Early Life of Betty Friedan

Betty Naomi Goldstein was born in February 4, 1921. She was raised in Peoria, Illinois. She was the first child of her parents Harry and Miriam Goldstein. They had a total of three children. Harry, Betty's father worked as a jewelry store owner, and her mother Miriam gave up her job as a writer for the local newspaper when she was married. Betty's mother loved working, and the loss of her job affected her greatly. Miriam tried persuading Betty to become a journalist.

Betty graduated college from Smith College in 1942. She studied psychology as a graduate at the University of California in Berkeley. Betty did end up pursuing a career in journalism, just like her mother. But Betty did not end her career for her family. Betty married Carl Friedan in 1947. Betty and Carl had three children together. Daniel, Jonathan, and Emily. While raising her family Betty continues to write articles.

In 1957 Betty became concerned with women's rights, and in 1963 Betty wrote "The Feminine Mystique." This book was extremely influential to the middle class women in the 1960s. Betty Friedan had many accomplishments. She broke ground by exploring how women can have personal fulfilment outside their traditional ways.

On Febuary 4th 2006, she died of congestive heart failure, and she will always be remebered as "one of the leading voices of the feminist and women's rights movement of the twentieth century".