THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT
Judith Arcana
“I was educated by powerful social movements created by people struggling for liberation and justice.”
Educator and Author. A writer of poems, stories, essays and books. Activist for reproductive justice since spending two years in the Jane Collective, Chicago’s underground abortion service (1970–72). Known for her insistence on the organically political nature of art and literature.
Interviewed by Mary Jean Collins, VFA Historian, April 2023
Photo. “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” (photo by Michael Pildes)
More About Judith:
- Judith Arcana official website
- Books and other publications
- Jane: The Abortion Counseling Service of the Chicago Women’s Liberation Union
- Films discussed in Judith’s interview:
- “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” is a 2014 American documentary film about some of the women involved in the second wave feminism movement. Directed by Mary Dore and co-produced by Nancy Kennedy
- Cited in Barbara Love’s book, Feminists Who Changed America 1963-1975, page 17
- Select Interviews
- “The Women of Jane Risked It All. Will You?” by Andrea González-Ramírez, May 2022
- “Always a Jane: Judith Arcana on History, Hope and Doing the Work,” by Riley Brennan, January 16, 2021
- “Judith Arcana, Reproductive Rights Pioneer, in Conversation [Audio]”, April 2019
- “Meet Judith Arcana, A Pioneer of ’70s-Era Underground Abortion Work,” by Rebecca Jacobson April 24, 2018
- Jewish Women’s Archive. “Jane Member Judith Arcana”
- “A Conversation between Judith Arcana and Judith Barrington,” 2009
- Interviews with former members of Chicago Women’s Liberation Union, 1985-1991, Descriptive Inventory for the Collection at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, Judith Arcana and Pauline Bart, April 19, 1988