Important women forgotten, women’s history speaker says
by Andrea Clark, reporter

    So many important women in history are often easily forgotten about or never recognized at all, a history professor said earlier this month.

   In celebration of Women’s History Month, Dr. Linda Hudson, author of A Mistress of Manifest Destiny, A Biography of Jane McManus, told a NE audience about McManus’ importance in women’s history.

   After completing her associate degree at TCC, Hudson continued her education obtaining her Ph.D. in history at the University of North Texas. Currently, she is a professor at East Texas Baptist University.

   Hudson’s extensive research of McManus began in the ’80s when she was working on her master’s and doing research on the Mexican War. She cued in on a footnote, which related to McManus’ trip to Mexico during the middle of the war. Hudson said she was immediately intrigued.

   Her assignment to research McManus began in 1993. Her hard work and dedication culminated in the book published by the Texas State of Historical Information. Hudson said that was a tremendous honor to any author, especially this being her first book.

   Hudson’s book journeys through Jane McManus' life and her tribute to women. McManus lived in New York and was sent to boarding school. From there, she became the first student of Emma Willyard, the lady who set up the first university with a real education for women.

   Not only did being a student under Willyard help encourage McManus’ beliefs, but her strong attitude was instilled by her father and grandmother as well. Her father, who was heavily involved in politics, supported his daughter and allowed her to work with him, helping her get her foot in the door. Her grandmother, being the last woman Mohican chief, was strong and had much influence on her granddaughter.

   One of McManus’ main issues was to help immigrants. Since Texas was considered a dumping ground for immigrants, McManus went to Texas to survey 80,000 acres of land. Unfortunately, she was not able to gain possession of it, but the attempt illustrates her commitment to help and fight for what she believed in.

   McManus voiced her opinions about slavery, oppressed women, war or the issue of immigrants, through writing. She wrote for a newspaper under a different name, so no one knew the author was a woman until years later. She wrote articles that coined the term manifest destiny.

She also wrote about the conditions in which slaves lived, giving people a realistic view of what slaves went through. By writing, she challenged New York not to stay neutral in the Civil War.

Hudson said McManus had many admirers.

One Pulitzer Prize winner used to read McManus’ work. He claims she taught him everything he knows about writing by reading her articles.

McManus, a working woman, was not connected with any organized feminist group, for she thought real oppressed women were still bound in slavery or working in the mills.

She thought feminist organizations were more worried about what lace would match and referred to them as “oppressed housewives,” not knowing what real oppression was.

   She boycotted the boardwalk as a means to protest that women should be allowed to have the same jobs as men, and she won.

   McManus did not follow her typical gender role, which caused feminists not to like her.

   Her life ended in a storm on the last U.S. shipping boat, signifying her beliefs of expansion and trade.

   Only two men survived. They reported seeing her holding on to two black men, a slave and cook, while sinking. She died at the age of 70.

   Hudson has been notified that her book will be receiving an award. She could not reveal the source, but said the award is along the lines of recognizing the most knowledgeable book.