THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT
Paula Kassell
December 5, 1917 – August 20, 2012
“We Started New Directions for Women to Reach Women Who Were Not Yet Feminists and to Teach Them the Importance of Becoming Active.”
Founder and editor, first national feminist newspaper, New Directions for Women (1972 –1993). Co-founder, board member and vice president, Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press. Member, Women’s Equity Action League; worked to integrate help wanted ads in local newspapers. Successfully pushed The New York Times to use the term “Ms.” in reference to women. First woman employed as a technical editor, Bell Labs, 1955-1970. Joined the National Organization for Women (NOW), 1966. Co-founder Morris County (NJ) chapter of NOW, 1970. Created a series of feminist conferences in the 1970s and 1980s and established the Positive Image of Women Award. Author, Taking Women in New Directions, a collection of key articles from the national feminist newspaper, New Directions for Women, published, 2008. Named one of the “New Jersey Women Making History” by NOW New Jersey Foundation. Graduated from Barnard College, 1939.
Photo. Paula with her son Daniel at a book signing in 2009.
More About Paula:
- Paula Kassell Obituary, The Herald News
- Morris County NOW, In Memory of Paula Kassell
- Paula Kassell Always Took Women in New Directions
- “A Feminist Pioneer,” The Daily Record, 2009
- VFA Founder Jacqui Ceballos introduces Paula at a Veteran Feminists of America event, at Seventh Regiment Armory, New York City, 1998
- New Directions for Women, Morris County (NJ) NOW
- A Talk with Our Founder, Paula Kassell
- Stories from the Second Wave of the Women’s Movement with Paula Kassell, Part One
- Stories from the Second Wave of the Women’s Movement with Paula Kassell, Part Two
- Stories from the Second Wave of the Women’s Movement with Paula Kassell Part Three
- Pay Equity, 1996, Part One
- Pay Equity, 1996, Part Two
- Women’s Institute for Freedom of the Press website
- Paula Kassell Papers, The State Historical Society of Missouri
- Cited in Barbara Love’s Book, Feminists Who Changed America, 1963 – 1975, page 246
