Undercredited Women Contributors: How Men Uphold the Narrative

Author: Allison Bonaventura

Field of Study: Arts and Humanities

Program Affiliation: Source Project Research Program

Faculty Mentors: Bridget Whearty, Jeremy Dibbell

Easel: 20

Timeslot: Afternoon

Abstract: The relationship between women and literature has largely been undermined by the narratives of men dominating the field. Binghamton University’s copy of More English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs exemplifies instances where women contributors have received sexist backlash while being denied proper credit and publicity for their contributions. The project begins with the Guild of Women Binders. The Guild combined leadership by an exploitative man, Frank Karslake, degrading comments toward the young women workers, and lack of credit for their works. Next, the project looks at Mary Landon Baker whose bookplate appears on the front pastedown. The story of her romances dominated the news while her relationship to books took a backseat. Finally, many of the works within More English Fairy Tales come from women sources, but were modified by Jacobs. Ultimately, this project discovers the tangible value of old books in uncovering the hidden histories of women contributors.