Journalist and feminist icon Gloria Steinem died at her New York City home on Sept. 2. She was 92.
Steinem's notable career included the co-founding of two publications, New York Magazine and Ms. Magazine. She also wrote multiple books, including "My Life on the Road" and "The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off!"
One of the most renowned moments of Steinem's work was the 11 days that she spent undercover as a bunny in Manhattan's Playboy Club. Steinem wrote her exposé, "A Bunny's Tale," which revealed the unfortunate conditions women working under Hugh Hefner's corporation endured.
Steinem once called her clandestine work as a bunny a "professional error" but later acknowledged that her work outlived all of Playboy's clubs
and sparked change in how the clubs were run while they were still open.
Co-founding the National Women’s Political Caucus alongside Congresswoman Bella Abzug, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm and feminist Betty Friedan, Steinem toured the country as a speaker, talking to crowds about women's rights and gender equality, according to the National Women's History Museum.
Steinem's nearly 70-year career brought her around the world and that included stops in Tennessee.
Feb. 15, 1991: Gloria Steinem's visit to Knoxville, Tennessee
Wanda Sobieski, a Knoxville attorney as well as President and Founder of the Suffrage Coalition, recalled Steinem's 1991 visit to Knoxville.
The East Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women was planning an event in celebration of Susan B. Anthony's birthday to raise awareness for the organization. As president at the time, Sobieski suggested bringing in Steinem to be the keynote speaker. Other members were not in support of that plan.
Sobieski quietly slipped away and called Ms. Magazine just to ask what Steinem's non-profit speaking fee would be. To Sobieski's surprise, it was Steinem herself who answered the phone and agreed to speak at the ETLAW event. The event had other important figures in attendance, including all members of the Tennessee Supreme Court, but Sobieski said Steinem was definitely the highlight.
ETLAW was still trying to raise money for Steinem's speaking fee by the time she arrived in Knoxville, according to Sobieski. The organization was offering photos with Steinem for a fee and hosted an early evening reception before her speech to continue fundraising.
Due to her contentious views and work at the time, police escorts were arranged by Sobieski to accompany Steinem from the reception to the speaking event.
"She was controversial," Sobieski said. "I didn't know how the community would take it. I was pretty sure there'd be protestors and didn't want her to walk through that."
Steinem denied the police escort, but sure enough protesters were there. Sobieski said while Steinem walked down Gay Street, she approached the crowd and "engaged in pleasant conversation with protestors."
By the time the event ended, protesters had left. Sobieski said Steinem "diffused the situation with her kindness."
Sobieski said that at the conclusion of the event, attendees approached Steinem to sign their programs. Before signing, Steinem offered each person her own program and asked them to sign a copy for her to keep.
Steinem was on deadline for her fourth book, "Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem," during her 1991 trip. Sobieski said it was here in Knoxville that Steinem finished the book while staying in Sobieski's guest house. Sobieski still keeps a signed copy of the book.
"Her focus genuinely was on the lives of women and how we treated women as a whole, especially mothers," Sobieski said. "I will miss her dearly."
March 11, 2002: Gloria Steinem visits University of Tennessee
During National Women's History Month, Steinem visited the University of Tennessee's campus and spoke in the auditorium of the University Center, according to Knox News archives.
The event was held at 7:30 p.m. and co-sponsored by two student-led organizations, the Women's Coordinating Council and the Issues Committee. Steinem's speech was open to the public and tickets to the event, "An Evening with Gloria Steinem," cost $5.
“We decided to bring Ms. Steinem to UT thinking it would be a great way to celebrate the diversity, the achievements and the importance of all women,” vice chair of the WCC at the time, Ramaah Sadasivam, said, according to the Daily Beacon.
March 19, 1985: Gloria Steinem visits Vanderbilt
Years prior to Steinem's speaking event in Knoxville, she held a similar one in the Langford Auditorium of Vanderbilt University.
The event was for Vanderbilt's ninth annual Women's Week, and Steinem discussed her anthology, "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions," which was her most recent book at the time, having been published in 1983.
"The noted feminist will discuss her career as an activist and writer and answer questions from the audience," an article published in The Tennessean in advance of the event said.
Tickets for Steinem's Nashville stop were $3, and a reception was held after the event.
Afton Pratt covers trending and breaking news for The Knoxville News Sentinel and Tennessee. She can be reached at ampratt@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: How a visit to Knoxville helped Gloria Steinem finish her fourth book
