Robin Morgan, Child Star Turned Feminist Firebrand, Dies at 85

Robin Morgan, who traded a career as a beloved child star for a life of radical feminist activism, writing, and editing, has died. She was 85. Her death was confirmed on Saturday by the Women's Media Center, an organization she co-founded with Jane Fonda and Gloria Steinem, who passed away earlier in the week.

Morgan was a central figure in the second-wave feminist movement of the 1960s and 70s. She helped organize the first protest against the Miss America pageant in 1968 and edited the seminal 1970 anthology "Sisterhood is Powerful," which became a foundational text for the modern women's movement. She is also credited with coining the term "herstory" and popularizing the clenched-fist female symbol.

Her influence extended beyond organizing. Her poetry, including works like "Monster" and "Arraignment," captured the movement's anger and ambition. Her 1970 essay "Goodbye to All That" was a sharp critique of the male-dominated counterculture and peace movements, calling out figures from Abbie Hoffman to Hugh Hefner.

Born in 1941 in Lake Worth, Florida, Morgan began her career as a model at age three and hosted her own radio show by age five. She was a star of the hit TV series "Mama" from 1949 to 1957, a period during which she was marketed as the "ideal girl-next-door." This wholesome image belied a rebellious spirit that emerged early; she later wrote about a childhood incident where she was silenced on air for speaking against physical punishment.

In her later years, Morgan continued to write and edit, producing over 20 books and leading Ms. Magazine. She remained active despite a Parkinson's disease diagnosis, which inspired some of her later poems. Her 2001 memoir, "Saturday's Child," reflected on her remarkable journey, noting her ability to retain a "threadbare, somewhat surreal sense of humor."