American women who contributed their talents to the silent film industry are still largely unrecognized, in spite of their great influence. This book details the lives and careers of America's first women directors, unveiling the history of those who, with little recognition, helped pave the way for females in the film industry today.

A timely and captivating account of America's first women directors who, with little recognition, helped pave the way for females in the film industry today. Originally published in 1977 as Early Women Directors, Anthony Slide's The Silent Feminists was the first volume to recognize and honor the work of female directors in the American silent film industry. With a new foreword by the author, this invaluable resource documents these pioneering women's lives and careers and provides an introduction to the notable yet often overlooked history of female film directors. It introduces readers to such trailblazers of the motion picture as Alice Guy Blaché, Lois Weber, Mrs. Wallace Reid, Ida May Park, Margery Wilson, and many others. More than forty years after its original publication, The Silent Feminists remains an important and influential study, providing original documentation on a subject that has steadily and deservedly grown in significance.