Matsuda: Called from Within Cloth: Biography Monographs

The seventeen women of the Hawai'i bar whose biographies comprise this book lived through, and were involved in, the dramatic changes that brought Hawai'i from monarchy to independent Republic to Territory and, finally, to statehood. From a diversity of ethnic backgrounds and allegiances, each of them is characterized by a daring, a sense of adventure, an original personality, and a creative response to the restrictions society placed on women's professional opportunities. Hawai'i's early women lawyers included politicians, judges, and community activists who helped shape the legal system. These women lived through some of the most significant events in Hawai'i's history - many were involved in the turmoil of union organizing on the plantations, the imposition of martial law during World War II, and the development of the postwar government and state constitution. Their activities helped change the law, both locally and nationally. These biographies advance our understanding of the changing position of professional women. Managing their careers in the face of gender bias and limitations on their personal and professional lives, these women found creative ways to resist male-centered assumptions. Their stories add insight to some of the major themes in the emerging field of feminist historiography. The substantial introduction by the editor places the lives of these early women lawyers in the context of Hawai'i history, women's history, legal history, and professional history. Called from Within will interest a broad audience: lawyers and law students, historians and students of history, and readers of biography.