Inez Haynes Irwin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Inez Haynes Irwin
Inez Haynes Irwin in 1923.
Born	(1873-03-02)March 2, 1873 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Died	September 25, 1970(1970-09-25) (aged 97) Scituate, Massachusetts, United States
Pen name	Inez Haynes Gillmore
Occupation	Writer, journalist, feminist
Nationality	United States
Notable awards	O. Henry Award
Relatives	Lorenza Haynes (aunt)

Inez Haynes Irwin (born March 2, 1873 – died September 25, 1970) was an American writer and journalist. She was a strong supporter of women's rights, known as a feminist. Inez was also a member of the National Woman's Party, which worked for women's voting rights. She even became the president of the Authors Guild, an organization for writers.

Many of her books were published under her earlier name, Inez Haynes Gillmore. She wrote more than 40 books and was very active in the suffragist movement. This movement fought for women's right to vote in the early 1900s. Inez Haynes Irwin was described as a "rebellious and daring woman." She lived to be 97 years old.

Early Life and School

Inez Haynes was born on March 2, 1873. Her birthplace was Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her parents, Gideon and Emma Jane Hopkins Haynes, were from Boston, United States. They were living in Brazil for her father's business. Inez grew up in Boston after her family moved back.

She went to four different public schools. Later, she attended Radcliffe College from 1897 to 1900. Radcliffe College was a place where many people supported women's right to vote. While there, Inez Haynes and her friend Maud Wood Park started a group. It was called the College Equal Suffrage League. This group later became the National College Equal Suffrage League.

Her Career as a Writer and Activist

In August 1897, Inez Haynes married Rufus H. Gillmore. He was a newspaper editor. She then used the name Inez Haynes Gillmore. The Gillmores traveled to Europe before World War I. There, she met Russian revolutionaries and French painters. Even though her husband supported her ideas about women's rights, they later divorced.

Her first novel, June Jeopardy, came out in 1908. Soon after, she became the fiction editor for The Masses. This was a monthly magazine that supported left-wing ideas. In January 1916, she married another writer, William Henry Irwin. Her name changed to Inez Haynes Irwin. However, she often kept publishing her books under her first married name, Inez Haynes Gillmore.

During World War I, the Irwins lived in Europe. Inez worked as a war correspondent. This meant she reported on the war from England, France, and Italy. She estimated that many women, possibly up to 750,000, died during the war. William Henry died in 1948. Inez then moved to Scituate, Massachusetts. She lived there until she passed away on September 25, 1970, at age 97.

Inez Haynes Irwin was a leader for women's rights. She was also a political activist. She was a member of the National Advisory Council for the National Woman's Party. She wrote the story of this party in her book, The Story of the Woman's Party, in 1921. She also wrote a history book about American women. It was called Angels and Amazons: A Hundred Years of American Women (1933).

Her Books and Stories

Besides her non-fiction books, Inez Haynes Irwin wrote over 30 novels. One famous novel is Angel Island (1914). This book is a fantasy story about men who get stuck on an island. The island is home to women who have wings. Angel Island was re-released in 1988. It is now seen as an important early feminist book.

Her fiction often explored issues important to women. These included divorce, being a single parent, and problems women faced at work.

She also wrote a popular series of 15 children's books called the "Maida" series. She wrote these books over 45 years. They tell the story of a school girl whose mother has died and whose father is very rich.

Inez Haynes Irwin also wrote many short stories for magazines. One of her stories, "The Spring Flight," won the O. Henry Memorial Prize in 1924. This was a big award for short stories.

Groups She Belonged To

Inez Haynes Irwin was part of several important groups:

• She was the vice-President of the Author's Guild of America from 1930 to 1931. She then became its president from 1931 to 1933.
• She helped start the National Collegiate Equal Suffrage League.
• She was the chairman of the board of directors for the World Center for Women's Archives from 1936 to 1938/1940.
• She was also a member of the American committee for the Prix Femina, an award for French literature, from 1931 to 1933.

Awards She Won

• O. Henry Award, 1924 – for her short story, "The Spring Flight".

Selected Works

Novels

The Maida Books

Short Stories

Non-fiction