Leah Cohen Harby
A member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Leah ““Lee” Cohen Harby’s patriotism and her pride in her Southern roots found an outlet in her essays, short stories, and poetry. Harby’s ancestors had fought in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Upon settling in Texas in 1869, Harby began using her family stories and local history as fuel for her writing and began publishing essays, poems, and short stories in both local papers and nationally acclaimed journals like The Jewish Messenger, Godey’s Magazine, and the Ladies’ Home Journal. Her 1883 article, “Women and Their Possibilities,” encouraged Jewish women to become educated, charming, and self-reliant. Her 1891 and 1894 articles for the American Historical Association’s Annual Report, “The Earliest Texas” and “The Tejas: Their Habits, Government, and Superstitions,” won praise from the association. She also wrote a number of poems, many of which were dedicated to Confederate soldiers. Along with her membership in the DAR, DAC, and AHA, Harby was proud to participate in Sorosis, the first women’s club in New York City, which was dedicated to the intellectual and professional success of women.
How to cite this page
Jewish Women's Archive. "Leah Cohen Harby." (Viewed on June 25, 2016) <http://jwa.org/people/harby-leah>.