The National Women’s History Museum mourns the passing of Dr. Sally Roesch Wagner, a pioneering historian, author, educator, and longtime member of our Scholars Advisory Council. Dr. Wagner passed away on June 11 at the age of 82.

Dr. Wagner was a towering figure in the field of women’s history. As one of the first individuals in the United States to earn a doctorate in women’s studies, she devoted her life to amplifying the stories of women whose contributions had been erased or sidelined. Through her scholarship, teaching, and advocacy, she reshaped the narrative of American history to be more truthful, inclusive, and just. Her generosity of spirit ensured that others — students, colleagues, and institutions like ours — could continue that essential work.

She was the founding director of the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation and Social Justice Dialogue Center, created to honor and restore the legacy of the radical suffragist Matilda Joslyn Gage. Dr. Wagner once said, “I fell in love with a dead woman, followed her right across the country, and it changed my life.” That love and relentless pursuit of justice led her to establish the Gage Center in Fayetteville, New York, a vibrant home for truth-telling, activism, and community engagement.

Her impact as a scholar and public intellectual was equally far-reaching. Dr. Wagner authored numerous books, including We Want Equal Rights: The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Influence on the Women’s Rights Movement (Native Voices, 2020), and edited The Women’s Suffrage Movement (Penguin Classics, 2019), a foundational anthology of writings from the American struggle. She was featured in major public media projects, including PBS’s The Vote, and appeared in CNN’s special reports. Her work consistently highlighted the foundational role of Indigenous women’s governance and matriarchal culture in shaping the American women’s rights movement.

Dr. Wagner also served as adjunct faculty in the University Honors Program at Syracuse University and was a founding voice in the creation of one of the first college-level women’s studies programs in the country. She brought not only academic rigor to her teaching, but also a deep sense of humanity, purpose, and resolve.

Dr. Wagner was also a treasured friend and thought partner to the National Women’s History Museum. Her wisdom and commitment to historical accuracy made our work stronger and more impactful. We are deeply grateful for her contributions, her candor, and her fierce belief in the power of truth.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, her colleagues, and the generations of students, readers, and activists she inspired. Dr. Wagner faced her death, as her family shared, “with unwavering love, deep gratitude, and without fear.” Her legacy will continue to echo in every effort to reclaim women’s rightful place in history.