Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935) was a prominent American feminist, sociologist, and writer of fiction and non-fiction. Born on July 3, 1860, in Hartford, Connecticut, Gilman grew up in a context of challenging economic conditions and fluctuating family fortunes, which influenced her lifelong advocacy for women's economic independence. A central figure in the early women's movement, Gilman gained critical acclaim through her works that addressed the social and economic roles of women in society. She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking book 'Women and Economics' (1898), an insightful analysis of women's economic dependency and a call for women's emancipation through work opportunities. Gilman's eminently progressive views on gender roles and her straightforward writing style marked her as a pioneering thinker of her time. Her literary corpus includes both fiction, like the acclaimed short story 'The Yellow Wallpaper' (1892), which explores women's health and the societal ignorance concerning female psychological experiences, and non-fiction that continues to inspire feminist scholarship to this day. Gilman's work not only illuminates the gender dynamics of her own era but also resonates with contemporary discussions on feminism and economic equality.