Rosalyn Baxandall facts for kids

Rosalyn Baxandall (born Fraad, June 12, 1939 – October 13, 2015) was an American historian. She studied and wrote about women's history and how women worked for change. She was also a feminist activist, meaning she actively supported equal rights for women.

Early Life and Education

Rosalyn Baxandall was born in New York City on June 12, 1939. Her father, Lewis M. Fraad, was a doctor who led the pediatrics department at Bronx Municipal Hospital. Her mother, Irma London Fraad, was an art expert at the Brooklyn Museum. Rosalyn had two younger sisters, Harriet and Julie.

Her family had a history of working for social change. Her great-uncle, Meyer London, was a U.S. Congressman elected by the Socialist Party in 1915. He was one of the few members of Congress who did not want the U.S. to join World War I. Her uncle, Ephraim London, was a lawyer who defended people's civil rights.

Rosalyn went to Riverdale Country Day School and then Hunter High School, graduating in 1957. She attended Smith College for a year before going to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She graduated in 1961 with a degree in French. While at the university, she was involved in efforts to end racial segregation in housing.

Early Activism and Feminist Work

After college, Baxandall worked for Mobilization for Youth in New York City. This group helped young people and families. She led youth groups and helped start a daycare center there. She also translated articles for magazines that supported new political ideas.

Rosalyn was a key leader in the early women's liberation movement in New York City. This movement worked for women's equal rights and freedom. In 1967, she helped start New York Radical Women. This group published important writings like Notes from the First Year.

She was also a member of other influential feminist groups. These included Redstockings, formed in 1969, and WITCH. She also joined No More Nice Girls. These groups worked to bring about political and social changes for women.

After her son was born, she and other parents started Liberation Nursery. This was a cooperative daycare center that still exists today. In 1968, Rosalyn appeared on a national TV show, the David Susskind show, with other well-known feminists.

Teaching and Later Career

Baxandall began teaching Women's studies in 1971 at Queens College, City University of New York. She was also one of the first teachers at the new campus of the State University of New York at Old Westbury (SUNY). She became a full professor of American Studies in 1990.

In 2004, she received a special award for her excellent teaching. She retired from SUNY Old Westbury in 2012. After she retired, a scholarship was created in her name to help students.

Even after retiring, she continued to teach. She taught at the Labor Studies Program at the City University of New York (CUNY). She also taught women in a prison in Manhattan through a program called the Bard Prison Initiative.

Rosalyn often spoke and wrote about the women's liberation movement. She also discussed the history of women's activism and other movements for social change. In her later years, she strongly supported the rights of Palestinians. This led her to help edit a collection of films about the conflict between Palestine and Israel.

Personal Life

At the University of Wisconsin, Rosalyn met Lee Baxandall. They were married in 1962 and later divorced in 1978. They had one son together, named Phineas Baxandall.

After college, Rosalyn and Lee lived for a time in Germany, Hungary, and Poland. This experience helped them realize that the Soviet system was not a good alternative for society. When they moved back to New York, Rosalyn earned a Master of Social Work degree from Columbia University School of Social Work.

Rosalyn Baxandall's cousin was Sheila Michaels, who was also a notable feminist.

Death

In 2015, Rosalyn Baxandall was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Before she died, she held a party to say goodbye to her friends and family. She passed away on October 13, 2015, at her home in New York City.