Oral History with Elisabeth Hagen

Elisabeth (Liz) Hagen, who comes from South Africa, lived in southern Africa and Great Britain before moving to Princeton in 1969. She quickly became involved in the central New Jersey Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), including on the committee examining sex stereotyping in early school readers. Liz was soon drawn into the chapter’s effort to start a day nursery. She became heavily involved in negotiations with Princeton University and went on to serve as one of University NOW Day Nursery’s (UNOW) first trustees. In this interview, Liz remembers her days of negotiations and activism. She also takes a broader perspective on the goals and prizes of the women’s liberation movement.