Died 1964 NYC • Inspired 2 of the greatest cultural icons of the 20th century • Mahlers 8th symphony • Kokoschka’s painting “The Tempest” aka Bride of the Wind • Wife of 3 key 20th century artists • Gustav Mahler, composer, 1902 – 1911 • Walter Gropius, architect, 1915 – 1920 • Franz Werfel, author, 1929 - 1945
Tom Lehrer’s Alma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =zWFEy1lVUMI&t=73s
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Alma Early Life and Influences • Father, Emil Schindler, landscape painter • Mother, Anna Bergen, studied voice • Composition teachers • Vienna itself at end of the 19th century • First kiss from Gustav Klimt
Alma and Gustav
• Met November 7, 1901, dinner party • Gustav, 41, director of Vienna Opera • Alma, 22, composition student • Infamous letter, December 1901 • Married March 9, 1902 • Everyday life with a genius; Gustav’s successful career • Alma & Gustav in America • Alma’s affairs • Gustav died May 18, 1911
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One of Alma’s Liede https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYsz_D_je8E
Mahler’s 8th Symphony excerpt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Hk2SZGrRY
Alma and Oskar • Met Oskar Kokoschka April, 1912 • Both passionate and theatrical • Alma’s 1912 pregnancy • Bride of the Wind • Between Oskar and Walter • End of the affair • Alma doll
The Tempest
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Oskar and the Alma Doll
Alma and Walter, reprise • Married secretly May 8, 1915 • Gropius on furlough from Austrian Army in WWI • Spent most of the 5 year marriage apart • Manon Gropius born October 5, 1916, Alma’s beloved Aryan child • Divorce final 1920
Alma & Walter
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Alma & Franz Early years in Europe • Affair began 1917 • Franz goes off to war • Alma has a son August 2, 1918, whose child? • Baby dies May 15, 1919 • The affair becomes public 1919 • Finally marry 1929, why? • Franz’s novels & plays extremely successful • Alma now 50, Franz 39
Alma and Franz in America
• Rise of Hitler • Anna’s view • Franz’s view • Leave Austria for London & South of France • Daring & dangerous escape to US in 1940 • Stop in Lourdes • Settle in LA with other German refugees – Alma outspoken Antisemite • Fabulous success of “Bernadette”
Alma without Franz
• Franz becomes very ill in 1943; Alma is a caring wife • Franz dies August 26, 1945; Alma does not attend his funeral • Alma returns to Vienna, 1947 • Moves to NY permanently • Publishes an autobiography in 1958, And the Bridge is Love • Alma dies December 11, 1964; buried beside Manon in Vienna
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Alma Personality • Dramatic, theatrical, exhibitionist • Self-centered, lacked empathy • Courageous, intelligent, ambitious • Charming, wonderful hostess • Severe alcoholic • Manipulative, combative • Full of contradictions • Bigoted, antisemitic
Alma Legacy • Muse to accomplished men • Tried to own life of Mahler and his music • Knew & influenced many 20th century geniuses • Curated her own life, lived on her own terms
Three Women: Summing Up
• Common Experiences and Traits • Differences • Conclusions, Take-aways?
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