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Robin Morgan, Feminist Poet and Editor, Dies at 83
Confirmed
In Short: Robin Morgan, a pivotal figure in second-wave feminism and a renowned poet, passed away on Saturday in New York.
Robin Morgan, a pivotal figure in second-wave feminism and a renowned poet, passed away on Saturday in New York. As an organizer, she helped found feminist groups like New York Radical Women and Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell (W.I.T.C.H.), and was considered one of the architects of the contemporary women’s movement. Morgan is widely credited with coining the term 'herstory' and popularizing the clenched fist/female symbol icon of the liberation movement. Her legacy was one of deeds, words, and images, as she left a lasting impact on feminist discourse and activism.
Robin Morgan was at the center of defining moments in feminism, expanding upon the achievements of the suffragists. During the 1960s and 1970s, she embodied and inspired historic changes in how women lived and thought. Her poem 'Monster' was quoted at feminist rallies, and 'Arraignment' helped capture the movement’s embrace of Sylvia Plath and condemnation of her husband, poet Ted Hughes. Morgan’s rhyming couplet 'I accuse/Ted Hughes' inspired the title for Sonic Youth’s 'J’Accuse Ted Hughes.
Robin Morgan’s death was confirmed by the Women’s Media Center (WMC), an organization she co-founded with Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem. WMC President Julie Burton called Morgan 'one of the architects of the contemporary women’s movement,' hailing her writing and 'global leadership for justice and equality.' Morgan considered herself primarily a poet and artist, and her work fed into her activism. Her son, Blake Morgan, said she was still working on new books and poems despite suffering a series of health problems in recent weeks.
Blake Morgan, her son, described her as someone who was able to take very big ideas and distill them succinctly, like a poet, into a few words. He pointed to such quotes of hers as 'hate generalizes, love specifies.' Morgan’s legacy was one of deeds, words, and images, and she left a lasting impact on feminist discourse and activism.
What's confirmed
- As she was happy to point out, the one-time “Ideal American Girl” and adored “Little Robin Morgan” was a rule-breaker and justice seeker with a notable list of achievements, along with a prison record and an FBI file.
What's still developing
- Nothing material beyond the confirmed record.