Education and Employment

A collage of six promotional flyers, postcards, and clippings for First Things First, Books for Women. The top left flyer is white and advertises Sue Sojourner's bookshop and mail order house and reads "A new feminist endeavor needs your support ---wants to serve you--- Bookshop and mail order house books exclusively on, by, for, about WOMEN....the sexist society - sex-role stereotypes for men & women. Sue Sojourner, of KNOW, Inc. of Pittsburgh, lives in Washington, DC now and is opening a WOMEN'S BOOKSHOP there. She's experimenting with the idea that MAIL-ORDER BOOKS may add viability to the specialized WALK-IN BOOKSHOP. She'd love to fill your book orders... Books for your work, formal studies, at-home consciousness-raising. Books for the fun of Discovering Women: now-in history-in fiction, poetry-biogs. Books for the pain/anguish of detailing the workings of -experiences under the sexist society. Books Books Books - you want - you name - you order - we send Books Books Books. Order yours now by writing to SUE SOJOURNER 23 - 7th Street S.E. Washington, DC 20003. In D.C. - Come over to the same address or call Sue at 546-4951. Get books, posters, pins, buttons and the full range of KNOW reprints. NOTICE: Mail orders for KNOW reprints and publications still should be sent to Pittsburgh KNOW Inc., P.O. Box 86031, Pgh., PA 15221. " The border going around the flyer reads (from top left to right and down): Feminine symbol, Feminists Books Bookshop Mail-Order Walk-In Books Women Feminine symbol Bookshop Mail-Order Biographies Poetry Feminine symbol Bookshop Polemics Literature Studies Storybooks Mail-Order Bookshop Feminine symbol Fiction Classics Bookshop Mail-Order.<br /> <br /> The second flyer down on the left is yellow with black writing and is an advertisement in Publishers Weekly from August 13, 1973 in the New Stores section promoting 1st Things 1st. Text reads " Washington, D.C. 20003 - First Things First, Books for Women, 23-7th St. S.E., is owned and managed by Susan Sojourner, who devotes her entire stock to books by and about women and the women's movement. Her children's section features only 'non-sexist' books. Both hard- and softbound books are carried, and there are posters, jewelry, stationary and hand-painted buttons as sidelines. This is not a walk-in shop. Books may be obtained either by mail or from Ms. Sojourner, who attends conventions and symposia upon invitation." Additional text notes "In July we started the process of becoming a not-for-profit educational corporation. Other than that, the story's accurate. Order from us. Now!". First Things First logo is on the bottom right. <br /> <br /> The third flyer down in the left column promotes First Things First best seller materials in the background of the flyer with headings for non-fiction, poetry, fiction, biographies & autobiographies, and children's books. In front of those sections are inserted blurbs about upcoming events. The top event is "Two Weeks of Women's Books on Capitol Hill January 15 thru 26 Tuesdays thru Saturdays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m." The middle insert and the first things first logo and says there is a two week book fair at Lammas. The third insert says "100's of specialty titles from First Things First on display & for sale at Lammas Arts & Crafts Shop 321 - 7th St. SE 546-7292. "<br /> <br /> The top right gold flyer says "What's in a Name? First Things First is more than our name. It's a statement of priorities/a philosophy: We-Women-First. Our movement, our needs, our heads-us. And our names, too. Not our fathers' nor our husbands'. Just ours. And they come first in our alphabetizing of authors, customers, everyone by their first names first. Impractical, extreme, a fine point. Yes, but instituted for idealistic, not practical concerns; admittedly more difficult-but who ever said change is easy? And whoever denied that it is more convenient to do what's always been done, in the same way as always? And who are we that we're so 'busy' marking the grand change that we don't have the time or patience to hassle the less-than grand? Everyday life consists of fine points. We must start living-every day-a lot of little changes. First Things First -Books for Women-P.O. Box 9041 - Washington, D.C. 20003". The First Things First logo is at the bottom of the flyer. <br /> <br /> The second flyer down on the right is a blank paper gift certificate. It reads: $(Blank amount) in merchandise from First Things First Books for Women c/o Sojourner 23-7th S.E. DC 20003 is given to (blank) from (blank) on the occasion of (blank)."<br /> <br /> The bottom right paper is also a gift certificate. The logo for First Things First is at the top with the following text below: "Books for Women P.O. Box 9041 Washington, D.C. 20003 Given to (blank) from (blank) for (blank)."

Collage of promotional flyers, postcards, and clippings for First Things First, Books for Women, circa 1970s to 1980s.

Sue’s college years began at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She transfered to Stanford before completing her degree at UC Berkeley with a bachelors in political science and journalism in 1964. Her strong passion for writing and photography was reflected in her professional pursuits. 

Sue described herself as "a writer/exhibitor, photographer, and civil rights organizer/worker". Her interests gave rise to working in a variety of occupations including newspaper reporter, ghostwriter, feminist bookseller, typist, managing editor, archvist, seasonal park ranger, apprentice organic farmer, produce worker in a whole foods cooperative, cleaning woman, childcare worker, and artists' model.

Some notable jobs included:

Public relations co-director for KNOW Inc., a specialized feminist press, in the early 1970s.

Founder and Director of First Things First, Books for Women: A Fe-mail Order House

Temp, copy editor, assoicate editor, managing editor and archivist at Georgetown University's Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Washington Quarterly during the 1970s and 80s. 

Education and Employment