Zona Gale: the Pulitzer Prize Winner of Portage
If we want to talk about important Wisconsin women, we cannot fail to mention Zona Gale. Born August 26, 1874 in Portage Wisconsin, Zona would go on to become the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Zona was educated at the University of Wisconsin, graduating with a degree in literature in 1895. She worked for newspapers in Milwaukee and New York for several years, before eventually moving back to Portage to concentrate on her more literary efforts. She wrote novels, short stories, poetry, essays, and plays. It was actually her own play adaptation of her novel Miss Lulu Bett that would win the Pulitzer for Drama in 1921. Her writings often focused on the lack of opportunities that women had in life, and she also spent much of her time in support of activism for the betterment of women. She lobbied for the 1921 Wisconsin Equal Rights Law, and was a founding member of the Lucy Stone league.
Zona’s home in Portage is now the Portage Museum, dedicated to the history of the town with Zona’s study preserved as it was during her life. If you’re interested in her writings, we have many available in the library system. Check one out today!