Dorothy Wickenden Books

Harriet Tubman was a pivotal conductor on the underground railroad, known for her no-nonsense demeanor, humor, and strategic brilliance. She rescued enslaved individuals, hiding them in the kitchens of Martha Wright, a Quaker mother, and Frances Seward, the wife of a prominent politician. Tubman served the Union Army as a nurse and spy, participating in a significant raid that freed 750 enslaved people. Martha, viewed as a "dangerous woman" by her peers, was an outspoken critic of Lincoln's slavery policies and organized abolitionist and women's rights conventions alongside Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Frances, more conventional in public, secretly advocated for immediate abolition and provided support to freedom seekers. The narrative highlights interactions with influential figures like Lincoln, Seward, and Frederick Douglass while exploring intense political debates surrounding women's rights, emancipation, and the roles of Black troops. Spanning two decades before and after the Civil War, the story captures a transformative period in American history through the detailed letters exchanged among the characters. Wickenden's work is both enlightening and relevant, akin to the historical narratives of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough.

Harriet Tubman, strategically brilliant and uncannily prescient, rescued some seventy enslaved people from Maryland's Eastern Shore and shepherded them north along the underground railroad. In Auburn, New York, she entrusted passengers to Martha Coffin Wright, a Quaker abolitionist and leader of the women's rights movement, and Frances A. Seward, whose husband served as New York's governor and senator, and then as secretary of state under Abraham Lincoln. The Agitators opens in the 1820s, when Tubman is enslaved in Maryland and Wright and Seward are young homemakers in upstate New York, bound by law and tradition, and it ends after the Civil War. Many of the most prominent figures of the era-William H. Seward, Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Charles Sumner, John Brown, William Lloyd Garrison-are seen through the discerning eyes of the protagonists. So are the most explosive political debates: about the civil rights of African Americans and women, about the enlistment of Black troops, and about opposing interpretations of the Constitution. Wickenden traces the second American revolution these women fought to bring about and its lasting effects on the country. Profoundly relevant to our own time, The Agitators brings a vibrant, original voice to this transformative period in our history. Book jacket.

Set in 1916, this true story follows two affluent society girls who abandon their comfortable lives to become teachers in the rugged wilderness of Colorado. Their journey explores themes of adventure, resilience, and the transformative power of education as they navigate the challenges of a harsh environment and their own personal growth. The narrative highlights their struggles and triumphs, offering a unique glimpse into the lives of women seeking purpose beyond societal expectations.