A feminist in the White House : Midge Costanza, the Carter years, and America's culture wars

Resource Information

The work A feminist in the White House : Midge Costanza, the Carter years, and America's culture wars represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Vancouver Public Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

A feminist in the White House : Midge Costanza, the Carter years, and America's culture wars

Title remainder

Midge Costanza, the Carter years, and America's culture wars

Statement of responsibility

Doreen J. Mattingly

Creator

• Mattingly, Doreen J., 1962-

Author

• Mattingly, Doreen J., 1962-

Subject

• Costanza, Midge, 1932-2010
• Culture conflict -- United States -- History -- 20th century
• Feminists -- United States -- Biography
• Political consultants -- United States -- Biography
• Sex role -- Political aspects -- United States -- History -- 20th century
• Biographies
• United States -- Social conditions -- 1960-1980
• Women -- Political activity -- United States -- History -- 20th century
• United States -- Politics and government -- 1977-1981
• Carter, Jimmy, 1924- -- Friends and associates

Genre

• Biography
• Biographies

Language

eng

Summary

A feminist, an outspoken activist, a woman without a college education, Midge Costanza was one of the unlikeliest of White House insiders. Yet in 1977 she became the first female Assistant to the President for Public Liaison under Jimmy Carter, emerging as a prominent focal point of the American culture wars. Tasked with bringing the views of special interest groups to the president, Costanza championed progressive causes even as Americans grew increasingly divided on the very issues for which she fought. In A Feminist in the White House, Doreen Mattingly draws on Costanza's personal papers to shed light on the life of this controversial woman. Mattingly chronicles Costanza's dramatic rise and fall as a public figure, from her initial popularity to her ultimate clashes with Carter and his aides. While Costanza challenged Carter to support abortion rights, gay and lesbian rights, and feminist policies, Carter faced increased pressure to appease the interests of emerging Religious Right, which directly opposed Costanza's ideals. Ultimately, marginalized both within the White House and by her fellow feminists, Costanza was pressured to resign in 1978

Biography type

individual biography

Cataloging source

DLC

Dewey number

• 305.42092
• B

Illustrations

• illustrations
• plates

Index

index present

LC call number

E840.8.C687

LC item number

M28 2016

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography