The Equivalents

A Story of Art, Female Friendship, and Liberation in the 1960s

The timely, never-before-told story of five brilliant, passionate women who, in the early 1960s, converged at the newly founded Radcliffe Institute for Independent Study and became friends as well as artistic collaborators, and who went on to shape the course of feminism in ways that are still felt today.

In 1960, Harvard's sister college, Radcliffe, announced the founding of an Institute for Independent Study, a "messy experiment" in women's education that offered paid fellowships to those with a PhD or "the equivalent" in artistic achievement. Five of the women who received fellowships--poets Anne Sexton and Maxine Kumin, painter Barbara Swan, sculptor Mariana Pineda, and writer Tillie Olsen--quickly formed deep bonds with one another that would inspire and sustain their most ambitious work. They called themselves "the Equivalents." Drawing from notebooks, letters, recordings, journals, poetry, and prose, Maggie Doherty weaves a moving narrative of friendship and ambition, art and activism, love and heartbreak, and shows how the institute spoke to the condition of women on the cusp of liberation.


Cover photographs: Anne Sexton, 1961 by Rollie McKenna © Rosalie Thorne McKenna Foundation. Courtesy Center for Creative Photography. Print: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Rollie McKenna; Women's liberation demonstration © Freda Leinwand (detail). Print: Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University
Edge of cover image: Red, White and Gray, 1971 by Barbara Swan (detail). Used with permission from the Alpha Gallery, Boston.

Ever-Evolving...

Doherty provides dimension surrounding our historical why, how we arrived here and asks the direct question - and call to action - to craft the next chapter. Compelling, comprehensive context.

Excellent, all women must read

Good writing, good stories, important friendships. Great book for woman past and present. loved this.

A great read

This book is a wonderfully told history of early events in the fight for women’s rightful place in society through the lens of an institute, art, friendship, and, inevitably, of class. Beautifully read.

Toxic feminism and complaints

I have loved Anne sexton for a long long time , but this rendition comes off as non stop complaining, immaturity and toxic feminism. No a poet cannot have it all. No a woman cannot do it all , this being a great mother and a great artist. There is a lot of ego here and a lot of narcissism. These women became successful and published , even wealthy yet the author is constantly complaining about men or society as if men only do what they want to do and never sacrifice. Deeply immature philosophy and often very selfish and self indulgent.