Professors Catherine Clinton *80 and Rhae Lynne Barnes on ‘Roe’

A new book by the two history professors analyzes the current political turning point for abortion

A photo of Catherine Clinton ’80 and the cover of "Roe v. Wade: Fifty Years After."

The cover of ‘Roe v. Wade’ and co-author Catherine Clinton ’80.

Published Oct. 28, 2024

Catherine Clinton *80, a history professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Princeton history professor Rhae Lynn Barnes have joined together to discuss modern America’s stark turning point in women’s rights in their new book, Roe v. Wade: Fifty Years After. The in-depth analysis of this tumultuous period offers a deep look into a political landscape where a woman’s right to choose is no longer federally protected, varying drastically from state to state.

To understand this shift — and its impact on our current election cycle — Clinton and Barnes call us to look back to the landmark Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 and the half-century of social, political, and cultural upheaval that followed. World-renowned scholars, prize-winning historians, and Pulitzer Prize-winning public intellectuals examine the historical struggle for reproductive freedom, the legal battles that shaped it, abortion’s cultural representation in popular culture, and the diverse perspectives on abortion shaping our country’s future.

PAW asked Clinton and Barnes to recommend three more books about women’s rights to read this election season, and they suggested these.

The cover of "The Highest Glass Ceiling," showing a woman's legs under the curtain of a voting booth.

The Highest Glass Ceiling: Women’s Quest for the American Presidency (2016)

By Ellen Fitzpatrick

This compelling analysis of female candidates for the American presidency was a riveting read when it was published in 2016. But in 2024 it is even more compelling to understand the role of stereotypes and uneven playing fields within American politics, as extraordinary women challenged sexism and the status quo in their challenge for election to the highest office in the land.

The cover of "The Truths We Hold," featuring a photo of Kamala Harris.

The Truths We Hold: An American Journey (2018)

By Kamala Harris

This autobiographical volume traces Kamala Harris’s journey from her humble beginnings in Oakland to her role as prosecutor for the state of California, and then her ascension to the role of senator from the state of California. During her tenure as vice president, she became a champion and advocate for reproductive rights.

Rising to the role of Democratic candidate for the presidency in the summer of 2024, she has remained a righteous warrior for women’s rights to their own bodies. Harris has become a symbol of American women’s struggle for legal and political equality in this second decade of the 21^st century.

The cover of "The Movement," with the title in bright colors.

The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Transformed America 1963-1973 (2024)

By Clara Bingham

This powerful use of oral histories informs and illuminates our understanding of the context for the Roe v. Wade decision, of men and women’s participation in shaping the crusade for women’s rights during a crucial decade within American history. Bingham weaves together voices and viewpoints to remind us of what a generation fought for 50 years ago, of what was gained, and what we must now confront must not be lost.

Published in the November 2024 Issue