Breaking Through: How Female Athletes Shattered Stereotypes in the Roaring Twenties - Hardcover

by Sue Macy (Author)

Award-winning author Sue Macy offers a fresh and timely account of women in sports in the 1920s, and how their determination, talent, and defiance in the face of criticism promoted women's rights, redefined femininity, and changed the course of history.

Macy offers a rare and fascinating glimpse into the journey of women's rights through the lens of women in sports during the pivotal decade of the 1920s. With elegant prose, poignant wit, and fascinating primary sources, Macy explores the many hurdles presented to female athletes as they stormed the field, stepped up to bat, and won the right to compete in sports. Featuring bold and talented heroines, this book documents how the social issues and morals of the decade--from politics to segregation to the media--helped shape the changing narratives around women and alter the course of history entirely. It is a fascinating window into a rich and seldom explored history, and also a topical reminder of the many discussions surrounding femininity and the role of women that continue today.

Author Biography

Sue Macy is the author of Bull's-Eye: A Photobiography of Annie Oakley, Winning Ways: A Photohistory of American Women in Sports, and A Whole New Ball Game: The Story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, among many other titles. She has received numerous awards and starred reviews for her work. Winning Ways and A Whole New Ball Game were both named ALA Best Books for Young Adults and NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People.