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05-07-2025
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
Book Publishing & Printing Studio (LIB 3109)
We are pleased to invite you to the latest event in the DKU Library Author Talk Series, titled “Women in Independent Publishing: A History of Unsung Innovators”.This event is not only an exploration of feminist literary history but also a celebration of the DKU students who helped bring this book to life—some of whom are graduating soon. Join us for a meaningful reunion that honors their contributions and achievements.
We are honored to welcome the editor of the book, Dr. Stephanie Anderson, Assistant Professor of Literature and Creative Writing at Duke Kunshan University (DKU), to share insights from her book Women in Independent Publishing: A History of Unsung Innovators, 1953-1989. Dr. Kolleen Guy, Associate Professor of History at DKU, will moderate the discussion.
This book shines a light on the pivotal yet often overlooked contributions of women and nonbinary editors-publishers in small-press publishing between the 1950s and the 1980s. This was a period that paralleled the rise of second-wave feminism and the growing accessibility of mimeograph technology, which together sparked a boom in women-led independent presses.
Many of these presses operated far from traditional publishing hubs—often in apartment kitchens and church basements—and were fueled by passion rather than profit. Despite challenging conditions, they brought bold new voices and perspectives to the literary world and reimagined publishing on their own terms.
This project also exemplifies a collaborative educational endeavor. DKU students worked alongside Dr. Anderson to conduct interviews, perform research, and even create a companion digital archive (https://sites.duke.edu/spiesintheaudience/). Their intellectual labor and creative energy are woven throughout the book, and we are proud to spotlight their work in this event.
Editor: Dr. Stephanie Anderson
Assistant Professor of Literature and Creative Writing, Duke Kunshan University
Her research asks how poems and the documents that surround them circulate through time and space and travel among persons. She is especially interested in genre play in 20th century U.S.-based poetry, as explored through small press publishing, material text and the archive. Her teaching interests at Duke Kunshan include modern and contemporary literature, creative writing, and textual production/bookmaking.
Moderator: Dr. Kolleen Guy
Associate Professor of History, Duke Kunshan University
Associate Dean for Academic Services, Duke Kunshan University
Her main research interest is on how both the consumption and production of food and drink shape national memory and identity. Her teaching interests at Duke Kunshan include global history and areas related to food systems and the environment.
Explore the Book:
Women in Independent Publishing: A History of Unsung Innovators, 1953-1989
Author/Editor: Stephanie Anderson
ISBN: 978-0826367068
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press
Year of Publication: 2024
Location: 1st Floor Faculty Work
Call number: Z231.5 .L5 W66 2024
Electronic book: https://find.library.duke.edu/catalog/DUKE99119712914308501
Overview:
Women in Independent Publishing is a collection of interviews with and resources about women actively engaged in small-press publishing between the 1950s and the 1980s. The interviewees include Hettie Jones, Margaret Randall, Bernadette Mayer, and many others.
The scope and range of the interviews showcase a variety of types of publishing possible within the small press community. These interviews illuminate the unifying and diverging elements between multiple publishing “scenes” and reveal their particularities and commonalities. Women in Independent Publishing is a timely and urgent documentation of literary history and reveals and celebrates the multifaceted roles of women editors and publishers and the communities they built.
The book includes a critical introduction, an afterword by contemporary small-press publisher M. C. Hyland and a robust resources section that provides further paths for reading and literary recovery.
