Editor’s Note

This anthology was compiled with the express intention of re-writing motherhood and women back into historical literature anthologies. Since the study of history and literature have often been combined, both have become richer fields of study in the process, offering greater yields for each in the context of the other. Both, however, have had a long history of marginalizing female voices, particularly female voices of color. Though many modern anthologies have attempted to increase inclusivity, adding a wider diversity of voices with varying levels of success, this brief anthology is a devotion to American works written by women before 1865 with a specific focus on rectifying one of the frequently ignored elements of history and literature: motherhood.

For being the element of womanhood which has historically been considered the defining purpose of women in less egalitarian periods of time, motherhood does not receive an equivalent substantiation in the contemporary teaching of literature and history. Instead, it is often passed over as an element of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s so-called private sphere better left to the women. However, in the concurrent political state, which propped up various obstacles and difficulties to writing and publishing, most women throughout the early years of American history were unable to publish or disseminate their works with the same ease of their male counterparts. This difficulty grew exponentially for women of color and even more so for enslaved women, vastly limiting discussion regarding this vital aspect of the lives of a majority of women. Once again, this served to minimize the female narrative.

Therefore, in the creation of my own anthology, an opportunity to rectify some of the innumerable wrongs, each of the works included in this anthology is written by a woman. The pieces span publication dates from 1678 in the American colonies to 1861 and the outbreak of the Civil War, organized chronologically. Not all of the authors are mothers themselves, but each piece either directly discusses motherhood in the work or engages with the concept of motherhood otherwise.

Even so, in the process of assembling this anthology, I had hoped for an even greater level of diversity to the included voices. For each of the six chapters, a different woman is highlighted. Three of the six are white women, and the other three are black women. Had I more knowledge of the time period, more time to explore resources, and a better sense of the perspectives that need to be included, I choose to believe the diversity would have increased. However, as previously stated, the difficulties of publishing only increased exponentially for various marginalized groups. Perhaps there was an existing LGBT+ narrative, or perhaps not. Perhaps there were native narratives, or perhaps not. Unfortunately, between my time constraints and limited knowledge of the time period, the anthology does not reach the height of inclusion that I had initially hoped to achieve.

That being said, as a kind of apology to the voices which were once again forgotten in an anthology, I did what time did permit. As I worked through the process of choosing authors and works, I tried to consider the greater anthology to be an homage to the stories of the women both included and excluded. To me, that meant keeping in mind the stories of women who were not included, published or unpublished, in the literature and history of the time. For that reason, though there are likely various pro-slavery or anti-indigenous perspectives that meet the criteria of this anthology project, I did not include them. Instead, I tried to include forward-thinking, passionate individuals — many of whom were devoted activists — who I believe, like me, would have honored the right of the unheard women to speak, and let their voices echo.

First, the anthology includes Anne Bradstreet’s poem “Before the Birth of One of Her Children” (1678), presumably titled by her brother-in-law who published the piece. This stunningly begins the discussion of motherhood by considering the dangers of pregnancy.

Next, excerpts from Eliza Lee Follen’s New Nursery Songs for All Good Children (1832) brings the anthology to the period of mothering a pre-literate child. Follen’s works, intended to be sung by a mother to her child, might subtly suggest some of the considerations of mothers during this period of parenting.

The third chapter presents excerpts of speeches made by Maria Stewart, a free black female writer and orator. In these compelling pieces, Stewart utilizes motherhood in the Biblical context to address race- and gender-based criticisms against her right to speak publicly.

The fourth chapter features a particularly influential writer of the 1800s, Lydia Maria Child. With excerpts of her novel First Settlers of New-England: or, Conquest of the Pequods, Narragansets and Pokanokets. As related by a mother to her children (1829), the reading provides insights into the rhetorical power of including mother-daughter relationships in an overtly political text.

Next, the inclusion of Francis Ellen Watkins Harper’s poem titled “The Slave Mother” (1854) shows the deep grief and powerlessness of enslaved mothers. Due to the nature of their entrapment in the slave system, these mothers contended with a profound loss of control of the lives of their children, and Harper’s depiction of this extreme pain provides a stunning ethos-based argument against the institution of slavery.

Finally, the sixth chapter provides readers with an excerpt from Harriet Jacob’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861). This piece discusses an extension of the previous chapter on Harper: to what extent can an enslaved mother retake her freedom? Jacob’s account of her autobiography is visceral and compelling, and this short chapter pulled from the larger work brings into stark relief the difference between motherhood under her conditions and motherhood for a truly free person.

Each of these pieces, unique and inspiring in their own ways, just barely begin to make up the picture of American motherhood in the years before 1865. However, it is a beginning, and just like each of these writers who once stared at a blank page and questioned what would come of it, everything has to start somewhere.