How did Tillie Olsen support the recovery of forgotten women writers?

Tillie Olsen played a pivotal role in recovering forgotten women writers, a commitment that significantly influenced the development of women’s studies programs in the United States. Her efforts included:12

• Founding the Feminist Press: Her dedication to lost literature inspired the establishment of the Feminist Press in 1970.1
• Literary Advocacy: She provided an extensive historical and biographical afterword for the 1972 reprint of Rebecca Blaine Harding Davis’s Life in the Iron Mills.1
• Reading Lists: Her recommendations of neglected authors were published as "Tillie Olsen’s Reading Lists" in the Women’s Studies Newsletter (1972–73), which served as a catalyst for the Feminist Press’s reprint series.1
• Critical Writing: In her influential book Silences (1978), she highlighted authors who suffered from discrimination and repression, exploring the societal forces that prevent the full expression of literary talent.13

Through these actions, Olsen helped ensure that the voices of women writers were preserved and recognized, contributing to a more inclusive literary canon.13