Donald F. Melhorn Jr. Shares 'The Rights of Women in a Democratic Republic'

Frederick Grimke's original essay written in 1856, first published shortly after his death, is now given a new examination by Donald F. Melhorn Jr. in "The Rights of Women in a Democratic Republic: A Modern Edition, Introduced with Commentary by Donald F. Melhorn Jr." (published by Archway Publishing). This edition of Grimke's almost lost essay on women's rights brings new commentaries, characters, places and times to the history of the American women's rights movement.

Grimke's essay's forecast of the vocational future of women is strikingly predictive of the present situation in American society. In it, he asserts not only that women are fully equal to men in intellectual capacity, and that with access to higher education they would also be qualified for careers in the professions and other high-end occupations, but that, in time, workplace accommodations would make such careers possible even for married women with children.

"The essay itself is unique, and the narratives of Frederick's struggle with its conclusions during his lifetime and the intervention by his executor to publish it posthumously, add to its interest," Melhorn notes. "As to the book's principal characters, authors of previous works involving the sisters have paid no attention to Frederick; and authors of previous works about Frederick have paid no attention to the sisters. None has recognized that sibling relationships were an essential part of each of their lives."

"The Rights of Women in a Democratic Republic"
By Frederick Grimke
Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 200 pages | ISBN 9781480829299
Softcover | 6 x 9in | 200 pages | ISBN 9781480829282
E-Book | 200 pages | ISBN 9781480829305
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author
A native of Toledo, where he has lived and been an active member of the bar since his return from college, law school and naval service, Donald F. ("Frank") Melhorn Jr. has said that he "practices history without a license." His interests in that endeavor are centered, though not entirely focused, on the legal history of early 19th century Ohio. Many of his writings, like the present work, have been inspired by happenstance discoveries of something little known and curious, which when investigated have yielded significant findings. He has also enjoyed teaching seminar courses in American legal history at the University of Toledo College of Law, and being invited to lecture to academic, professional and general audiences.

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