In this Book
- When We Were Free to Be: Looking Back at a Children’s Classic and the Difference It Made
- Book
- 2012
- Published by: The University of North Carolina Press
summary
If you grew up in the era of mood rings and lava lamps, you probably remember Free to Be . . . You and Me--the groundbreaking children's record, book, and television special that debuted in 1972. Conceived by actress and producer Marlo Thomas and promoted by Ms. magazine, it captured the spirit of the growing women's movement and inspired girls and boys to challenge stereotypes, value cooperation, and respect diversity. In this lively collection marking the fortieth anniversary of Free to Be . . . You and Me, thirty-two contributors explore the creation and legacy of this popular children's classic.
Featuring a prologue by Marlo Thomas, When We Were Free to Be offers an unprecedented insiders' view by the original creators, as well as accounts by activists and educators who changed the landscape of childhood in schools, homes, toy stores, and libraries nationwide. Essays document the rise of non-sexist children's culture during the 1970s and address how Free to Be still speaks to families today.
Contributors are Alan Alda, Laura Briggs, Karl Bryant, Becky Friedman, Nancy Gruver, Carol Hall, Carole Hart, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, Joe Kelly, Cheryl Kilodavis, Dionne Kirschner, Francine Klagsbrun, Stephen Lawrence, Laura L. Lovett, Courtney Martin, Karin A. Martin, Tayloe McDonald, Trey McIntyre, Peggy Orenstein, Leslie Paris, Miriam Peskowitz, Deesha Philyaw, Abigail Pogrebin, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Robin Pogrebin, Patrice Quinn, Lori Rotskoff, Deborah Siegel, Jeremy Adam Smith, Barbara Sprung, Gloria Steinem, and Marlo Thomas.
Publisher's Note: Late in the production of this book, the text on pages 252 and 253 was accidentally reversed. As a result, one should read page 253 before turning to page 252 and then proceeding on to page 254. The publisher deeply regrets this error.
Featuring a prologue by Marlo Thomas, When We Were Free to Be offers an unprecedented insiders' view by the original creators, as well as accounts by activists and educators who changed the landscape of childhood in schools, homes, toy stores, and libraries nationwide. Essays document the rise of non-sexist children's culture during the 1970s and address how Free to Be still speaks to families today.
Contributors are Alan Alda, Laura Briggs, Karl Bryant, Becky Friedman, Nancy Gruver, Carol Hall, Carole Hart, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, Joe Kelly, Cheryl Kilodavis, Dionne Kirschner, Francine Klagsbrun, Stephen Lawrence, Laura L. Lovett, Courtney Martin, Karin A. Martin, Tayloe McDonald, Trey McIntyre, Peggy Orenstein, Leslie Paris, Miriam Peskowitz, Deesha Philyaw, Abigail Pogrebin, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Robin Pogrebin, Patrice Quinn, Lori Rotskoff, Deborah Siegel, Jeremy Adam Smith, Barbara Sprung, Gloria Steinem, and Marlo Thomas.
Publisher's Note: Late in the production of this book, the text on pages 252 and 253 was accidentally reversed. As a result, one should read page 253 before turning to page 252 and then proceeding on to page 254. The publisher deeply regrets this error.
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- Title Page, Copyright Page
- pp. i-viii
- Introduction
- pp. 1-10
- Inspiration
- p. 11
- Free to Be Memories
- pp. 21-24
- Part One: Creating a World for Free Children
- In the Beginning
- pp. 35-40
- Mommies and Daddies
- pp. 49-55
- Free to Be . . . the Music
- pp. 56-58
- Thinking about Free to Be
- pp. 59-61
- Beyond the Fun and Song
- pp. 62-65
- Free to Be . . . a Child
- pp. 66-70
- Part Two: Free to Be . . . You and Me in Historical Context
- Part Three: Parents Are Still People Gender and Child Rearing across Generations
- Free to Be Conflicted
- pp. 146-149
- Ringside Seat at the Revolution
- pp. 150-153
- Free to Be the Dads We Want to Be
- pp. 154-159
- Little Bug Wants a Doll
- pp. 160-164
- Growing a Free to Be Family
- pp. 165-172
- Part Four: How Free Are We to Be? Cultural Legacies and Critiques
- Free to Be or Free to Buy?
- pp. 185-190
- On Square Dancing and Title IX
- pp. 191-198
- “William’s Doll” and Me
- pp. 199-206
- Whose World Is This?
- pp. 215-221
- Marlo and Me
- pp. 222-228
- Free to Be on West 80th Street
- pp. 229-233
- A Free Perspective
- pp. 234-239
- When We Grow Up
- pp. 240-244
- The Price of Freedom
- pp. 245-250
- About the Contributors
- pp. 297-306
- Acknowledgments
- pp. 307-310
Additional Information
ISBN
9781469601427
Related ISBN(s)
9780807837238, 9780807837559, 9781469619057
MARC Record
OCLC
830023237
Pages
344
Launched on MUSE
2012-11-16
Language
English
Open Access
No