Felice Schwartz
Encyclopedia
Felice N. Schwartz was an American writer
, advocate
, and feminist. During her career, Schwartz founded two national advancement and advocacy organizations. In 1945, she established the National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students (NSSFNS), an association committed to placing African American
s in institutions of higher education
. In 1962, she founded Catalyst, a national organization dedicated to advancing women in the workplace, where she served as president for three decades. Schwartz is also well known for her controversial article, “Management Women and the New Facts of Life,” published in The Harvard Business Review in 1989. The article pitted her against other feminists, such as Betty Friedan
, for pointing out the differences between men and woman and their functions in the workplace.
, to businessman Albert Nierenberg and his wife Rose. After attending boarding school in Cooperstown, New York, she enrolled in Smith College
, where she graduated in 1945. In 1946, she married Irving Schwartz
, a physician
, with whom she raised three children. After her father’s death in 1951, she took over the ailing family manufacturing
business with her brother, which they successfully saved and sold four years later.
ed colleges and universities to open their doors to African American applicants and matched qualified students with available scholarship
money. In 1951, Schwartz left the organization to help manage the family business. But she soon encountered the unpleasant realities of running a company as a woman, and she left to become a full-time mother after the birth of her second child. She had a third child and ultimately was out of the workforce
for nine years. During this time, she became frustrated by the obstacles preventing educated mothers such as herself from entering or re-entering the workforce.
In 1962, Schwartz contacted the presidents of several colleges, and a handful of them became the board of directors
of Catalyst, Inc.
, a new organization that she hoped would address the issues she and others had experienced as businesswomen and mothers. At the time, Catalyst’s mission was “to bring to our country’s needs the unused capacities of educated women who want to combine family and work." Schwartz went on to lead Catalyst
as its president for 30 years until her retirement in 1993.
Over her career, Schwartz was a prolific writer. The piece that she is probably best known for, entitled “Management Women and the New Facts of Life,” was published in the Harvard Business Review
in 1989. The article was interpreted as suggesting that companies create two career paths to accommodate women who wished to balance career and family and women whose career was their primary concern. It sparked a heated debate after The New York Times
ridiculed Schwartz’s idea, dubbing it the “Mommy Track
.” Schwartz, however, maintained that her article was misinterpreted, saying, "I violated the politically correct
thing by saying that women are not just like men. What I said then and still say is that women face many, many obstacles in the workplace that men do not face. I was saying to that group of men at the top, 'Rather than let womens' talents go to waste, do something about it'.”
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
, and feminist. During her career, Schwartz founded two national advancement and advocacy organizations. In 1945, she established the National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students (NSSFNS), an association committed to placing African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s in institutions of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
. In 1962, she founded Catalyst, a national organization dedicated to advancing women in the workplace, where she served as president for three decades. Schwartz is also well known for her controversial article, “Management Women and the New Facts of Life,” published in The Harvard Business Review in 1989. The article pitted her against other feminists, such as Betty Friedan
Betty Friedan
Betty Friedan was an American writer, activist, and feminist.A leading figure in the Women's Movement in the United States, her 1963 book The Feminine Mystique is often credited with sparking the "second wave" of American feminism in the twentieth century...
, for pointing out the differences between men and woman and their functions in the workplace.
Background
Schwartz was born Felice Nierenberg on January 16, 1925, in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, to businessman Albert Nierenberg and his wife Rose. After attending boarding school in Cooperstown, New York, she enrolled in Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
, where she graduated in 1945. In 1946, she married Irving Schwartz
Irving Schwartz
Irving Schwartz, OC was a Canadian businessman. He was a noted community leader, philanthropist, and humanitarian. He was inducted into the Order of Canada for his work towards ridding the world of landmines, and was later made an officer of the order.-Early life:Schwartz was born in New...
, a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, with whom she raised three children. After her father’s death in 1951, she took over the ailing family manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
business with her brother, which they successfully saved and sold four years later.
Career
After graduation from Smith in 1945, Schwartz sought to address the extremely low ratio of African American students at the college. Because she was one of only a few Jewish students at her high school, Schwartz empathized with the isolation of African Americans at Smith. That same year she founded the National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students. The organization petitionPetition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
ed colleges and universities to open their doors to African American applicants and matched qualified students with available scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
money. In 1951, Schwartz left the organization to help manage the family business. But she soon encountered the unpleasant realities of running a company as a woman, and she left to become a full-time mother after the birth of her second child. She had a third child and ultimately was out of the workforce
Workforce
The workforce is the labour pool in employment. It is generally used to describe those working for a single company or industry, but can also apply to a geographic region like a city, country, state, etc. The term generally excludes the employers or management, and implies those involved in...
for nine years. During this time, she became frustrated by the obstacles preventing educated mothers such as herself from entering or re-entering the workforce.
In 1962, Schwartz contacted the presidents of several colleges, and a handful of them became the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Catalyst, Inc.
Catalyst (nonprofit organization)
Catalyst, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that promotes inclusive workplaces for women. It was founded in 1962 by feminist, writer, and advocate Felice Schwartz. Sheila Wellington served as president of Catalyst following Schwartz for ten years...
, a new organization that she hoped would address the issues she and others had experienced as businesswomen and mothers. At the time, Catalyst’s mission was “to bring to our country’s needs the unused capacities of educated women who want to combine family and work." Schwartz went on to lead Catalyst
Catalyst (nonprofit organization)
Catalyst, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that promotes inclusive workplaces for women. It was founded in 1962 by feminist, writer, and advocate Felice Schwartz. Sheila Wellington served as president of Catalyst following Schwartz for ten years...
as its president for 30 years until her retirement in 1993.
Over her career, Schwartz was a prolific writer. The piece that she is probably best known for, entitled “Management Women and the New Facts of Life,” was published in the Harvard Business Review
Harvard Business Review
Harvard Business Review is a general management magazine published since 1922 by Harvard Business School Publishing, owned by the Harvard Business School. A monthly research-based magazine written for business practitioners, it claims a high ranking business readership among academics, executives,...
in 1989. The article was interpreted as suggesting that companies create two career paths to accommodate women who wished to balance career and family and women whose career was their primary concern. It sparked a heated debate after The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
ridiculed Schwartz’s idea, dubbing it the “Mommy Track
Mommy Track
Mommy track is a career path determined by work arrangements offering mothers certain benefits, such as flexible hours but usually providing them with fewer opportunities for advancement. The term can also be applied to fathers who do not take their work very seriously -- e.g., Keith.This is a...
.” Schwartz, however, maintained that her article was misinterpreted, saying, "I violated the politically correct
Politically Correct
Politically Correct may refer to:*Political correctness, language, ideas, policies, or behaviour seeking to minimize offence to groups of people-See also:*Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, book by James Finn Garner, published in 1994...
thing by saying that women are not just like men. What I said then and still say is that women face many, many obstacles in the workplace that men do not face. I was saying to that group of men at the top, 'Rather than let womens' talents go to waste, do something about it'.”