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When Frances E. Willard died in 1898, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), of which she was founder and leader, was plunged into discord, and members of the union, once held together by the force of her personality and the loyalty she commanded, foundered. To bind the contentious factions that threatened the entire organization, a propaganda campaign was launched by her staunchest followers to deify Willard, shrouding her in the mystical aura of sainthood. The Frances Willard legend reoriented the union chiefly along the narrow lines of temperance and repudiated the broader policies that Willard embraced. Many, if not most, of her reform programs proved to be of a highly ephemeral nature, essentially dying with her. Her subsequent recognition, based largely on a misrepresentation of Willard and her enormous accomplishments, demands reassessment.
The scope of Willard's efforts to change the world is reflected in her writings. Her publications include biographies of noteworthy women, ranging from portraits of family members to sketches of women who were active in social reform; her own autobiography, which was a best-seller; books explaining the history and purpose of the WCTU; and accounts of significant experiences in her life.
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