The History Chicks : A Women's History Podcast

Elizabeth Packard

Oct 8, 2025
Discover the harrowing story of Elizabeth Packard, who was unjustly committed to a mental institution by her husband in 1860 for daring to speak her mind. Explore her transformation from captive to powerful activist, championing rights for the mentally ill and married women. Hear about her daring escape, expose of asylum abuses, and the grassroots campaign that led to significant legal reforms. Her legacy endures today, inspiring modern conversations on women's rights and mental health.
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ANECDOTE

Committed For Speaking Her Mind

  • Elizabeth Packard was first committed after a 19th-century
INSIGHT

Husband's Legal Power Over Wives

  • Illinois law allowed a husband to commit his wife without a public hearing or her consent.
  • That legal exception made married women uniquely vulnerable to institutionalization.
INSIGHT

Vague Diagnoses Enabled Social Control

  • Broad diagnoses like 'moral insanity' and 'brain fever' let authorities label dissenting or grieving women as insane.
  • Vague medical terms enabled social control and wrongful confinement.
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