Robin Morgan, feminist pioneer, dies at 85

Robin Morgan, a pioneering poet, essayist, editor, and radical activist who was a central figure in second-wave feminism, died on Saturday, September 5, 2026, in New York. She was 85. Her death followed a series of health problems in recent weeks, according to her son, Blake Morgan. Morgan, who began her career as a child star in the 1940s and 1950s, evolved into a formidable voice for women's rights and social justice. She is widely credited with coining the term "herstory" and popularizing the clenched fist as a symbol of the women's liberation movement. Her work as an organizer and writer helped define and advance the contemporary women's movement. A prolific author, Morgan wrote more than 20 books, including poetry collections such as Monster and Harvesting Darkness, and the memoir Saturdays Child. She edited the influential 1970 anthology Sisterhood Is Powerful, which became a foundational text for modern feminism. She later edited Sisterhood Is Global in 1984 and Sisterhood Is Forever in 2002.