If I were to estimate, I’d say a solid 80 percent of my friends who have daughters are proud owners of Rad American Women A-Z — a book extolling the contributions of radical women throughout history. In the ongoing trend of historical-figure explainer books for young readers, the books covers an alphabetical list of women, including Ella Baker, Billie Jean King, Sonia Sotomayor, Hazel Scott and many others.
Now, authors Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl have arranged for the release of an official song for the book. Over a moody three-chord organ figure, Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs of Bouquet, Glasser, Daniela Sea and more run through the book’s alphabet of women:
On the B-side of the 7″ (yes, it’s a record, released for Independent Bookstore Day), women like Angela Davis, Rebecca Solnit, Charlene Yi, Alice Bag, and Aminatou Sow & Ann Friedman of Call Your Girlfriend recite the explanation of the book’s entry for “X” — for the important women throughout history who are unknown today:
