Dorothy Day Research Paper

Dorothy Day was born in Brooklyn but raised mostly in Chicago. In 1916, her family moved to New York and she went with them, to pursue a career as a revolutionary journalist. She became a regular correspondent for publications such as the Call and the New Masses. She got involved in the issues of the day including women's rights, free love, and birth control. In 1917 she joined women in front of the White House, who were protesting treatment of women suffragists in jail; she wound up serving thirty days in jail. After undergoing a painful abortion and giving birth to another child from her lover, Foster Batterham, he abandoned her rather than marry. Day embraced Catholicism, and clinged to it strongly for the rest of her life. In the years
to come he would be Day's inspiration, and she always called him the "cofounder" of the Catholic Worker. Under his influence she decided to put out a newspaper, to spread her new religious perspective. In addition to the paper, Day opened a "House of Hospitality" in the slums of New York in association with self-described Christian anarchist Peter Maurin who was a tireless and outspoken champion of the rights of the poor and disenfranchised. Dorothy made such an impact in a male world because she was very outgoing. Dorothy had no problem expressing her feelings to anyone. She was an exception to the society of the time. Dorothy was a very smart women who had a knack for being able to write. She also had a heart of gold and wanted to take care of anyone and everyone she could, even if it meant giving up some of the things she needed.