Archive Of Aphra: The Feminist Literary Magazine From 1971-1974 Aphra: Feminism, Literary Magazine 1960S-1970S,Feminism,Literature,Social Activist

[Feminism] Radical Feminist and Women Empowerment Magazine Aphra: The Feminist Literary Magazine Archive of 7 issues from 1971-1973. Aphra: the feminist literary magazine. Pennsylvania, 1971-1973. All about 72 pages measuring 6.75" x 8.5." Contains short fiction, poetry, art and play excerpts along with essays and other writings. Magazine is named after the 17th century playwright Aphra Behn, the first woman known to have earned her living by writing. The journal's mission statement is included in the preamble: "[to offer] work in which women can see themselves, offering them the identification and shock of recognition which art traditionally gives, but which is clearly underexpressed." Edited by New York Times writer Elizabeth Fisher. This archive contains: [1] Vol. 3 No. 1 Winter 1971-1972. Contains several poems, essays and short stories including "I am the Immaculate Conception" by Rosemary McDermott and Sculptures made by Eva Hesse. Vibrant purple cover with "Om" and "Women" featured. [2] Vol. 3 No. 2. Spring 1972. Contains an essay by Kimberley HMS Snow on Kate Chopin's The Awakening and stories by Erica Jong and Joan Silber, with artwork by Susan Hall. Brown cover featuring illustrations of portraits of two women, one young one old. [3] Vol. 3 No. 3. Summer 1972. Contains an essay nby Dorothy Hage and short stories by Lydia Ressner, Renny Hartmann and Susan Griffin. Art by Patricia Sloane. Vibrant pink cover with green illustrations of women's faces. [4] Vol. 3 No. 4. Fall 1972. Contains poetry by Margaret Atwood, Barbara Gravelle and stories by Nelly Kaplan, Margaret Robinson and Elanor Hyde. Photo essay by Beth Bird. Vibrant Red Cover with tagline: "Free Women The Mirror Breaks". [5] Vol. 4 No. 1. Winter 1972-1973. Contains a play by Dacia Maraini and stories by Josephine Herbst and Margaret Lamb and poetry by Anita Barrows and Barbara Chesser and Adrienne Rich. Cover is Grey with the theme "Fathers and Daughters" written across the front. [6] Vol. 4 No. 3. Summer 1973. Features an essay by Esther Newton and Paula Webster, poems by Siv Cedering Fox, Alexandra Grilikhes and Miriam Palmer. Cover is tan with red illustration done in ancient Egyptian style with the theme "Matriarchy" written on the front. [7] Vol. 5 No. 3. 1974. Contains essay by Daphne Patai and stories by Cynthia D. Grant and Lynne Sharon Schwartz. Poetry by Jane Augustine and Crescent Dragonwagon. Drawings by Isabel Bishop. Cover is vibrant yellow with tagline "Free Women Friends and Lovers." "Aphra's" mission statement was "Free women thinking, doing, being." In the preamble to their first edition, the editors state that the purpose of the magazine is to provide women with an outlet to express themselves: "We submit that one reason for the form of the current upsurge in feminism.is that the mass media provides such biased and commercially oriented material. The literary and entertainment scene are dominated by male stereotypes, male fantasies, male wish fulfillment, a male power structure," echoing West's complaints. The magazine was a clear response to the male domination of the literary field in contemporary American society and historically. Each issue contained a collection of "Aphra-isms" which were quotes from feminist figures such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Sojourner Truth and more modern feminists like Kate Millet. The section also featured historical and modern examples of sexism from literature and the news. Minor wear on some covers from age, but all bindings are tight and magazines remain in very good condition.