Janet Marshall Stevenson (February 4, 1913 – June 9, 2009) was an American writer, teacher and social activist who wrote in the areas of

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...

, the

women's movement The feminist movement, also known as the women's movement, refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for radical and liberal reforms on women's issues created by inequality between men and women. Such issues are women's ...

, the

peace movement A peace movement is a social movement which seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war (or wars) or minimizing inter-human violence in a particular place or situation. They are often linked to the goal of achieving world pe ...

, the environment and the arts. She published works in multiple fiction and nonfiction genres, and was recipient of several awards. She co-authored the successful 1943 Broadway play, ''Counterattack'', which was adapted for the screen. She wrote a biography of California Attorney General Robert W. Kenny, who had defended the

Hollywood Ten The Hollywood blacklist was the mid-20th century banning of suspected Communists from working in the United States entertainment industry. The blacklisting, blacklist began at the onset of the Cold War and Red Scare#Second Red Scare (1947–1957 ...

before the

House Un-American Activities Committee The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative United States Congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 19 ...

. She and her husband Philip Stevenson were placed on the

Hollywood blacklist The Hollywood blacklist was the mid-20th century banning of suspected Communists from working in the United States entertainment industry. The blacklisting, blacklist began at the onset of the Cold War and Red Scare#Second Red Scare (1947–1957 ...

for their political beliefs and associations. She spent the latter decades of her life in

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

where she became active in local politics.

Early life and education

Janet Atlantis Marshall was born on February 4, 1913, in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, to John Carter, an investment banker, and Atlantis Octavia (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

McClendon) Marshall. Janet graduated from

Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College ( ; Welsh language, Welsh: ) is a Private college, private Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as a ...

in 1933 and received an MFA in theater arts from

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

in 1937. She married playwright and screenwriter Philip Edward Stevenson in New York City in 1939. They met while working for a

summer stock theatre In American theater, summer stock theater is a theater that presents stage productions only in the summer. The name combines the season with the tradition of staging shows by a resident company, reusing stock scenery and costumes. Summer stock t ...

in Surry, Maine.

Career

The Stevensons collaborated on several plays, including ''Declaration'' and ''Counterattack''. The latter, based on the Soviet play ''Pobyeda'' by Ilya Vershinin and Mikhail Ruderman, ran on Broadway from February to April 1943. It was then turned into a 1945 motion picture of the same name, for which she received a writing co-credit. Besides writing for stage and screen, Stevenson also lectured in drama at the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

from 1951 to 1953, but was fired for her alleged ties to the Communist Party. As a result of the

blacklist Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list; if people are on a blacklist, then they are considere ...

, she struggled to find work. She wrote under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

Janice Stevens on '' The Man from Cairo'' (1953), and was an uncredited co-writer of ''

The Law vs. Billy the Kid ''The Law vs. Billy the Kid'' is a 1954 American Western (genre), western film directed by William Castle and starring Scott Brady, Betta St. John and Paul Cavanagh. It was produced by Sam Katzman for distribution by Columbia Pictures. Plot Che ...

'' (1954). Stevenson was assistant professor of English at Grambling College in Louisiana from 1966 to 1967, and was a lecturer at

Portland State University Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans. It evolved into a four-year college over the next ...

in 1968. She served as cultural arts editor of the ''Chicago Weekly'' while temporarily living in Chicago in the 1970s. She published articles in '' American Heritage'' and the ''

Atlantic Monthly ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 ...

'' among other magazines. Her literary agent was Barthold Fles, who handled many notable 20th century artists.

Later life in Oregon

Janet and Philip Stevenson divorced in 1964, and Philip died while traveling in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

in 1965. That same year, Janet moved to

Astoria, Oregon Astoria is a Port, port city in and the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state and was the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. The county is the ...

. She soon settled in

Clatsop County, Oregon Clatsop County () is the northernmost List of counties in Oregon, county in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 41,072. The county seat is Astoria, Oregon, Astoria. The Oregon Geograph ...

and made it her home until her death in 2009. She resided at various times in Walluski, Hammond and Warrenton, and served two terms as the mayor of Hammond, beginning in 1986. She also was president of the Oregon Women's Political Caucus for many years and helped found the North Coast chapter of the organization. In 1965, Stevenson married Benson Rotstein. In 1970, his contract was not renewed by the Astoria School Board because of his involvement in the

and his use of controversial materials in his psychology classes. He appealed to the

American Association of University Professors The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is an organization of professors and other academics in the United States that was founded in 1915 in New York City and is currently headquartered in Washington, D.C. AAUP membership inc ...

, but their decision was still pending when he died later in 1970 in a boating accident on the Columbia River Bar. In her remaining years, Stevenson wrote in a variety of genres: journalistic pieces, travel, novels, history and biography for young adults, and a full-length political biography of Robert Kenny. Her last published book, ''The Slope'', is based on episodes from the life of Bethenia Angelina Owens-Adair, the first woman doctor in Oregon. Stevenson sought to "rescue Bethenia from obscurity". ''The Slope'' was cited in Portland State University's "Walk of the Heroines" celebration. Stevenson died in Warrenton on June 6, 2009. Her obituary described her as "a lifelong campaigner for

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...

and peace and a staunch advocate of equal rights for women." Stevenson's papers included the manuscript for a book, ''The Last Town in Oregon'', about her years as mayor of Hammond. It was not to be published until after her death.

Awards and honors

In 1938, Janet Stevenson won a John Golden Fellowship in playwriting; her fellow recipient that year was

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three ...

. She won the National Arts of the Theatre Award for "Weep No More" in 1953. She received the C.E.S. Wood Distinguished Writer Award from the Oregon Book Awards in 1990. In 1994, she was honored as an Oregon Woman of Achievement. In 2005, the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission added Stevenson's novel ''Departure'' to its list of "100 books from the years 1800 to 2000 that exemplify the best of Oregon’s rich literary heritage." This was part of an exhibition celebrating the centennial of the

Oregon State Library The State Library of Oregon in Salem, is the library for the U.S. state of Oregon. The mission of the State Library of Oregon is to provide leadership and resources to continue growing vibrant library services for Oregonians with print disabil ...

. Her name is included in

's Walk of the Heroines.

Works

Novels

*''Weep No More: A Novel'' (1957) - adapted from her 1953 play *''The Ardent Years: A Novel'' (1960) *''Sisters and Brothers: A Novel'' (1966) *''Departure: A Novel'' (1985)

985 Year 985 ( CMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Henry II (the Wrangler) is restored as duke of Bavaria by Empress Theophanu and her mother-in-law Adelaide at an ...

(1997) *''The Slope'' (2009)

Juvenile biography

*''Painting America's Wildlife: John James Audubon'' (1961) *''Marian Anderson: Singing to the World'' (1963) *''Pioneers in Freedom: Adventures in Courage'' (1969) *''Spokesman for Freedom: The Life of Archibald Grimke'' (1969)

Travel

*''Woman Aboard'' 969 (1981)

Juvenile history

*''Soldiers in the Civil Rights War: Adventures in Courage'' (1971) *''The Montgomery Bus Boycott, December, 1955: American Blacks Demand an End to Segregation'' (1971) *''Women's Rights'' (1972) *''The School Segregation Cases (Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka and Others): The United States Supreme Court Rules on Racially Separate Public Education'' (1973)

Drama

*''Declaration'' with Philip Stevenson (1940) *''Counterattack'' with Philip Stevenson (1943) **''

Counter-Attack A counterattack is a tactic employed in response to an attack, with the term originating in " war games". The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy during attack, while the specific objectives typically seek ...

'' (screenplay) (1945) *'' The Man from Cairo'' (screenplay) (1953) *''Weep No More'' (1953) *''The Third President'' (a rewrite of ''Declaration'') (1976)

Biography

*''The Undiminished Man: A Political Biography of Robert Walker Kenny'' (1980)

References

External links

*
Janet Marshall Stevenson papers
at the University of Oregon
Review of "Departure"
from ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson, Janet Marshall Writers from Oregon 1913 births 2009 deaths American feminists Writers from Chicago Mayors of places in Oregon People from Clatsop County, Oregon Bryn Mawr College alumni Yale University alumni University of Southern California faculty Grambling State University faculty Portland State University faculty Women mayors of places in Oregon 20th-century American women politicians People from Warrenton, Oregon American women academics 21st-century American women 20th-century Oregon politicians