Wild Women of Washington, D.C.: A History of Disorderly Conduct from the Ladies of the District

Book excerpt: Fiery suffragettes, unconventional first ladies and rebellious socialites--turning up their noses at ladylike behavior, these pioneering women of Washington, D.C., shattered the expectations of a tightly corseted society. Escaped slave turned spy Mary Touvestre risked it all to scuttle Confederate plans to break the Union blockade. Trading petticoats for trousers to work at the Union hospitals, Dr. Mary E. Walker was both the only female Medal of Honor recipient and the possessor of a police record for impersonating a man. During Prohibition, First Lady Florence Harding hosted jazz soirees and served up cocktails in the White House gardens. From pioneering photographers and newspaperwomen to enterprising madams and soldiers in disguise, author Canden Schwantes introduces readers to the decidedly daring and wild women of the capital.