Mary Walker Wears the Pants

April 15, 2013
Back when wearing pants was an act of defiance for women, Mary Walker sported them with poise. As a Civil War surgeon and activist, pants allowed her freedom of movement. Molinari shows a coiffed Walker striding confidently in a man’s tailored suit, as women glower in bonnets and floor-length dresses. In detailed prose, Harness describes Walker caring for the war wounded, being captured as a suspected spy (“It is likely that this was true”), and eventually receiving a Medal of Honor. Throughout, Harness underscores the greater implications of Walker’s attire: “There was more to Mary than her trousers. She lived as she believed, as an individual, fully equal and entitled to walk, breathe, and think freely, unbound by a corset or her society’s expectations.” An endnote further explores Walker’s life. Ages 6–9.