Dolores Alexander

Dolores Alexander (August 10, 1931 – May 13, 2008) was an American journalist and lesbian feminist best known for her work as executive director in the National Organization for Women (NOW) from 1969 to 1970, as co-owner of the feminist restaurant Mother Courage from 1972 to 1977, and co-founder of Women Against Pornography (WAP) in 1979.

Early life and education Dolores Alexander was born on August 10, 1931 She attended Roman Catholic schools in New Jersey and worked as an office clerk for Equitable after graduating high school.

Despite her father's wishes, Alexander enrolled at New York University, where she met Aaron Alexander, who was enrolled in an education master's program. They married in 1950, but divorced after 5 years.

Feminism Until that time, I had always felt like a weirdo, the only person who felt out of step with the world around her. I knew we needed a women's movement. This is what I had been waiting for. – Dolores Alexander, 2007. was witness to the lesbian purge of the National Organization for Women, Located on 342 West 11th Street, the restaurant was named after the heroic female protagonist, Mother Courage, from Bertolt Brecht's drama Mother Courage and Her Children. With the help of many friends and Ward's father, Alexander and Ward completely remodeled the location and turned it into an entirely new restaurant.

On May 19, 1975, Mother Courage celebrated its third birthday by hosting a champagne buffet with a cake in the shape of the venus symbol. Over 100 guests were invited (many of whom are famous feminists), including Gloria Steinem, Audre Lorde, Kate Millett, and more. Author Lucy Komisar once described Mother Courage as "more than a restaurant, this is part of a social movement."

Death and legacy As Alexander's health declined, she stepped back from the movement spotlight, preferring to watch a new generation of activists "lead the change". On May 13, 2008, she died in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Her papers are held in the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College