You Daughters of Freedom

‘You Daughters of Freedom brings some forgotten women into the public discourse again, and we are all the richer for it.’ * Australian *
‘Clare Wright’s You Daughters of Freedom is the uplifting story of a time Australia led the world in including women in our democratic project. It is a reminder of our proud legacy and a clarion call for who we can be.’ * Penny Wong *
‘A thrilling tale, superbly told, of brave Australian women with a passion for politics.’ * Judith Brett *
‘This book will be brilliant.’ – Annabel Crabb * Chat 10 Looks 3 *
‘One of the country’s most accomplished story-tellers relates Australian women’s fight for the vote in all of its passion, intensity and drama.’ * Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU *
‘The essential story of our greatest reformers, and one of our proudest achievements as a nation.’ * George Megalogenis *
‘A rare achievement. Grand, bold and brilliantly written.’ * Mark McKenna *
‘You Daughters of Freedom relates with sparkle and wit the largely untold story of the trailblazing women who not only dragged recalcitrant male leaders into the new century and won the right to vote but also were at the forefront of the struggle for women’s enfranchisement internationally.’ * Inside Story *
‘Her story of Australian suffragists winning the vote and then running for parliament in 1903 should be required reading in this time of angst over the ‘women problem’ in the federal Liberal Party.’ * Weekend Australian Magazine *
‘I urge you to read it; share it with your family, friend and colleagues; make sure your local library has multiple copies; ditto the local book store and newsagent; put it on the list of you reading group.’ – Diane Bell * Honest History *
‘Fascinating.’ * 3RRR *
‘A celebration of leadership, inspiration, education and sheer individual cheek.’ * Sydney Morning Herald *
‘Sizzling.’ * Caroline Overington *
‘When I finish, I want to…hold the book aloft and tell every person I know to read it.’ * Australian Book Review *
‘A fascinating book that also raises interesting questions about our national culture.’ * Canberra Weekly *
‘An exciting history of a trailblazing campaign.’ * Good Weekend *
‘Another book to re-invigorate a near-forgotten chapter of history.’ * Spectator *
‘Women’s suffrage remains one of young Australia’s finest moments and Wright does its participants proud.’ * Corrie Perkin *
‘Fresh, compelling and devoid of dry or, worse, obfuscating academese.’ * Whispering Gums *
‘So eloquently and subtly challenges the weary emphasis on the Anzac legend as the defining moment of the first two decades of twentieth-century Australian history. Instead, we have an account of the engrossing struggle of Australian women to win the vote in their own country and the crucial role they played in the British suffrage campaign.’ * Queensland Review *

Professor Clare Wright OAM

Professor Clare Wright OAM is an award-winning historian, author, broadcaster, podcaster, and public commentator. She has worked extensively in politics, academia, and the media, and is currently a Professor of History and Professor of Public Engagement at La Trobe University.

Professor Wright is the author of five works of history, including the best-selling The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka (winner of the 2014 Stella Prize) and You Daughters of Freedom. Her latest book, and the final instalment in her Democracy Trilogy, is Dhak-ruuk: The Bark Petitions. This highly acclaimed work won the Australian Political Book of the Year, the Queensland Literary Award for Non-Fiction, and the NT History Book Award. It was also shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, Victorian Premiers Literary Awards, Age Book of the Year Awards, and ABIA Awards, and was longlisted for a Walkley Award and the NIB Literary Award.

Her contributions to historical storytelling extend to documentary filmmaking, having written and presented history documentaries for ABC TV. She also served as Associate Producer of the feature film One Mind One Heart, which won the NSW Digital History Award.

In the realm of audio, Professor Wright hosts the ABC Radio National history podcast Shooting the Past. She also co-hosts the La Trobe University podcast Archive Fever and is the Executive Producer of Hey History!, Australia’s first history podcast designed for classroom use.

In recognition of her significant contributions, Professor Wright was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours list in 2020 for “services to literature and to historical research.” She currently serves as Chair of the National Museum of Australia Council and is a past Board Director of the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas.

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