Paula Kassell

Paula S. Kassell (December 5, 1917 – August 20, 2012) was an American feminist leader who founded New Directions for Women, which was the first national feminist news publication in the United States, was an early board member and officer of the Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press and successfully pushed The New York Times to use the term "Ms." in reference to women.

Early life Kassell was born on December 5, 1917, in New York City. At age 6, her family moved to Yonkers, New York. She started working for Bell Labs in 1955, where she was the first woman employed as a technical editor.

Career In 1971, she became one of the co-founders of New Directions for Women and used money raised by its inaugural May 1971 conference to create a magazine that she edited out of her home together with other volunteers. Nationwide distribution of the newspaper began in 1975 and by 1977 the paper had relocated to offices in Westwood, New Jersey. Sulzberger agreed with her argument and the paper started using the term Ms. as stated in an editor's note published on June 20, 1986, citing the fact that the term had "become a part of the language" in its decision to change its policy. She remained involved with the Morris County, New Jersey, chapter of the National Organization for Women until her death.