2023 George Washington Prize Finalist

In Female Genius, historian Mary Sarah Bilder uncovers the groundbreaking story of Eliza Harriot Barons O’Connor, a pioneering female educator whose courage and intellect intersected with the founding of the United States. Set in the 1780s, the Age of the Constitution, Harriot delivered one of the first public lectures by a woman at the University of Pennsylvania, attended by George Washington and other Constitutional Convention delegates—an act that may have influenced the gender-neutral language of the Constitution.

Bilder traces Harriot’s transatlantic life, from Lisbon to Charleston, SC, highlighting her founding of academies that inspired countless young American women to pursue higher education and political engagement. By 1792, Harriot’s struggles mirrored broader societal backlash against women and people of color, showing how early American legal frameworks both enabled and constrained opportunities.

Richly illustrated and deeply researched, Female Genius illuminates the vital contributions of women in early America, revealing that the nation’s formative moments were not the sole domain of white men, and offering an inspiring narrative of female intellect, education, and political influence.

Details:

Format: Hardcover
Focus: Eliza Harriot, women in early America, George Washington, Constitutional Convention, education, gender and politics
Audience: Scholars, history enthusiasts, feminist history readers, students, and Revolutionary-era enthusiasts

This edition includes a Mount Vernon bookplate signed by the author, making it a unique collectible.

Women's History Books

Revolutionary Mothers

Never Caught, The Story of Ona Judge - Young Readers Edition

Female Genius

Mount Vernon Love Story

Courageous First Ladies Who Changed the World