Alice Henry
An Australian wordsmith who crossed oceans to become a vital architect of the women's labor movement in early 20th-century America.
1857–1943 (age 86)·Australian suffragist, journalist and trade unionist·Birthday: March 21
Biography
Alice Henry began her fight for justice in Melbourne, using her pen to advocate for women's suffrage and better working conditions. A skilled journalist, she wrote for The Argus and co-edited a women's newspaper, honing a clear, persuasive voice. In her late forties, seeking a broader stage, she sailed for America. There, she found her true calling with the National Women's Trade Union League in Chicago. For over two decades, Henry was the organization's intellectual engine. She edited its magazine, 'Life and Labor,' turning it into a crucial forum for debate. She traveled the country organizing, lecturing, and tirelessly arguing that women workers needed unions, education, and the vote to transform their lives. Her two seminal books, 'The Trade Union Woman' and 'Women and the Labor Movement,' became essential texts. Returning to Australia in her twilight years, she left behind an indelible mark as a thinker and organizer who connected the struggles of women workers across two continents.
#1 When Alice Was Born
The biggest hits of 1857
Alice's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1857Born
1862Started school
President: Abraham Lincoln
1870Became a teenager
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1873Could drive
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1875Could vote
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1878Turned 21
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1887Turned 30
President: Grover Cleveland
1897Turned 40
President: William McKinley
1907Turned 50
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1917Turned 60
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Turned 70
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1937Turned 80
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1943Died at 86
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
Key Achievements
- Served as the editor of the influential magazine 'Life and Labor' for the National Women's Trade Union League in America.
- Authored two foundational books on women's role in the labor movement: 'The Trade Union Woman' (1915) and 'Women and the Labor Movement' (1923).
- Was a leading organizer, lecturer, and publicist for the American women's trade union movement for over twenty years.
- Pioneered journalism focused on women's industrial issues in both Australia and the United States.
Did You Know?
She did not move to the United States until she was 49 years old, beginning the most impactful chapter of her career.
In Australia, she was a close associate of suffragist Vida Goldstein.
She helped establish the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers in America, a pioneering workers' education program.
The University of Melbourne holds a significant collection of her papers and correspondence.
“The vote and the union card are a woman's tools for justice.”
