Borden Borden: Social And Social Influences During The 1940's

Joyce Borden Balokovic’s (1897-1971) background and education positioned her to be an impactful women’s activist during the 1940’s. Growing up in an aristocratic family, she was heiress to the Borden family fortune which came from her father, Gail Borden, the inventor of condensed milk. Joyce had other notable relatives including Robert Borden, Canada’s Prime Minister during World War I, and Lizzie Borden from the famous Fall River murders. She was born and raised in Chicago and was raised by a dogmatic, Catholic mother who made her feel repressed for most of her childhood. Upon going to Barnard College, Joyce expressed herself musically through singing, piano, and guitar playing. However, she excelled in singing and hoped to make a career
Her family heritage perfectly positioned her to take a stand as a political activist, an opportunity that most women at the time never had. She had the potential to push forward the women’s rights movement and achieve many things for women’s rights. However, in examining Joyce’s life and her involvement in organizations overall, it seems that she was mostly a figurehead who only did things for her own personal gain. This may seem like a bad thing but it is expected of her because she was raised that way. I think Joyce wanted what anyone else wants, to enjoy life, and she made sure she was living her best life at all times. However, this does not excuse the fact that she was in the position to do something great for the progression of women’s rights, and never did. Her involvement in organizations allowed her to be a leader for the progression of the women’s rights movement. However, it will become apparent that her involvement in organizations was mostly for her own gain and her achievements did not amount to
Of the organizations the couple was in, many were considered “Communist-front” organizations. Most famously, the American Committee for Yugoslav Relief which Zlatko served as president of during 1948 when the organization was accused of being “subversive” and having a Communist-front. This is not surprising considering the organization consisted of more than a dozen nationally-recognized, pro-Communist figures. In a document created by the Senate Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities, the American Committee for Yugoslav Relief was accused of being a “Communist-front organization that supported Tito’s dictatorship.” Upon receiving this accusation, Zlatko wrote many letters to the U.S. Attorney General in protest of the accusation and requested that the organization and all of its members’ reputations be restored. This accusation is especially surprising considering in August of 1944, the Committee was officially registered to the President’s War Relief Control Board. Therefore, the Committee’s financial statements, books, official documents, etc. were constantly investigated and always deemed acceptable. Zlatko attempted to clear the Committee’s name following the accusation, and Joyce was still involved in her Communist-front organizations. While she never held any significant roles, her reason for staying in the organizations following her husband’s