Alva Vanderbilt: life of the week

Document Type

Podcast

Streaming Media

Publication Date

9-15-2025

Publisher

BBC History Magazine

Abstract

Climbing to the top of Gilded Age society in 19th-century America, socialite Alva Vanderbilt made headlines for being one of the first elite women to divorce on her terms, and she later turned her ambition – and considerable fortune – to the fight for women’s rights. In today's episode, Nancy Unger tells Elinor Evans about a woman who upended the highest echelons of society, caused scandal and heartache, but ultimately blazed a path from strategic social climber to outspoken suffragist.

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Hosts: Ellie Cawthorne, Rhiannon Davies, Rob Attar

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