Jessica Mitford
Jessica Mitford was a British-American author and activist known for her sharp critiques of societal norms and the exploitation within various industries. Born into an aristocratic family, she took a contrarian stance against her sisters' fascist inclinations during the 1930s by supporting the anti-fascist cause in Spain. Mitford migrated to the United States in 1939, where she held various jobs before establishing herself as a prominent voice in consumer rights advocacy.
Her groundbreaking book, "The American Way of Death" (1963), exposed corruption in the funeral industry and became a best-seller, cementing her reputation as a leading muckraker. Following this, she authored "The Trial of Dr. Spock" (1969), critiquing the political motivations behind the prosecution of the renowned pediatrician and advocating for the rights of dissenters. Mitford's works, including "Kind and Unusual Punishment" and "The American Way of Birth," contributed significantly to consumer rights discussions and influenced public policy debates in the 1960s. Known as the "Queen of the Muckrakers," she continued her advocacy with a sense of humor until her passing, leaving a legacy that emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in both business and government.
Subject Terms
Jessica Mitford
- Born: September 11, 1917
- Birthplace: Batsford, Gloucestershire, England
- Died: July 22, 1996
- Place of death: Oakland, California
A civil rights activist, social critic, and muckraking journalist. Mitford’s scathing attack on the undertaking business, published in 1963, became a model of watchdog journalism and agitation on behalf of the consumer.
Early Life
Jessica Mitford was born into a noted aristocratic British family, numbering among her siblings biographer and author Nancy Mitford. When sisters Diana and Unity embraced fascism in the 1930’s, contrarian Jessica went to Spain to support the anti-Fascists during the Spanish Civil War. She migrated to the United States in 1939, working jobs from bartending and sales to investigator for the Office of Price Administration during World War II. She moved to Oakland, California, with second husband and union lawyer Robert E. Treuhaft after the war.
The 1960’s
When her husband’s work with the estates of union employees revealed exploitative practices by the funeral industry, Mitford spotlighted the problem in the article “Saint Peter, Don’t You Call Me” (Frontier, November, 1958). After further research, the article evolved into The American Way of Death (1963), a blistering exposé and indictment of the undertaking business, which became an instant best-seller.
Her next book, The Trial of Dr. Spock (1969), focused on the federal prosecution in Boston of famous baby doctor Benjamin Spock and four others for conspiracy to promote violations of the Selective Service Act. She focused on the politics of prosecution, arguing that the defendants had been denied a fundamental right not to be tried for dissent. Following conviction of four of the five, she asserted that political use of federal conspiracy laws meant that all Americans are not as free as they think they are.
Later Life
With wry humor, Mitford continued to ridicule practices that “victimize people in odd little ways.” She attacked a required oath of loyalty to the California constitution while at San Jose State University in “My Short and Happy Life as a Distinguished Professor” (Atlantic, 1974) by noting, “Do I uphold and defend, for example, Article 4, Section 25 3/4, limiting boxing and wrestling matches to fifteen rounds? I don’t know.”
Major works included Kind and Unusual Punishment: The Prison Business (1971) and a study of the role of politics and money in national health care, The American Way of Birth (1992).
Impact
Along with seminal works such as Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring (1962) and Ralph Nader’s Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-in Dangers of the American Automobile (1965), Mitford’s writings helped inaugurate a new era of legal protection from big business and big government. Legislators split by the Vietnam War could find common ground here, and in the 1960’s, concern for consumers’ rights became a permanent part of the American psyche.
Subsequent Events
Although funeral directors from all over the country offered their services when the “Queen of the Muckrakers” succumbed to lung cancer, her family provided what she wanted a sensible and dignified cremation.
Additional Information
In 1979, Mitford published Poison Penmanship: The Gentle Art of Muckraking, in which she explored the approach and methods used in creating each of her key works. It is a virtual course in investigative journalism.