print ed393768.tif (62 pages) - eric · in researching her life, students should look for examples...

62
ED 393 768 AUTHOR TITLE INSTITUTION SPONS AGENCY REPORT NO PUB DATE NOTE AVAILABLE FROM PUB TYPE EDRS PRICE DESCRIPTORS DOCUMENT RESUME SO 026 143 Eisenberg, Bonnie; Ruthsdotter, Mary 101 Wonderful Ways To Celebrate Women's History. Revised. National Women's History Project, Windsor, CA. Women's Educational Equity Act Program (ED), Washington, DC. ISRN-0-938625-03-9 93 62p. National Women's History Project, 7738 Bell Rd., Windsor, CA 95492 Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. American Studies; Elementary Secondary Education; *Enrichment Activities; Females; Social Studies; United States History; *Womens Education; *Womens Studies IDENTIFIERS Womens Educational Equity Act; *Womens History ABSTRACT This guide offers activities for teachers as well as community program planners that enhance the awareness of women's history and women's contributions to history. Although National Women's History Month is celebrated in March, programs need not be limited to that time period. The programs have been organized into three sections. The first section contains 50 activities that can be implemented by school districts, school sites, or individual classrooms including "9 to 5"; "Herstory Parade"; and "Not for Sports Alone." The second section contains 13 programs that can be undertaken cooperatively by schools and community organizations including "Community Resource Women in the Schools"; "Billboard Contest"; and "Suitcase Museums." The third section suggests 37 activities that are appropriate for individuals or community organizations including "Traveling Performers"; "Film Series"; and "Street Banners." All the activities described have been suggested by organizers from communities throughout the United States. Where they have been previously implemented, they have been well received. Ten appendixes (half the document) include: (1) Women's History Potpourri (questions and answers concerning the lives of different women); (2) poster sources; (3) biographical information sources; (4) general information sources; (5) a list of traveling exhibits; (6) a list of national organizations; (7) a list of regional desegregation assistance centers; (8) a list of state Sex Equity specialists; (9) a list of women's history performances; and (10) a copy of a congressional resolution designating March as Women's History Month. *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. * ***********************************************************************

Upload: others

Post on 31-Jul-2020

1 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

ED 393 768

AUTHORTITLE

INSTITUTIONSPONS AGENCY

REPORT NOPUB DATENOTEAVAILABLE FROM

PUB TYPE

EDRS PRICEDESCRIPTORS

DOCUMENT RESUME

SO 026 143

Eisenberg, Bonnie; Ruthsdotter, Mary101 Wonderful Ways To Celebrate Women's History.Revised.National Women's History Project, Windsor, CA.Women's Educational Equity Act Program (ED),Washington, DC.ISRN-0-938625-03-99362p.National Women's History Project, 7738 Bell Rd.,Windsor, CA 95492Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (ForTeacher) (052)

MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.American Studies; Elementary Secondary Education;*Enrichment Activities; Females; Social Studies;United States History; *Womens Education; *WomensStudies

IDENTIFIERS Womens Educational Equity Act; *Womens History

ABSTRACTThis guide offers activities for teachers as well as

community program planners that enhance the awareness of women'shistory and women's contributions to history. Although NationalWomen's History Month is celebrated in March, programs need not belimited to that time period. The programs have been organized intothree sections. The first section contains 50 activities that can beimplemented by school districts, school sites, or individualclassrooms including "9 to 5"; "Herstory Parade"; and "Not for SportsAlone." The second section contains 13 programs that can beundertaken cooperatively by schools and community organizationsincluding "Community Resource Women in the Schools"; "BillboardContest"; and "Suitcase Museums." The third section suggests 37activities that are appropriate for individuals or communityorganizations including "Traveling Performers"; "Film Series"; and"Street Banners." All the activities described have been suggested byorganizers from communities throughout the United States. Where theyhave been previously implemented, they have been well received. Tenappendixes (half the document) include: (1) Women's History Potpourri(questions and answers concerning the lives of different women); (2)poster sources; (3) biographical information sources; (4) generalinformation sources; (5) a list of traveling exhibits; (6) a list ofnational organizations; (7) a list of regional desegregationassistance centers; (8) a list of state Sex Equity specialists; (9) a

list of women's history performances; and (10) a copy of acongressional resolution designating March as Women's HistoryMonth.

***********************************************************************

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document. *

***********************************************************************

Page 2: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

Pf.of`r.`7, 11;s1.7471.77

TO CELEBRATEWOMEN'S HISTORY

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION011ico of Educational Rosoarch and Improvement

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

This document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it.

Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.

1

CO

Points view or opinions stated in thisdocument do not necessarily reprosentofficial OERI position or policy.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Page 3: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

101 Wonderful Waysto Celebrate

Women's History

National Women'sHistory Project

Bonnie EisenbergMary Ruthsdotter

3

Produced and distributed by theNational Women's History ProjectRevised 10/93

1

Page 4: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

Introduction 3

Credits 4School Programs 5School-Community Programs 19Community Programs 23

AppendicesWomen's History PotpourriWomen's History Poster SourcesBiographical Information SourcesInformation SourcesWomen's History Traveling ExhibitsNational OrganizationsDesegregation Assistance CentersState Departments of EducationWomen's History PerformersCongressional Resolution

4

2

33374042444748495060

Page 5: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WITH THIS GUIDE IN HAND, Title IX officers, classroomteachers and community program planners should have no troublefinding ideas appropriate to initiate a school- or community-basedwomen's history celebration.

The programs described in this guide have been organizedinto three sections. The first section contains activities which canbe implemented by school districts, school sites or individualclassrooms. The second section contains programs which can beundertaken cooperatively by schools and communityorganizations. The third section suggests a number of activitiesthat are appropriate for individuals or community organizations.Although the focus of National Women's History Month,celebrated in March, is often educational activities in the schools,thousands of communities across the country have stagedmarvelous events, programs, exhibits, receptions, media events,fairs and the like, to honor and celebrate the lives of historical andcontemporary women in their own areas. Programs need not belimited to March, either. Ideally, women's history activities willbecome a regular part of school and community organizations'agendas.

All of the act; ides described have been suggested byprogram organizers, rom communities located in every corner ofthe United States. W here they have been previously implemented,these activities have been well received and have generated a newappreciation on the part of women and men, girls and boys, forwomen's historic and contemporary contributions to our nation.

This particular guide is one in a series developed withfunding from the U.S. Department of Education, Women'sEducational Equity Act Program, to facilitate National Women'sHistory Month program planning, and the integration of women'shistory throughout the K-12 curriculum.

You are encouraged to reproduce any or all of thecomponents of this guide for distribution to schools andcommunity organizations within your area, or to order additionalcopies through the National Women's History Project Catalog.Either way, we hope that you, too, will find that women's historyprograms are both purposeful and exciting activities towardmeeting the goals of educational equity for students in yourschools, and a more equitable community for everyone.

Mary RithsdotterBonnie Eisenberg

3

5

INTRODUCTION

Page 6: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

CREDITS The National Women's History Project would like to extendspecial thanks to two women whose work contributed greatly tothe final presentation of this guide. Barbara Garza, graphicdesigner, who designed this guide, and Nan Love, who drew itscharming illustrations. We would also like to thank Sunny Bristol,Lori Rodrigues, and Lisl Smith for their copy editing andproofreading assistance on this project.

The development of this guide was funded by a grant from the U.S.Department of Education, under the auspices of the Women'sEducational Equity Act Program. Opinions expressed herein donot necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department,and no official endorsement of any products or services mentionedshould be inferred.

ISBN 0-938625-03-9

0 1986, 1993National Women's History Project7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492707-838-6000

4

Page 7: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Muds

WOMEN

NNWNATIONAL WO ME

NI STORY MONTH, '142'

00

0, 0-c.ek

SojouTrrneruth

ki+#04 k

"awoman*

ArilvreRtratiAION#

er 8

Rtde

First U.S*rfsanvloin

SP°

...j 4

44.. Z.1

=s<r,IT

THE ACTIVITIES IN THIS SECTION havebeen developed and recommended by classroomteachers across the country. While some of theactivities, at first glance, might seem moreappropriate for one grade level than for another, weencourage you to read through them all carefullyand imagine how the underlying idea might beadapted for your particular students.

1. Woman of the Year!This annual tradition from the publishing industrycan be used as an art, research and writing activity.Create facsimiles of major magazine covers toannounce your choice for "Woman of the Year."

As a class, construct a list of the criteria to beused to judge an individual's worthiness for such anhonor. Did her work improve the living conditions

5

SchoolPrograms

7

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Page 8: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

of a great many people, offer effective leadership ina time of social change, realize an outstandingaccomplishment, or exhibit unusual courage anddaring? The list should be inclusive, but notexhaustive!

Next, as a class activity, brainstorm the namesof women in the news today. Searches throughmagazines and newspapers will help expand theinitial list. Each student then nominates one or morewomen for "Woman of the Year" and preparesinformation to support her/his choice.

In researching her life, students should look forexamples of the ways in which their nominee'swork or activities demonstrate that she fits thecriteria agreed upon. Write a news article to explainwhy she has been nominated for "Woman of theYear."

Create a suitable drawing of the nominee anddesign a magazine cover announcing her award.Different magazines have very different coverstyles; replicate them as closely as possible for anauthentic appearance. Having a wide selection ofmagazines on hand in the classroom will addsignificantly to the variety of completed covers:Time, McCall's, People, Sports Illustrated, Ms.,Newsweek.

Arrange for a display of the fmished collection,so that your "Woman of the Year" awards can beseen by the entire school!

2. Hear Ye! Hear Ye!The news is breaking fast and inquiring minds wantto know! Find out all of the pertinent details aboutan event in history that especially affected women,or an event in the life of a specific historic womanin your community, and write about it for front-pagecoverage in your hometown newspaper.

What are the basic components of a news story?Who, what, when, where and why? Develop thislist aloud as a class, and note the questionsprominently on the blackboard. Read severalarticles from a current newspaper to demonstrate theways in which coverage of these questions can beaccomplished, to result in an article that isinteresting to read.

Using these questions for guidelines, eachstudent researches a noteworthy event and preparesa report as though she/he was reporting from thefield. The event may have happened two hundredyears ago or last night, on the other side of the

_continent or right in your own home town. Writing'kip accurately and in an interesting manner is

6

important. An attention-grabbing headline and anappropriate illustration will be needed, too.

On a sheet of paper, mark off columns and thearea for your masthead, headline and picture.Format the written copy to fit the dimensions of thefront-page columns. Carefully lay out allcomponents on a dummy, then prepare your finalfront page from that. To "age" the paper, addingauthenticity if the event happened far in the past,test out light brown shoe polish on a similar piece ofpaper, then apply it to your final copy in a way thatmakes the paper look older.

Don't keep the news a secret: The public wantsto know! Post these front pages in a prominent spotwhere many people can learn about these importantevents!

3. Now Hear This!Morning announcements read in each classroom orover the public address system can li-..en up yourschoolwide observance of National Women'sHistory Month. They can be designed to standalone or to be part of a competition. Theinformation in "Women's History Potpourri" wouldbe useful for this.

Use this opportunity to read short vignettes aboutwomen in history, or about events of particularhistoric interest to women: "It happened on August26, 1920. After 72 years of nonstop work byhundreds of thousands of women, American womenwon the right to vote. Today women ..."

Quote famous women, perhaps tying theirphilosophy to students' experiences or well-knownevents of the day: "Frances Willard's motto was 'Doeverything!' and that's just what she made a pointof doing. She was a masterful organizer for socialchange who expanded the focus of the WCTU toencompass over twenty major social issues of thetimes. What is your motto?"

Read women's history questions aloud eachmorning, rereading the previous day's questionswith the correct answers. This could easily betransformed into a friendly competition amongindividual students or classrooms (and/or facultymembers and staff!). Answers to the questions,submitted at an announced location, such as thelibrary counter or career center desk, should betime - stamped so that the earliest correct entry can beidentified and appropriately rewarded.

8

Page 9: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

4. The Face is Familiar...Devise prominent displays featuring posters,drawings or photographs of women from history orcontemporary life who have made significantcontributions. But don't include the names of thewomen in the display! Give clues to the identitiesof several of the women each morning throughoutthe week via printed circulars posted in eachclassroom. The first class or individual to submitthe correct names of all of the women will be theprize recipient. Have many awards available forthose who do commendable work, too.

This is an activity, like others mentioned earlier,which will help develop students' library skills.Solicit assistance from your librarian for thisactivity in advance, to optimize everyone's chancesfor success.

5. Banner DaysDoes your school have a pep squad or graphic artsclass eager for experience in drawing large, evenletters for banners and signs? They, or any otherstudents, could prepare hall banners and posterswhich publicize facts from women's history todecorate the cafeteria and walkways, indoors andout.

The information in "Women's HistoryPotpourri" and "Sources for Biographies" willprovide points from which to begin, but these signswould appropriately include information aboutspecific state and local women's accomplishmentsas well. Turn to your local newspapers or statewidemagazines for leads.

Use butcher paper or newsprint attached to linesstrung high above the walkways, and smaller sheetsfor posting on the walls. Poster paint applied withbrushes of different widths will give variety to thebanners' appearance.

6. Do-It-Yourself PostersLocating posters portraying the particular womanyou have in mind can sometimes be difficult. Anumber of commercial resources are listed for youin "Poster Sources," but even these may not yield allof the women you'd like to honor. What to do?

Have your students identify women they wouldlike to see on posters. Students can search throughbiographies, magazines, encyclopedias and otherlikely sources for appropriate images to use. Hang alarge piece of paper on the wall and, using anopaque projector, adjust the image it throws to giveyou the size poster you want. Different projector

7

lenses allow for different sizes, so try to find amachine that can do just what you have in mind.Trace the outline and other most important lines ofthe image with a soft lead pencil. Turn theprojector off occasionally don't move theprojector! to see how true to life your rendition is,then add more details as they are needed. Considerusing colored paper for the background.

When the outline drawing is complete, move thepaper down to a flat surface to retrace the lines witha felt-tip pen. Add the woman's name, birth anddeath dates, and a short statement about her work ora quote from or about her to add to the polish of thefinished piece.

7. The Jeannette Piccard MemorialBalloon LaunchA grand (male or unusual kick-off to an elementaryor middle school exploration of women's history isa mass of helium balloons winding up through thesky. Use these as vehicles for carrying informationto the public, and for a science project as well.Don't forget to let your local media in on thiscolorful happening!

Each participating student writes out anappropriate statement about women's history on a3"x 5" index card. This might reflect informationthey have learned about a particular woman orevent, a quote from a woman (with the sourcecitation), or a positive statement about learningsomething about women's history. Each cardshould also carry a request that the person findingthe card either return it to the school with a notesaying where it was found, or call the school withthe same information, Punch a hole in each cardand use string to attach it to the balloon. If reportersfrom the media are present, arrange for some of thestudents to read aloud the information from theircards. Then, with suitable fanfare from the band,launch the balloons all at once from the school yard.

Later, as the cards or calls come in, the data canbe charted to learn about the local wind patterns onthat day.

The notes might announce the beginning ofNational Women's History Month and carry aninvitation for the public to attend a particular aspector activity of your NWHM program.

Colorful balloons boldly proclaiming "March isWomen's History Month" and "Write Women BackInto History" are available through the NWHPCatalog.

Page 10: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

8. Be a Muralist!Historic events are often portrayed for us indramatic murals, a form especially popular duringthe Depression years. Instead of simply capturingone small portion of an event or a person's life,many other related aspects can be included in amural.

Individually, students can plan how they wouldtell about an entire historic episode, or about the lifeand accomplishments of an important woman, in amural. Some murals progress chronologically fromleft to right, from early events to later events.Others place the most important aspect in the centerand work toward the edges to fill out the story.Whichever style is chosen, scale-model sketches ofeach element should be prepared first, laid out toform the desired effect, then carried out full size forthe finished piece.

Long lengths of paper are the most readilyavailable surfaces for these murals. Butcher paper,newsprint and computer paper come in a variety ofsizes which need no taping to provide a long stretchfor wanting. Rolls of paper are also available inifiany colors and widths from school supply houses.What other similar resources can your class come upwith?

Your women's history mural could be hungalong the windows of the classroom, library,cafeteria or administrative office. The artworkcould decorate the inside or outside of yourclassroom door. Is there a construction fencecurrently standing in your community? See if thedesign could be painted on it using water-basedacrylic house paints. The more people that get toview this masterpiece, the better!

9. Me as HerHaving our silhouettes traced is fun. Makingourselves up :is someone else who is or was famousin women's history can add a special touch.

On a suitable length of paper, trace around eachchild from head to toe, minimizing skirts, jackets,bracelets or other such lumps and bumps in theoutline. Label each outline inconspicuously toavoid confusion later.

Afte learning about a selection of women inhistory and their accomplishments, students can addpaper costumes to their own outlined forms,coloring the costume and drawing in a face torepresent a particular historic figure.

Displayed together, these can be the basis for aclassroom Hall of Fame! For a language arts

8

exercise, a description of each woman portrayedwould round out the exhibit. To develop publicspeaking skills, each student can introduce her/hiswoman to the class and tell a bit about her whiledisplaying the decorated silhouette.

10. Take the Story Door-to-DoorLearning about a particular woman in U.S. historycan be an end in itself, but why keep the informationa secret? Older students can learn public speakingskills and build their self-confidence by traveling tothe classrooms of younger students to share whatthey've learned. This can be accomplished in manyways, all of which have proven to be instructive andfun.

After studying about a woman in history, havestudents write a short but snappy speech about her.Then students can devise related coloring pages,simple word scrambles, dot-to-dot drawings or otherforms of desk work suitable for younger children, todistribute at the end of their oral presentation.Staying in the room as the younger children tacklethe summary project will let the presentersexperience being in a teacher's role, and will givethem feedback about how well their project worked.Costumes or props, as simple as a hat or as elaborateas an entire outfit, add visual zest to thepresentation.

As a team effort, students can prepare apresentation about an individual woman and devise .a complete costume for her, including appropriateprops and handouts. Since some students wouldrather work behind the scenes than stand in front ofothers and perform, this small-group project canbring students' various skills to the fore, toward acommon goal. However, nothing except the fit ofthe costume would prevent members of the teamfrom taking turns filling the various roles they havedeveloped.

11. Wax MuseumCostumed students stand very still as other students,serving as docents, lead museum visitors around theroom and tell of the lives and deeds of the variouswomen included in the museum collection. Short,scripted biographies are appropriate here.Alternatively, each statue could conic with its ownbiographer who could talk about the woman and heraccomplishments. As a modem twist, thesemessages might be prerecorded on a cassette tape!

10

Page 11: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

12. Visitors From the PastIf the room of your presentation can be darkened,additional drama can be arranged. Provide a wide,sturdy box or stage to stand upon in an area whichcan be spotlighted. As the beam of light suddenlyslashes through the darkness, there she is, theVisitor From the Past. She's standing stock-stillwith her name and dates indicated on the flip-chartor sign beside her. Gasp! She's started to talk!She's moving down off the riser and telling abouthow she...! As she resumes her initial position, theroom blackens and another figure silently gets readyto appear.

13. Play It Up!Skits and plays, with the scripts developed as a classproject or obtained from some other source, areobvious vehicles for disseminating informationabout women's history. Several fine scripts fordifferent age levels are available through theNational Women's History Project Catalog. Otherteachers at your school site may have appropriatescripts, too. A short play with a limited number ofactors, lines and props could travel from class toclass within your school. If you do a more elaborateproduction, stage it in a bigger room so the entireschool can see it. Include music whenever youpossibly can.

Do you have access to video equipment? Recordthe performance to be shown later to other students.

14. The Silver ScreenAn increasing number of films and videos onindividual women or on women's history are nowavailable for various age levels. Here are a few werecommend for classroom viewing. Contact thedistributors for detailed descriptions. The NWHPnow has an extensive film and video list; contact ouroffice for suggestions: (707)838-6000.

"Deborah Sampson: A Woman in theRevolution," from Phoenix Films. 15 minutes,grades 4-12.

"The Role of Women," (pre-Civil War) fromAgency for Instructional Television, 15 minutes,grades 4-adult.

"First Lady of the. World: Eleanor Roosevelt,"from Kent State Univ. Audio Visual Services,22 minutes. grades 7-adult.

9

"American P3,-.-ade: We the Women," fromPhoenix Films, 30 minutes, grades 7-12.

"Annapurna: A Woman's Place," from WomenMake Movies, 45 minutes, grades 8-adult.

"How We Got the Vote," NWHP, 52 minutes,grades 9-adult.

"Great Black Women," from Films for theHumanities & Sciences, 52 minutes, grades 7-adult.

"She's Nobody's Baby," from Univ. of Calif. -Berkeley, Extension Media Center, 55 minutes,grades 7-adult.

"Frontier Experience," from LearningCorporation of America, 28 minutes, grades 8-adult.

"One Fine Day," from Ishtar Films, 6 minutes,grades 7-adult.

"Sewing Woman," (Asian American) fromCrossCurrent Media, 15 minutes, grades 7-adult.

"Adelante Mujeres," NWHP, 24 minutes, grades7-adult.

"Women in American Life," five-part video fromNWHP, each part is 15-24 minutes. Grades 7-adult.

15. Excuse Me, Ma'am.May I Ask You a Few Questions?Many women in your local community are currentlyinvolved with issues that have long histories outsideof your community as well. Student interviews ofthese activists can bring an added dimension ofunderstanding to a classroom unit on women'shistory. They can also be used to teach studentsabout careers.

As a class, compile a list of the women andwomen's organizations which appear in your localnewspaper(s) over the course of a month or two.Brainstorm with your class how to get in contactwith those whc particularly spark your students'interests. There are several ways to proceed afterthat, depending on the age of the students. Here aresome ideas:

Do a bit of background work to learn about thewoman/organization and share this information withthe class. Each student should prepare at least onequestion which she or he would like to ask thesubject, based on what the students now know.Invite the woman or a representative of theorganization to come to meet with the class, to talkabout the issue(s) of interest to the students and toanswer their questions.

Page 12: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Divide the list of names among several smallgroups in the class. Each group will be responsiblefor researching background information about thesphere of activity of the woman or organization as itapplies to other women. (How long have womenbeen working as steamroller operators? Is thisparticular woman a "first?" Why was the League ofWomen Voters formed? How big is themembership today?) Each group is also responsiblefor contacting the woman or group to obtainanswers to a set of predetermined questions. Eachgroup will then :Tort its findings to the rest of theclass.

Each student identifies a woman or organizationand undertakes the previous exercise independently.The report might be presented in either written ororal form.

16. Billboards, Billboards Everywhere!A variation on the make-a-poster theme is designingbillboards announcing that March is NationalWomen's History Month or the details of a specialprogram or activity you are planning for NWHM.Billboards are huge horizontal rectangles, meant tocatch our attention and say a lot with very fewwords. How would an outdoor advertising artist goabout creating an appropriate design?

Brainstorm broad themes, attention-grabbingwords or phrases, specific topics, and sources forimages.

Begin with sketches. Share ideas. See whatyou can come up with individually or as a classproject.

What to do with these marvelous design ideas?In addition to posterboard versions of yourbillboards, what about paper banners strung acrossthe hallway or in the cafeteria, or a fabric bannerstrung across the school? Perhaps a shop classcould construct a "special events" billboard; an artclass could create the design and do the lettering.

17. Not for Sports AloneIs there a marquee in front of your school whichroutinely announces the scheduled sporting eventssoon to take place in the gym or on the field? Besure to schedule adequate space in March toannounce National Women's History Month, withinfo nation duly noted about all opportunities forthe public to be involved.

10

18. And Now, An Important Message"Public Service Announcement" (PSA) is theofficial name for the small bits of community-relevant information broadcast by radio stations.The stations are required by FCC regulation toapportion a certain amount of time for this purpose,and would surely be interested in having appropriatehelp from your class.

Women's History PSAs about specific womenin history are available through the NWHP Catalog,or your class can write its own. You may want tofeature infonnation about specific women, or aboutupcoming National Women's History Month events.Each spot should be either 30 or 60 seconds. Part ofthe work will be editing for appropriate length.

Invite a woman from a local radio station tocome to your class to talk about her work and toexplain just what is required for a PSA. Based onthis information, students will be able to proceedwith an interesting project and create an effectiveannouncement!

It may be possible to have your studentsthemselves ircord the PSAs for broadcast. Don'tfail to ask the station manager when you submityour PSAs.

Regardless of their value to the commercialmedia, these announcements will be invaluable tothe rest of your school's faculty, students and staff.Record them as you might for broadcast, and playthem over the PA system with the other importantdaily information.

19. Now Cut That Out!Quilt making is an art form pioneered and kept aliveby women in this country. For the individualquitter, quilt making has served many purposes. Itcan do the same for National Women's HistoryMonth.

Dynamic classroom units on quilt making canbe carried out with relative ease following the step-by-step instructions in the curriculum unit, QuiltMaking as a Traditional Woman's Art Form,available through the NWHP Catalog. Designed forGrades 1-6, the information and instructions areadaptable for middle and high school drafting, artand sewing classes as well.

Using the basic concept of applique quiltmaking, whereby smaller pieces of various fabricsare combined to create simple or complex pictures,stories of women's history can be effectivelydesigned into a quilt top. There are many ways togo about this. After the class has sufficient

Page 13: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

background in biographies of women or in women'shistory generally, and an appreciation of the art ofquilt making, try one of these approaches:

Young children can illustrate a historic storyusing crayon directly on pre-cut squares of fabricstretched taut on frames to prevent wrinkling theirlines. These pieces can be sewn together to create aquilt top for display and admiration. If you canborrow or improvise a quilting frame, set up aportion of the quilt top with the batting and backingfor students to try their hands at quilting withneedles and thread. Remember: Try for small, evenstitches.

Construct sample pieced or appliqued quiltblocks from construction paper. You might focuson traditional geometric designs, or illustratespecific lives or stories from women's history as inan appliqued piece. To create a class quilt, post thefinished quilt blocks on a solid color background,with an inch of border showing. If stories were thetopics, a written narrative for each piece would be inorder to accompany the quilt.

For a compelling drafting exercise, introducestudents to the design elements of traditional quiltpatterns. These can be found in quilt books andmagazines now widely available. One excellentresource for this is available through the NWHPCatalog: Quilting the World Over. Challenge yourstudents to prepare the pattern for one of the morecomplex geometric 16-patch designs, and watch thepencils fly!

20. When Did She Do That?If you use a history textbook in your class, considerthis class project. As a group, construct a list of thedated facts presented in the text. Draw a line downthe middle of a long piece of computer paper, thenpost the paper horizontally around the room. Markoff suitable time periods along the center line 10years, 25 years so that the textbook facts can benoted without creating an unwieldy jumble at anyparticular point. Write these facts in at theappropriate points below the line.

Research facts on women's history, and writethem in above the line. There will undoubtedly be alot of blank spaces. Why is this? What were thewomen doing while time was passing? The objectis to find the answers and fill in the blanks duringthe course of: a) the semester, b) the year, or c)March, National Women's History Month.

113

From women's biographies, reference booksand women's history overviews, find out birth anddeath dates of notable women, dates of women'sfirsts, significant women's history events, and datesof legislation particularly affecting women. Whendid Harriet Beecher Stowe publish Uncle Tom'sCabin? When was the first women's rightsconvention held? Were any nationwide conventionslike that one held in the following years? When didthe first American woman participate in theOlympic Games? Graduate from medical school?Get elected to Congress? Consider this as anactivity for earning extra credits.

Computer programs for U.S. history timelinesare available, but most have very little women'shistory content. You could start with such aprogram and add significant women's history dates,either to the program itself, or to your own printout

21. Who's This Book About?Another interesting, eye-opening exercise forhistory classes which use textbooks is a simplename-and-head-count approach to analyzing thebook's content.

Working independently or dividing intoresearch teams, examine the class text and constructa list for each of the following: the names of themen mentioned in the index and the number ofpages on which their names appear; the names ofthe women mentioned in the index and the numberof pages on which their names appear, the numberof pages listed for such generic topics as "women,""African Americans," and "American Indians."

Another search is then conducted within thepages of the text: How many pictures appear ofindividual men or groups of men, labeled with theirnames? List their names and the page numbers ofthe pictures. Note if the person is White, Black,American Indian, Hispanic, or Asian American. Dothe same for pictures of women labeled with theirnames. Finally, identify pictures of groups ofunnamed people who are mostly men; of groups ofunname people who are mostly women; of groupsof unnamed people, evenly balanced or unclear.

What did you discover? What do you supposeaccounts for any imbalances that you found? Writeletters to the publisher, suggesting specific ways thata more complete telling of U.S. history could beaccomplished, and why this should be an importantconsideration for their next edition.

Page 14: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

22. I Love a Parade!Have students read a biography of an individualwoman in history or an account of a particularhistoric event which especially affected women,then propose that each student's evaluation activityor "book report" take on a new look as a shoe-boxfloat. Principal figures, drawn by the student orphotocopied from the book or other sources, can becolored and cut out, affixed to cardboard supportsand surrounded by other appropriate props andbanners. Tinker Toy or cardboard wheels at eachcorner provide the proof that these floats, displayedtogether, are indeed a parade!

To add authenticity, you will need a paradeprogram. Each float's construction supervisorshould write a statement or two about what the floatrepresents, who it portrays and so forth; thestatement can be reproduced and distributed to thecrowd. Line the floats up on desk or counter tops,in order as described in the program, and inviteother classes in for viewing.

23. Costume DollsWomen's clothing styles have changed dramaticallyover the past 100 years in this and many othercountries. Investigating these changes has been apopular quest for many students. What was thereason for the voluminous garb of the past? Was itcomfortable? Was it bothersome? Was it worn bychoice or fiat? How about women's shoes? Whatwere the reasons for the various changes which haveoccurred, beginning with the demise of the corset?What about the Bloomer costume? The changefrom skirts to pants in the early 1970s? Did thesenew styles catch on quickly with women? Whatwere men's responses? Do changing costumesreflect other changes in women's social or economicenvironments?

With some basic information and illustrations inhand, interesting displays can be inexpensivelydeveloped:

Paper costumes for flat paper silhouettes tiny tohuge can be designed and colored, decorated withbeads and feathers as appropriate, and described inwriting by the creator.

Fabric scraps can be fashioned into costumes forflat paper silhouettes.

Dolls made from dish soap bottles can be dressedto represent women's clothing styles in various timeperiods.

24. It's a Puppet Show!Many women's history coloring books and books ofhistoric women paper dolls are now available, eitherthrough the National Women's History ProjectCatalog or other commercial sources. Look beyondthe books' declared purposes and you'll find awhole cast of "puppets" waiting to perform.

After coloring the women and their clothes,have the students cut them out and paste eachwoman onto a tongue depressor or popsicle stick.Presto! A puppet of a major character! Areauxiliary figures needed to fully tell her story?Make them, tnP, and let the show begin.

From behind a draped table, inside a puppettheater, or simply behind the puppet held high like amask, each student can introduce her/his characterto the class in the first person. Older students mightwant to have the puppets dialogue with each other,or they could write a short play to involve several ofthe women at once.

25. The Dinner Party Comes to TownIn the late 1970s, Judy Chicago and a group of 200other artists produced an artistic masterpiece to re-discover the forgotten women from history. Theform the piece took was that of a dinner party whichinvolved a total of 1,038 historical women. Thirty-nine women were honored by elaborate, ceramicplace settings on the massive table; 999 additionalwomen were honored by being named in gold scripton the ceramic Heritage Floor.

This concept has been delightfully used byclassrooms to honor notable women from historywhile also paying attention to the work being donedaily by the mothers of the students in the class.

For each historic woman to be honored, acomplete place setting needs to be developed.Having selected and researched an individualwoman she/he admires, each student then decoratesboth a paper placemat and a paper plate withpictures, symbols and words representing thechoosen woman's contributions or achievements.

Next, on a white square of construction paper,each student neatly prints both the fact that her/hismother is a mother and homemaker as well asanother statement about her other work or activities(grocery checker, knitter, school volunteer, businessexecutive, gardener).

Some furniture rearranging might be required toappropriately assemble the display. At someschools a corner of the library or lunchroom hasbeen commandeered for the display; sometimes the

12 14

Page 15: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

classroom itself becomes the art gallery. In anyevent, the tables/desk tops need to be arrangedaround the perimeter of the Heritage Floor tiles, theprinted white squares either displayed alone oralternated with solid black squares. The tablesurfaces can be draped or not. Each honored guest'splace setting should have a decorated placemat andplate, a napkin, table service and glass (yes, plasticis nice for this, too).

Now it's time to open the gallery doors! Inviteneighboring classes to come learn about the DinnerParty and about the women being honored. A tourwould include their names and a brief description ofeach woman's life. Be sure to include the names ofthe students' mothers and their own work. Don'tforget to invite the parents of your students for aspecial guest showing!

26. Sing the Story!If you think that the only songs telling the stories ofwomen's lives are being sung on the radio Top 40shows, you're in for a pleasant surprise! And yes,there are more alternatives available than"Clementine" and "Sweet Betsy From Pike." Manysongs we already know had their origins in eventsimportant to women, like "Follow the DrinkingGourd" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," whichboth relate to the work of Underground Railroadconductors like Harriet Tubman. The vocal group,Sweet Honey in the Rock, sings several storiesabout strong women, including Fannie Lou Hamer.The recording artist Holly Near has recorded suchsongs as "Mountain Woman," "Old Time Woman,""Nicolia," and "Lifeline."

"Women of Courage," two cassettes ofwomen's history stories and songs, are availablethrough the National Women's History ProjectCatalog. Each cassette features six women whoexhibited a sense of strength and courage thatimpacted others' lives. The selection of women ismulticultural., and the songs are truly wonderful.Each cassette comes with a booklet of biographies,activities, and the lyrics to many of the songs.Using these materials, a class could hold a grandsongfest.

Why not have your class of composers try theirhands at writing ballads about historic womenwhom they admire? Students could start out withrousing tunes they already know, and end up with amusical revue!

13

27. Tell Me a StoryArrange for a storyteller or parent, dressed inappropriate costume, to zirculate throughout yourschool telling stories about real American women,past or present. Alternatively, if two or moreteachers take on this activity, they can exchangerooms for the storytelling. As a language artsexercise, students can ask questions about the storiesor the women in them and write down thestoryteller's response.

28.... But a Woman's Work is Never DoneDiscuss with your class the daily needs of a familyfor bread, soap, indoor lighting, water, butter,clothing and other essentials. Who provided thesenecessities in the earlier days of this country? Howdid a family's needs vary with the climate in whichthe family lived? With the family's culture? Tryyour hands at weaving, baking, churning, andcandlemaking. Calculate how often these domesticactivities would have to be undertaken to supply thedaily, weekly and annual needs of a family witheight children.

How have modem home appliances andmanufactured goods changed the nature of women'swork within the home? Why was houseworkconsidered "woman's work?" Is this attitude stillappropriate today?

29. Birthday Parties!Observe the birthdays of our foremothersthroughout the year as you do our forefathers withspecial bulletin boards, classroom lessons, artprojects, stories, skits, and films. Birthday cakesdecorated by students to represent aspects of thebirthday woman's life work add to the impact andsense of the day's importance, of course!

A full-color poster, "Celebrate Women," isavailable through the National Women's HistoryProject Catalog. The poster lists by month thebirthdates of over 750 historically significantAmerican women from a wide variety of ethnicgroups, time periods, and occupations.

30, "A Woman's Place is in the House...and in the Senate."Some have argued that women should not hold highpublic office because they aren't strong enough orpolitically astute enough to survive the stress and doa good job. Who are the women in politics today?Consider women active in politics in your

15

Page 16: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

community and those active at the national level.What are they like? What adjectives does The mediause to describe them? What issues are of primeconcern for them? What previous offices did theyhold before their present ones? Have students writeto the political officials for their views on animportant issue, or for advice on a social or politicalchange students would like to see implemented.

31. Real Woman CreativeWriting CompetitionCreative writing competitions have become a staplefor NWHM in many schools and school districts.These competitions provide opportunities to learnlistening, recording and reporting skills, exposestudents to the subjective nature of recorded history,and demonstrate the varied roles of individuals inhistory. They give students an incentive to docreative writing. And they also encourage studentsto take a closer look at family members and otherwomen in their communities who are leadinglives,ordinary or unusual, that contribute in some way tothe ongoing history of this nation.

As preparation, familiarize students with thevarious forms of biographies and the elements ofinterviewing and recording oral histories.

A clearly delineated theme is critical, as isinformation about essay length and submissionprocedures. Judging criteria need to be clearlyspecified, too.

All participating students should be given sometoken (a certificate, a ribbon) as a memento, whilewinners are awarded a somewhat more significantprize.

Based on a number of highly successfulprograms, a comprehensive "Real Women"Creative Writing Competition Guide has beendeveloped by the NWHP, and is available throughthe NWHP Catalog.

32. The Latest IssueDoes your class#ave a philatelist? Ask stampcollectors to bring to class postage stamps they havewhich honor women. Who are the women and whywere they honored? Have your students' favoritewomen been featured on stamps yet? Invite yourstudents to make up for any oversights by designinglarge, full-color postage stamps to honor womenthey admire. A full-color poster, "Women WhoHave Changed the World," featuring dozens ofpostage stamps from the U.S. end around the world,is available through the NWHP Catalog.

14

33. Oral HistoriesOral histories are a popular vehicle to introducestudents to a concept of history which includesordinary people, such as their own family members.Oral histories can also reveal the personal impact ofhistoric events.

Brainstorm with your students to develop a listof questions they would like to ask their mother orthe woman who raised them, an aunt, grandmotheror other adult woman close to them. Organize thequestions into topics or clusters, to develop anappropriate questionnaire. Discuss with studentsthe importance of including questions related to theimpact of historic events which have occurredduring their subject's life, immigration ormigrations of her family, family expectations forfemales and males, and attitudes about women'seducation and public roles. Discuss oral historyinterviewing strategies and interview-reportpreparation. Use the interview findings as the basisfor a discussion of the similarities and differencesbetween women's experiences.

Several resources for doing oral history inter-views are available through the NWHP Catalog.

34. Mystery Woman on CampusMysterious music comes out over the public addresssystem with the news, "There's a mystery womanon campus today..." And so the fun begins! Cajolefaculty, staff or friends to dress the part of one oftheir favorite women in history for a day. Offerclues about her historic identity over the publicaddress system or via print announcements. Theactor herself should be familiar with her character'slife and deeds. Students attempting to identify themystery woman should be directed to phrase theirquestions for "yes/no" answers. Students' successfulsleuthing can be rewarded with an appropriatecertificate or similarly inexpensive token award.Contests to identify "mystery women" can bedeveloped to add interest, with more elaborateprizes offered as rewards.

35. Women's History, Live at 2:00!This is an activity especially designed for your"verbally active" students. Simulate a "Meet thePress" program with a student cast representing fivehistoric women, one announcer, and three to fivestudent reporters. Students representing historicfigures will have to research their character's life,deeds and opinions. Ask the reporters to submittheir written interview questions beforehand to sort

16

Page 17: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

out duplicates, and to keep the pace runningsmoothly during the Aft,' Questions should beabout facts as well as opinions.

A class assignment to precede this activity:Students should watch "Meet the Press," "McNeil-Lehrer Hour," "Larry King Live," "Firing Line," orsimilar programs, to understand the format andquestioning procedure for this type of televisionprogram.

36. Newspaper WatchContact your local daily newspaper, asking for freecopies each day during National Women's HistoryMonth. (Most are willing to provide single copiesor even class sets for classroom use.) Assign eachstudent a day in the month for which it will be her/his responsibility to read and clip out all of thearticles and pictures concerning women: political orsports achievements, community contributions,contemporary roles, letters to the editor andreferences in the editorials.

These clippings will make a great bulletin boardabout contemporary women, a time capsule for themonth. Upper-grade classes can chart and graph thenumber of articles published about men comparedwith the number of articles about women, thenumbers of references by selected topics and thelike, adding these to the display.

37. Say, Weren't You a Poster WomanOne Year?Have each student select one of the womenportrayed on the National Women's History Weekor Month commemorative posters and write anautobiographical speech about her, as though she/hewere the poster woman speaking to a crowd today.Give the option for anyone to use the first or thirdperson. If speakers use the third person, therelationship between the speaker and the womanshould be clearly stated (sister, brother, reporter,husband, father, friend). The speech should includefacts about the woman's life, and her feelings aboutthe events she took part in or an issue of concern toher.

38. National Women's Hall of FameCompetitionsThe National Women's Hall of Fame is located inSeneca Falls, New York, the town where the firstwomen's rights convention was held in 1848. Eachyear, women of historic importance are inducted

into the National Women's Hall of Fame so thattheir contributions to American society will becomemore widely known.

Each November, the National Women's Hall ofFame announces the theme for the upcoming year'sNWHM poster and essay contests, both of whichhave cash prizes. Students in grades 4-12 areinvited to participate. Write or call for moreinformation or to be put on their mailing list:National Women's Hall of Fame, 76 Fall. Street,Seneca Falls, NY 13148, (315)568-2936.

39. Create a Women's Hall of FameIs there a Women's Hall of Fame in your county orstate? If you don't know, have a small group ofstudents meet with your school librarian to discusshow to find this out. Will letters need to be writtento find the answer to this question? A language artsactivity! If a Women's Hall of Fame does exist, askfor information about the women already includedand the process for submitting nominations forfuture selections. If none yet exists, your class canbegin the drive to start one!

Who are/were some of the women whosecontributions have added significantly to the qualityof life in your county or state? Construct a class listbased on library research, newspaper research, andcorrespondence with "folks who'd know" (the localor state branch of the American Association ofUniversity Women, the local or state historicalsociety, the editor of your local newspaper, forexample). The class divides up the work and beginsdigging up the facts.

When sufficient information has been gathered,prepare a series of short, fact-filled biographies tosend to your local or state historical society. Arguepersuasively that the society should consider leadingthe effort to solidify a place in history for theseimportant women by establishing a Women's Hallof Fame.

15

17

40. What Was She Like?After each student reads a biography about a womanwhose life she/he finds interesting, suggest one ofthe following activities:

If you wanted to have a career similar to hers,what steps would you take to prepare for it?

Make a collage that relates to her life or her work.

If you were to put together a time capsule reflect-ing her life and times, what would you put in it?

Page 18: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Do you think she should be included in theNational Women's Hall of Fame? Write a letter tothe National Women's Hall of Fame telling abouther life and why she should be included. Theaddress: 76 Fall Street, Seneca Falls, NY 13148.

Write and present a skit about a day in her life oran event that was particularly important to her.

41. Place the Face!In a high-traffic area of your school, postphotographs, drawings or posters of women inhistory. Omit their names entirely, but supply a fewcritical bits of information about their lives andwork. Label each with a number or letter of thealphabet, and prepare a corresponding worksheet forstudents to use. The object is to sleuth out thewomen's names. Sources for photos and drawingsare listed in "Poster Sources." Or consider makingup your own posters, following the proceduresuggested in Activity #6.

42. Game Corner GoodiesDo you have a game corner or learning centers inthe classroom? "Great Women Biographical CardGames," a Harriet Tubman gameboard, tape-recorded biographies, recorded ballads aboutnotable women, coloring books, or women's historycomputer activities could become staples. Thesealternative learning approaches, presenting women'shistory facts in other than book format, will teach asthey entertain. The NWHP Catalog carries an ever-expanding selection of such materials.

43. Where On Earth?Using a large, detailed map of your state, identifythe birthplaces of prominent women from the state'shistory, or locations where significant events forwomen occurred. Mark the sites with pins and usecolored yarn to connect the birthplaces and sites ofinterest to cards, posted around the map, providinginformation about each site. In addition to yourlocal or state historical society, a useful resource isWomen Remembered: A Guide to Landmarks ofWomen's History in the United States, by MarionTinting (Greenwood Press, 1986). Other books onwomen's history sites may also be available.

44. Open New DoorsHave students decorate the door to their classroomto honor a particular woman or group of women.Encourage other classrooms to do likewise during

16

NWHM. Ideas: the life of an individual woman,women in sports, women in politics, womeninternationally, the changing roles of women.

45. We Are Our Own HistoryJournals, diaries and letters are some sources thathistorians use to learn about people's lives. Thesematerials have been especially important in showingthe history of women. Read examples from old andrecent journals which women have kept (Diary ofAnne Frank; Mollie: The Journal of Mollie DorseySanford; r7 the fictional "Diary of Emily Horgan" inthe NWHP's Women's History Curriculum Guide).Discuss the reasons for keeping a journal and thedifferent forms this can take. Ask students to findand share published journals and diaries. Dostudents know any women in their families who arekeeping or have kept journals? Has anyone savedold letters?

Have students keep a journal of their ownactivities and thoughts. At first, set aside time eachday for this activity. Later, encourage students touse this as a "filler" activity when their other workis done. You may assign quotes or ideas to writeabout, especially in the beginning. All journalentries are confidential, but encourage students toshare them by reading their entries aloud if they'dlike.

46. Women Win the VoteTo acquaint students with the struggle by women togain the right to vote, show the film "How We Gotthe Vote," available through the NWHP Catalog.Also available from the NWHP is a Woman'sSuffrage Movement curriculum unit, whichdescribes the entire history of the movement and themajor leaders. The curriculum unit will provideenough information to begin your classroomdiscussion. After viewing the film, talk about someof the suffrage leaders, including Elizabeth CadyStanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, Julia WardHowe, Carrie Chapman Catt, and Alice Paul. Thefollowing questions will focus your discussion.

Why did it take so long (72 years!) for womento get the vote? Who were the major leaders? Whatmeans did women use to win the vote? Who wasopposed to woman suffrage and why? Which stateswere among the first to give women the vote?Why? Who was the first woman elected toCongress? Are there places in the world todaywhere women still do not have the right to vote?

18

Page 19: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Invite a woman officeholder or member of theLeague of Women Voters to discuss with your classthe impact women have had on national politics.

47. Going for the GoldLook on the sports page of your local newspaper forinformation about women in sports. Have womenalways been as active in sports as they are today?What ideas about women kept them from beingmore active in sports? Is it different today?

Talk about some famous women athletesincluding: Mary Decker, marathon runner; "Babe"Didrikson Zaharias, world-class athlete in severalfields; Billie Jean King, tennis champion; KristiYamaguchi, ice skater; Melissa Belotte, swimmer,Kitty O'Neil, racecar driver, Florence GriffithJoyner, runner.

Ask your students if they can remember thenames of American women athletes from the lastOlympics. What events did these women participatein? How many gold medals did American womenwin?

Invite a local woman athlete or PE teacher todiscuss the following issues: Why are there so fewprofessional women's sports teams? What are theobstacles to women's participation in amateur orprofessional sports? What are the rewards?

Have students survey their class/school todetermine how many girls participate in sports andin which sports. What sports do women teachersparticipate in? Mothers of students in the class?

The Education Department of the Women'sSports Foundation can provide more information onwomen in sports. Call (800)227-3988.

48. 9 to 5The great majority of today's young girls will workoutside their homes for pay for at least twenty yearsof their adult lives. To learn about women of thepast who were active in making the workplace morehumane and pay scales more fair, have each studentpick a woman to research, from a list of womeninvolved with improving working conditions firwomen. Have students take notes on their findingsfor one of the following activities:

Do an oral report which explains the work-relatedissues of the subject's time period, and how andwhy this woman was active.

Neatly letter a placard that states her positions.

Write and deliver a speech as if you were thewoman and you intended to convince the audienceto adopt your stand on the work issue.

Research and present to the class information ona current work issue of particular concern to womentoday such as childcare, sexual harassment, andcomparable worth.

Suggested women: Mary Harris "Mother"Jones, Agnes Nestor, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn,Emma Goldman, Sarah Bagley, Leonora O'Reilly,Rose Schneiderman, Mary Kenney O'Sullivan,Jennie Collins, Alice Henry, Florence Kelley, DaisySimms, Frances Perkins, Aileen Hernandez, EleanorHolmes Norton, Dolores Huerta, Karen Nussbaum,Anita Hill.

49. Herstory ParadeThis activity has become so popular in oneelementary school that students look forward to itsoccurrence every year! Have each student select awoman from history and design a placardprominently featuring the woman's name andimages which illustrate her life. Contact local thriftor costume shops to assemble authentic attire foryour historic personalities, and announce the paradeschedule. Invite other classes to sit along the routeto watch.

Have the parade led by a color guard and/or adrummer, and a wide banner announcing the event.The students, in costume with their placards, paradeby next. As the parade passes, the onlookers join inat the end. The parade leads everyone to theauditorium, where each woman, in turn, steps to themicrophone and tells a bit about her life.

Local television stations are eager to cover thistype of activity, so be sure to let them know yourschedule ahead of time!

50. The Last Step, Always:Document all of the activities undertaken in yourschool during National Women's History Month.Submit a series of clear photographs for inclusion inthe school yearbook. Follow up to be sure that thephotos will be used.

Send copies of your report to the NationalWomen's History Project Archives! Address:NWHP, 7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492.(707) 838-6000.

17 19

Page 20: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL-COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

THE ACTIVITIES IN THIS SECTION provide avariety of program ideas through which school andcommunity interests in women's history can becombined to create successful women's historyprograms.

51. Community Resource Womenin the SchoolsInviting local women into the classroom to sharetheir own life experiences or tc talk about women inhistory is an excellent way to make women's historycome alive for students. Community ResourceWomen in the classrooms can:

Demonstrate traditional women's arts and crafts,discussing their value to women of the past as wellas in the lives of today's women. Craftswomen canprovide an opportunity for students to get some

19

School-CommunityPrograms

20

Page 21: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL-COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

"hands on" experience with quilting, weaving,pottery, basket weaving, candlemaking, chinapainting and the like.

Talk about their paid work: How they becameinvolved with this occupation; how it differs from orfulfills their expectations; the education or trainingthe work requires, and how to get it; benefits anddrawbacks of the job; problems and rewards ofcombining family and career.

Tell stories and show pictures of historic andcontemporary women who they know personally orhave read about; present infonnation on women invarious time periods of U.S. history; or tell storiesand show pictures of events or activities that have aspecial relevance for women's history.

Share ethnic traditions, food and customs. Actualcooking demonstrations or food samples, displays,art, music or dances from various cultures can be anexciting educational experience.

Begin your efforts to recruit CommunityResource Women early in the school year in orderto maximize your results. You will find the greatestsuccess if you start by contacting the programchairperson of local women's groups (see "NationalOrganizations"). Ask to be scheduled to do apresentation at one of their regular membershipmeetings. There you can discuss the purpose ofNational Women's History Month, along withdetails of the commitment you are asking thevolunteers to make. In constructing a list oforganizations to contact, include such groups as:

Traditional women's organizations: AmericanAssociation of University Women, League ofWomen Voters, YWCA, Church Women United,Women's International League for Peace andFreedom, Business and Professional Women,Soroptimists, B'nai B'rith.

Feminist organizations: National Organization forWomen, National Women's Political Caucus,community and university women's centers,women's studies programs, women's health clinics.

Women's civic, social and service organizations:Altrusas, Junior League, Zonta, PEO, Federation ofWomen's Clubs, garden or quilting clubs, women'sathletic clubs.

Minority women's organizations: NationalCouncil of Negro Women; Hispanic, NativeAmerican, Asian/Pacific American organizations;Hadassa.

Groups representing older, rural, handicapped,and lesbian women.

In addition, try to involve women in otherorganizations and community leaders not usuallyassociated primarily with women's issues: laborunions, business and industry, religiousorganizations, arts/crafts clubs, professional orsemi-pro athletic teams, media personalities, electedofficials, health education organizations.

52. An Evening of TheatreMany individual women, events, and historicalperiods lend themselves well to dramatic re-enactments or plays. A number of scripts areavailable for various ages through the NationalWomen's History Catalog. These depict variousevents and personalities in U.S. women's history. Aclass or a school drama club could also adapt anybiographical material for use as a play or dramaticre-enactment.

Historical periods /events to consider for originalscripts might include women's involvement in theevents leading up to the Revolutionary War, actionsof the Female Anti-Slavery Societies of the 1830s/'40s, pioneer and American Indian women and thewestern expansion, Black women in the South priorto the Civil War, women and the temperancemovement, the woman suffrage movement, orwomen immigrants to the U.S. Sections from thebiographies of notable women can also be easilyadapted for use as a dramatic presentation. See"Sources for Biographies" for ideas.

As an event for National Women's HistoryMonth, a class or the drama club could perform theplay for a student audience and then stage a publicperfonnance as well. Local theatre groups ormuseums should be contacted for assistance withcostumes and props, and local women'sorganizations for assistance with publicity and ticketsales. See "National Organizations" for referrals.

The event should be widely publicized to bringit to the public's attention. Proceeds from ticketsales could be earmarked for women's historymaterials for the school library, or for the funding ofother activities.

53. Sports Clinics on CampusWomen professional, semi-professional or activeamateur athletes in a variety of fields might enjoybeing contacted to do sports clinics ordemonstrations for students at local schools. Theseactivities could be scheduled for physical education

20 21

Page 22: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL- COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

classes, or they could be special lunchtime orassembly programs. Check with the sports editor ofyour local newspaper as well as sporting goodsstores to find out how to contact female professionalor semi-professional athletic teams in yourcommunity, for a demonstration of particularathletic skills.

54. Suitcase MuseumsFamily attics, closets, chests or basements, as

well as local museums or historical societies, oftencontain wonderful treasures of women's history."Suitcase museums" are a very portable means todisplay artifacts such as clothing, accessories,household implements, photographs and othermementos. The items contained in the "suitcasemuseum" display are those that might have beenfound in the suitcase of a traveler of long ago.

Put out a call to local women's organizations(see "National Organizations") or through the localnewspaper that you are looking for women'shistorical artifacts. Label each item with a fulldescription, as well as the item's source. Displaythe items by time period, usage, or other categoriesthat make sense to you. Suitcase museums can bedisplayed at the school with student docents leadingtours and explaining the various items, or presentedby a Community Resource Woman (see Activity#51) in a classroom setting.

55. Women's History is for Everyone!If women's history is unknown territory in yourschool district, contact the district curriculumspecialist or library media person and offer to holdan afternoon reception at the county or district officeof education, to introduce teachers, clerical staff andadministrators to the concept of women's historyand NWHM. Plan to have the reception duringNational Women's History Month, or, even better,in the fall or early winter. At the reception, showthe video "One Fine Day," or another women'shistory video; introduce books, posters and othermulticultural materials available on women in U.S.history; explain the importance of knowingwomen's history and celebrating NWHM; discussany programs being held locally; and, if at allpossible, serve refreshments. Many films, books,and other resources on multicultural women'shistory are available through the NWHP Catalog.

21

56. Women's History Museum ExhibitYour local museum, historical society or librarymay have the resources and materials to assemble afull-scale display of women's history artifacts. Sucha display might include period clothing, home orfarm implements, spinning wheels, butter chums.quilts, photographs of women prominent in localhistory, family photos of early settlers in your area,and any other subject matter which might '3eappropriate for your particular locale. Talk to themuseum curator or librarian early in the year toallow sufficient planning time; the exhibit should beprepared in time for students to tour it duringMarch.

Alternatively. you might organize support tobring a traveling women's history exhibit to yourcommunity (see "Traveling Exhibits").

57. Adopt a SchoolOne proven method to encourage the inclusion ofwomen's history in your local schools' curriculumis for a community organization to "adopt" aparticular school in its neighborhood and to workwith teachers, administrators, parents' groups andstudents to support women's history programming.The members of the community organization mayassist with recruiting Community Resource Womenfor the school (see Activity #51), or may facilitatethe school's involvement in a district-wide essaycontest.

Community groups that adopt a school can usetheir contacts to collect contributions for prizes forwomen's history contests of various types, to raisemoney to buy women's history materials for theschool library or media center, or to introducestudents to the variety of occupations and careers inwhich women are working today. A free "Adopt ASchool" pamphlet, with detailed suggestions onways in which your community organization canwork with local schools, is available from theNWHP, 7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492.

58. Living PortraitsA growing number of amateur or semi-professionalwomen actors have developed marvelous "livingportraits" of women prominent in U.S. history andare available for performances in various parts ofthe country (see "Performers").

This can also be a do-it-yourself project! Withresearch on the life of a particular woman, a fewquotes and a costume, a creative person can developsuch a portrait to present to school classes. Who are

22

Page 23: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

SCHOOL-COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

your women heroes? Wouldn't it be fun to beLucretia Mott, Harriet Tubman, Sarah Winnemuccaor Eleanor Roosevelt for a day and talk to studentsabout your life and concerns? Posters or enlargedphotographs of the woman in action will enhanceyour presentation, as might a few props.

Alternatively, locP1 high school students whohave researched women in U.S. history might behonored to give their reports to your communitygroup at its March meeting. Contact local highschools' history and speech departments for leads.

59. Billboard ContestThis exciting contest was successfully undertaken inPennsylvania in 1985. The state Commission forWomen and the Department of Education teamed upto sponsor a student billboard contest for NationalWomen's History Month. The member companiesof the Outdoor Advertising Assoc. were contacted todonate billboard space and graphic assistance.

The winning billboard design was displayed on90 billboards throughout the state during March.Wouldn't it be wonderful to have something likethat happen in your city or state? All it takes isorganization and fast talking.

60. Design Your Own National Women'sHistory Month PosterAlthough there is an annual full-color posteravailable from the National Women's HistoryProject to commemorate NWHM, additional posterdesigns can be useful for specific purposes.Someone with an eye for graphic design and aninterest in women's history might develop a posterwith a list of specific women's history classroomactivities, or a poster recognizing women ofaccomplishment in your particular community orstate, women's contributions in a particular occupa-tional field, women sports heroes, or any number oftopic areas. SucPposters, printed in colored ink on11"x 17" paper, are not too expensive and can be awonderful contribution to local schools or storewindows during March or throughout the year.

61. We Are All a Part of HistoryOral histories are an increasingly popular method ofbroadening our understanding of what history reallyis. Oral histories of almost any woman who haslived over a few dozen years can be a fascinatingaddition to our knowledge about historical periodsand the interplay of "big events" with the lives ofindividuals.

22

Volunteer to demonstrate, in front of students,an oral history interview with a classroom teacher,then discuss the concept of oral history with theclass, help students develop questions and interviewformats, do a few role plays, and send the studentsout to work! You or your organization might alsohelp students by contacting women to beinterviewed, through senior centers, AmericanAssociation of Retired Persons, or similarorganizations, or through personal contacts you mayhave. Encourage students to also identifyappropriate women from their own families andfriendship circles.

62. Women's History Clipping ServiceTwo primary sources of information oncontemporary history makers are local newspapersand magazines. Organizations and individuals caneasily develop quite a collection of articles andphotographs of the women who are making historyin our own communities.

Conscientiously clip articles from the localpress about women in a wide variety of fields.Watch the front pages, the sports and businesssections, family living and other feature articles forinfonnation about the many ways women arecontributing to your community. Files arranged bysubject categories will be very useful to teachers,librarians and students at all grade levels. Thisinformation can then be used in the development ofnotebooks on women in contemporary careers,posters of contemporary role models, or forcontacting potential Community Resource Womenthroughout the year.

63. Using Your Women's HistoryClipping FilesWork with your local school district or statedepartment of education (see "State Departments ofEducation") to develop a series of posters orcurriculum materials about women prominent in thehistory or contemporary life of your state. Thesematerials can then be distributed to local schools forclassroom use and career guidance counseling.

If you put on a women's history program, eitherbased on one of these ideas or on your ownimagination, please let the National Women'sHistory Project in on the details! We would bedelighted to share your stories and successes withother program planners. Please write to NWHP,7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492.

23

Page 24: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

WOMEN'S HISTORY

MASANANTHONY

SARAHWI NN EMUCC

;0:.;^

,

o'";410

' k '1.of

Al?

'14qf

0.40X941;,;,':

4'

1111111111111

4 os

EVERY YEAR, COAST TO COAST, communityorganizations are finding new ways to celebrateNational Women's History Month. The ideas in thissection have been drawn from the archives of theNational Women's History Project to help inspirefurther expansion of the rediscovery of multiculturalwomen's history.

64. Resolutions

First things first. National Women's History Monthresolutions will give perceptive politicalrepresentatives a golden opportunity to act on behalfof their constituents, and to develop early publicityand community awareness for National Women'sHistory Month. Resolutions or proclamationsdesignating the month of March as "Women'sHistory Month" in your city, county or state can be

-4trz

to

CommunityPrograms

23 24

,

!rix24'*'

000

.

SKiII

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Page 25: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

requested by individuals or organizations.Proclamations can be requested from city councils,boards of education, county boards of supervisors orstate legislatures. This official recognition can beespecially effective in gaining community supportfrom schools and various clubs and organizations.

Getting a proclamation issued is not difficult. Youdo not need to know anyone in the particulargoverning body you are contacting. Suchproclamations are given out on a regular basis for avariety of purposes. The key is to contact the properperson.

Call the mayor's/legislator's office. Explain thatyou are interested in having a proclamation issued.You will be referred to whomever handles suchmatters.

Obtain the correct spelling of the name and titleof the person responsible for processingproclamations.

Mail a letter and sample proclamation (see"Congressional Resolution") to this person, andmail one to the mayor/legislator as well.

After a few days, call this person and verify thatyour letter has arrived. Ask when you might expectthe proclamation to be issued.

Let this person know that you would like to bepresent to receive the proclamation, or to have acopy sent to you when it is issued. If it is possibleto turn the issuing of the proclamation into a mediaevent, by all means do so! Consider having a GirlScout troop or group of senior women accept theproclamation on behalf of the women of yourcommunity. Ask the staff photographer to takepictures of the mayor/legislator and your groupholding the newly issued proclamation. Send copiesof the photos and proclamation to the local press.

After you have received the proclamation, send athank-you letter to the mayor/legislator and toanyone else who helped you.

65. Media AttentionMore than any single event, one major step towardchanging minds and attitudes is getting mediaattention for these two words: "women's history."Even if there are no specific events being planned inyour area (and why aren't there?), you can still getmedia attention for the fact that it is NationalWomen's History Month and that there have been

24

numerous women prominent in the history of yourlocal community.

Arranging media attention for women's historyevents and programs can be undertaken as anindividual or group endeavor. Be forewarned that itcan be a slow and disappointing process. Eachsuccessive year will bring more positive results,however, so don't be discouraged if your first triesdon't yield the results you had hoped for.

Early and persistent communication withnewspapers and the electronic media is one key tosuccess. Use your own personal network and that ofeveryone you know to make contacts with theappropriate media representatives in yourcommunity. Media people want to report on eventsand ideas important to the public, but they may havea more narrow view than you of what is important tothe public. Sometimes media representatives, too,need help in coming to an initial understanding ofthe importance of women's history.

Start at the beginning. Provide media peoplewith adequate background information on whyNational Women's History Month is beingcelebrated, and the various ways in which thatcelebration will be taking place both nationally andin your community. Provide a copy of theCongressional Resolution and any other officialrecognition that may have occurred in your state orcommunity, such as School Board WHMResolutions. Provide some initial information onprograms being planned or on prominent womenappropriate to highlight during the month of March.

Be sure to allow plenty of lead time if you areasking for a feature story or editorial. Submit yourmaterials a few weeks in advance of the appropriateprint date, and call back a week later to see if thematerials will be used and what you might be able todo to insure that happening. Anticipated mediacoverage can often slip away; success requiresspecial energy and assertiveness.

Suggestions to insure media coverage:

Begin courting the media early. Identify keyindividuals who you think will be most likely to beinterested in your work and ideas. Invite thesepeople to be a part of the program-planning process,to be contest judges or the program emcee. Strive toget specific promises from a few people who areable to deliver and who seem truly interested in theproject you propose. Identify their interests andconcerns and find a way to make their interestscompatible with your own.

25

Page 26: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Invite local editors, station managers and/orreporters whoever your best contacts are todiscuss your ideas with you over lunch. In advance,prepare an outline of what you want to cover in thismeeting. Plan on doing a lot of talking and not toomuch eating. Ask a lot of questions, and beprepared to give some exciting examples ofwomen's history, and women's history celebrationevents, that might be of interest to media people.Use the meeting to clarify what you must provide tothe newspaper or station, in what format and bywhat date, in order to get the coverage you desire.Remember, you are doing the media a service.National Women's History Month is news. Findmedia people who can recognize that, or whom youcan educate toward this realization!

Follow up all personal contacts and phone callswith good press releases in the format thenewspaper or radio/ TV station requires, accordingto the schedule the paper or station has provided.Accompany each press release with the text of theCongressional (or your local) NWHM Resolution(see "Congressional Resolution").

Among your publicity materials, include black-and-white glossy photographs of key personsassociated with your program or event, wheneverpossible. If the event has occurred in years past,photos from previous events should also beincluded. Local papers will use your photos, andlarger papers might be inspired to send out theirown photographer. Television stations can use colorphotos or slides as well.

Write letters to the editor, beginning in January,about programs being planned in local schools or bycommunity groups. Don't wait until you havediscovered that there was no coverage of your eventto write a letter. Encourage/insist on coverageahead of time.

Specific ideas which your local media might findinteresting:

As soon as you can compile a complete listing ofthe local programs and activities scheduled forNational Women's History Month, type them upwith the names and phone numbers of appropriatecontact persons for follow-up interviews or features.Send this list to all local news media.

Prepare one or more guest editorials and submitthem to the papers, explaining the purposes behindNational Women's History Month, the rationale for

25

school and organization participation, and thenecessity of rethinking our definitions of whatconstitutes "United States history." Accompanythese editorials with a cover letter and a follow-upcall to the editor.

Ask the publisher/editor to run a series of articleson women in local history. Offer suggestions oftopics, individuals to include, and sources forinforrE4don and visual images. Find out if articleswritten by persons not on the newspaper staff can beaccepted for publication. If appropriate, submit wellresearched articles about women in the history ofyour community or state, to be run as daily columnsor as a special feature. Offer to write the articlesyourself, to have a high school journalism orcreative writing class prepare them as a project, orto provide research assistance on women's history-related topics for news staff writers.

Suggest articles exploring issues facing womentoday, such as: employment rights and options,sexual harassment, educational equity, domesticviolence, changing pension-fund and Social Securityregulations, child care, the feminization of poverty,or the challenges and rewards of combining careerand family responsibilities. Focus on how thewomen in your community or state are affected bythese issues. Interview women actively engaged inbringing about changes for more equity in theseareas.

Examine the heritage of the women's rightsmovement, or a similarly broad-based social changemovement led by women, nationally as well as inyour community and/or state. Submit your findingsto local media to use in feature stories.

Write short Public Service Announcements(PSAs) for the radio and television stations to air.PSAs can announce specific National Women'sHistory Month events, provide information aboutindividual women in history, or discuss the status ofcurrent women's issues topical in your community.The FCC requires radio and television stations todevote a specific amount of time to such publicannouncements. Prepare yours in the format yourlocal stations prefer, submit them in writing, andfollow up with a phone call. A series of 31women's history PSAs on individual women areavailable inexpensively through the NWFIP Catalog.

Ask your most-read local columnist to invitereaders to "take a moment right now to write aparagraph about a special woman in your life; a

26

Page 27: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

woman that you see as a role model; a significantwoman of the past; what it means to be a womanalive right now," to be published during NWHM.

Approach radio stations with the idea of airingprograms of dramatic readings or topical speeches.Offer to prerecord the material or to write copy forsuch programs. Historic women's speeches andbiographies are available from National PublicRadio (2025 M St., NW, Washington, DC 20036,202-822-2000) and Pacifica Radio Archives (3729Cahuenga, North Hollywood, CA 91604, 800 -735-0230).

Arrange radio or television interviews of womenwho are well known in your area, and of significantwomen whose work is not so publicly known.Stress that today's history is being made by all ofus, living out our daily lives. If you can, provide thecommentator with background information aboutwomen's historic participation in the field of theinterviewee.

Ask questions about women's history on call-inradio shows and take the opportunity to announcethat March is National Women's History Month.You might be surprised how easily such questionscan fit in. Bet be prepared to supply the answersyourself! Invite listeners to call and commend awoman they especially admire. Be brazen!

Contact the various women's service agenciesand educational organizations in your area and askthem if they are willing to be featured on local radioor TV programs. Develop a list of those who areinterested, including the names, addresses andphone numbers (day and evening) for the womenmost appropriate as contacts for these organizationsor agencies. Send this information to local radioand television stations, encouraging them to produceNational Women's History Month programsfocusing on local organizations. Follow up with aletter to each woman, encouraging her to contact thesame person you contacted at each station,volunteering her time toward this end and asking tobe scheduled.

Arrange to print your schedule of local women'shistory events on the cover of the local TV guide, onplacemats distributed to local restaurants (ask theChamber of Commerce to fund this one!), and in thein-house bulletins of major businesses. Where else?Let your imagination be your guide!

26

Don't ignore the alternative press, or the news-letters of local women's, civic, religious, or otherorganizations. Prepare ress releases severalmonths in advance for organizations which onlypublish once a month. Information aboutcommunity events of interest to their members willsurely find its way into print in a variety of special-interest newsletters.

66. PostersPosters are an inexpensive, eye-catching means toget your message across to a large number ofpeople. National Women's History Monthcommemorative posters, International Women'sDay posters, and a number of other colorful,educational posters are available through the NWHPCatalog. Still other sources for posters of women inU.S. history are listed in "Poster Sources."

You do not have to rely on commercial posters,however. If you are planning events or specialprograms to celebrate National Women's HistoryMonth in your community, seriously considerprinting posters to publicize it. Posters promote afestive air, and can have a real impact. They makegood souvenirs, too!

Proclaim National Women's History Monththrough posters locally designed and distributed toschools and throughout the community. It may bepossible to have these designed and silkscreened bya high school or college art class. Perhaps there arelocal artists who would be willing to donate a designfor your poster. Contact friendly, or woman-owned, print shops for donations of printing inreturn for their logo at the bottom of your poster.Contributions for specific purposes such as theprinting of posters can often be obtained from localbanks, service clubs, or businesses. Display theposters in public buildings, school cafeterias,shopping centers, banks wherever crowds gatheror wait.

Promote poster-designing activities, such as aposter design contest, in the schools and throughcommunity children's groups (Scouts, churches,daycare centers). Help mount an exhibit of all theresulting posters in the public library, shoppingcenter, or city hall.

67. LibrariesLibraries can serve both as resources and as centersfor observing National Women's History Month.Visit your local libraries several months in advance,to talk to librarians about NWHM and discuss ways

27

Page 28: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

in which the library might participate. Don't forgetschool and college libraries as well as publiclibraries. Bookstores, too! Cover as much territoryas you can.

Suggest a special display of books and posters onwomen's history. Provide copies of lists ofresources for books and posters that librarians mightuse for such displays. Some librarians will be happyto create such displays themselves; others mayappreciate your help. Be sensitive to their desiresand staff needs.

Ask librarians to compile bibliographies of booksin their collections which deal with women inhistory at the juvenile, intermediate and adultreading levels. If possible, reproduce thebibliographies for distribution to all schools.

Exhibit books about and works of women's artand culture, or other specialized topics.

Sponsor an informal lecture on contemporarywomen authors, women as subjects in literature, orwomen who published under men's names (andwhy!).

Design bookmark bibliographies of women'shistory for distribution throughout the year at thecheck-out desk.

Have a book donation drive for contributions ofbooks by women authors or about women's history,or solicit money to expand the existing collection ofbooks about women's history, and biographies andautobiographies of specific women. The NationalWomen's History Project can recommend many finetitles.

Suggest that children's story hours during Marchfocus on women's biographies, or fairy tales withstrong women and girls as the central characters.Tatterhood and Other Tales or Maid of the North,both available through the NWHP Catalog, areexcellent resources to suggest for this.

In some communities, libraries also function asrepositories for local history artifacts. If this is thecase in your area, your local library might be able todevelop a special display of some aspect ofwomen's history in your particular locale. Topicsmight include: women's crafts (quilt making,needlework), women's tools (butter chums,spinning wheels), clothing, family photographs, ornewspaper and magazine clippings about women invarious time periods in the history of yourcommunity. Special library displays of this sort can

27

be very elaborate, or informal, as the resourcesavailable might dictate. If such a display is notpossible for the library, ask the historical society orthe county museum. Be sure to allow plenty of leadtime for requests of this nature; six months to a yearis not unreasonable.

68. Workplace Organizing SuggestionsA great many of the ideas for community organizerscan be adapted to the workplace. Films, speakers,award programs, poster and book displays, historicalphotographs, and the like will help you bringwomen's history to the attention of your co-workers.

Using the questions in "Women's HistoryPotpourri," create small fliers on women's historytrivia, or a women's history quiz. Post on bulletinboards and cafeteria/lunchroom walls, in elevatorsand coffee/water-cooler areas, or on the front ofyour own desk. Pass a blackboard? Write womenback into history!

Does your company have a newsletter or e-mailbulletin board? This is a perfect place forannouncements of NWHM activities in yourcommunity, and/or women's history facts orquizzes. Find out how much lead time is requiredfor submitting material to the newsletter, and getyour information together well in advance. Perhapsa feature article about women in your particularindustry, women workers in general, orcontemporary women's issues would also beappropriate for the March issue of your companynewsletter or union magazine. The Women'sBureau of the U.S. Dept. of Labor, 200 ConstitutionAvenue, NW, Room S3305, Washington, DC 20210has many useful graphs, reports and publications.(202)219-6593.

Posters about women in the workplace areavailable from the Service Employees InternationalUnion, 1313 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.(202)898-3200, ext. 444.

69. DisplaysVisual displays with a wealth of information canreach a lot of people. Colorful posters are awonderful place to start, but great visuals can comefrom a variety of sources. Magazines are full ofpictures of contemporary women in a wide varietyof occupations and endeavors; newspaper clippings,both historic and current, will tell the stories ofwomen's activities in your community. Children's

28

Page 29: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

art or craft projects related to women's historythemes might also lend themselves to public display.

Displays can be elaborate or remarkably simple.Public buildings, libraries and shopping centersoften have easels or other means for hangingdisplays. More informal methods might include theuse of refrigerator cartons, either in squares oropened up; they can be painted and will standsolidly if their bottoms are weighted down. Cartonshave the added advantage of folding up easily fortransporting.

Several fine traveling exhibits are available torent for local displays. If your interests and fundsmake this approach a possibility, contact theorganizations listed in "Traveling Exhibits."

Set up your displays where many people will seethem: libraries, main entrances of major publicbuildings, school cafeterias, shopping centers, and atyour events and programs for National Women'sHistory Month.

Depict the variety of contributions of womengenerally or the work of particular women.Consider showcasing local or home-state women.Your local and state historical societies may havehelpful biographies, photographs, or other resources.Try to involve these historical societies indeveloping the displays.

Photocopy articles about women printed in localnewspapers 10, 20, 30, 50, or 100 years ago. Whatwere the major themes of women's activities at thestate and national levels then? What local activitiesof women received press coverage then? How hasthis changed?

Focus on women in the paid labor force, intraditional or non-taditional jobs. Illustrate withphotos of local women at work, if you can. TheWomen's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor(for address, see Activity #68) has many graphs thatcan be useful. National and local chapters oforganizations like Trades Women or 9 to 5: TheNational Association for Working Women can behelpful.

Collect T-shirts from local women's culturalevents held over the years, and display them strungalong poles or on individual clothes hangers.

70. Receptions and Open HousesHeld in the fall, these provide excellentopportunities for bringing diverse groups and

28

potential resource people into your organization atthe planning stage. During National Women'sHistory Month, open houses can be an excellentway to introduce the public to the work of thesponsoring organization(s).

Hold receptions or open houses at yourorganizational headquarters or offices, or at thehome of the mayor or governor. Use the opportunityto honor specific women who have been particularlyactive in your organization or in the life of thecommunity.

Include poster and book displays, and show filmsor slide shows on women's history, sex-rolestereotyping, or contemporary issues facing women.

Sponsor an annual event honoring individualwomen of achievement in your community or state.Use a variety of categories for honoring women in awide range of fields, from business, sports andgovernment to community service and volunteerism.Be multicultural in your approach. Couple theawards with a recognition of women from earliertimes, to emphasize our roles in the historiccontinuum.

71. Film SeriesCommercial films with strong women characters oron themes of particular relevance to women can beused as fundraisers or consciousness-raisers duringNWHM. These can make for low-cost, high-impactprograms.

Some 16-mm films are available from schooldistrict media libraries, or from local college oruniversity collections. For lesser-known films, askyour local independent movie theater for anappropriate film catalog. Be sure to preview filmsyou're unfamiliar with, as films like historybooks can be distressingly sexist or racist in theirbias.

Local theaters, especially locally ownedindependents, often will make special arrangementsfor groups wishing to schedule films featuringstrong female lead characters during March. Or, asktheaters to put on a film festival, changing programsevery few days. Colleges and universities oftenhave regularly scheduled film programs, and mightbe pleased to include women's themes duringMarch. Programming is often done well in advance,so allow plenty of lead time for discussing this ideawith theater owners.

29

Page 30: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Suggestions: "Julia," "Turning Point," "UnionMaids," "With Babies and Banners," "Norma Rae,""The Making of the Dinner Party," "9 to 5," "MyBrilliant Career," "Heartland," "The Life and Timesof Rosie the Riveter," "The Inheritance,""Silkwood," "Yentl," "Cross Creek," "Heart Like aWheel," "Coal Miner's Daughter," "The Joy LuckClub," "The Color Purple," "A League of TheirOwn," "A Thousand Pieces of Gold," "The LongWalk Home," "Hearts and Hands."

Be sure to put a sign-in sheet in the lobby, forfuture use as a mailing list for NWHM publicity!

72. Lectures, Workshops, Seminarsand PanelsIn many communities, National Women's HistoryMonth is a time for conducting workshops, seminarsand conferences on a wide variety of topics ofinterest to women. These events can be sponsoredby various community groups, and can feature local"experts" in particular fields of women's activities.Such programs can be spread out during the monthand held at various locations or packed into one ortwo days at a specific, centrally located facility.Events can range anywhere from scholarlypresentations on particular aspects of women'shistory, to self-defense demonstrations and time-management workshops. Local interests and needsshould be your guide.

Large-scale programs of this type require a lotof planning and preparation. Begin early andinclude a diverse cross section of your communityin your planning process.

Public meetings can often be held at libraries,on school grounds, and in churches, banks or otherpublic meetin' rooms without expense.

State a .deral employees can often receivetime off for "professional development" to attendsuch meetings during National Women's HistoryMonth. Be sure that your publicity reaches theirworkplaces, too.

73. Dramatic PerformancesStage a dramatic performance about women'shistory! A number of scripts are available throughthe NWI-IP Catalog: "Seneca Falls 1848: All Menand Women Are Created Equal" portrays the eventsat the first women's rights convention; "How ShePlayed the Game" explores the achievements of sixgreat athletes from the early 20th century; "WhereWere the Women?" presents three historic women

with varied life experiences; in "Womanspeak," acontemporary woman meets a number of greatwomen from the past; and "American WomenMaking History" is perfect for scout troops, youthgroups or other non-adult performers. Most of theseplays are short and easy for amateurs to perform.The plays can be done simply or with elaboratecostumes and props. They provide the perfectentertainment for your organization or for the entirecommunity.

74. Traveling PerformersMany women performers are available to presenttopical programs about women's history in variousparts of the country, and are listed in "Performers."Use the performances to raise funds for subsequentwomen's history events.

75. Program OutreachTake your programs, films, and activities intoconvalescent hospitals. Consider gathering oralhistories of the women there who are interested.Ask permission to submit the resulting histories toyour local newspapers after the histories have beenreviewed by the subjects themselves. Print thehistories in a booklet and give a copy to eachinterviewee and to the local library.

76. Walking ToursOrganize a walking tour of historic sites related towomen in your local area. Displays of historicphotographs, newspaper clippings and othermemorabilia could be developed for each site. Printa map and descriptive materials for use throughoutthe year. Groups in Seneca Falls, New York;Chicago; St. Paul; Portland, Oregon; Washington,D.C.; and London have organized tours of this sort.So can you! Several excellent resources areavailable to help you begin identifying sites: SeeWomen Remembered: A Guide to Landmarks ofWomen's History in the United States (GreenwoodPress, 1986).

77. Street BannersDesign, paint and hang street banners in downtownlocations proclaiming National Women's HistoryMonth and the specific accomplishments of state orlocal women, past and present. See "Women'sHistory Potpourri" and "Sources for Biographies"for ideas. These banners can be used at other timesthroughout the year, too.

29 30

Page 31: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

78. Arts and Crafts DemonstrationsOrganize arts and crafts demonstrations anddisplays: live demonstrations of traditional andcontemporary women's arts and crafts, such asquilting, knitting, candlemaking, lace making, rugbraiding, china painting, crocheting, tole paintingand the like.

79, Stage a Parade!On the Saturday closest to International Women'sDay (March 8), stage a parade with balloons,placards announcing the important contributions ofwomen (historic and contemporary), schoolmarching bands, and a wide variety of women's andgirls' organizations parading behind their ownbanners. Culminate with a multicultural program ofwomen's music and history presentations. (Yes,you can do this! Semirural Santa Rosa, California,did it four years in a row and it got better everytime!)

80. Women's Oral History DaySponsor a Women's Oral History Day in yourcommunity, perhaps in conjunction with thehistorical society and local newspaper. Find a quiet,semi-private, conveniently located site, such as alibrary anteroom or community center, that you canuse for an entire day. Recruit and train high schoolstudents to photograph participating women and torecord the women's stories; you may want toprovide students with a set of basic questions to beasked during the interview. Use announcements inyour local newspaper, and fliers sent to localwomen's organizations, to invite women to bring inphotos and scrapbooks of their lives, on a specifiedday. On that day, pair students with participatingwomen; each student will record the oral history andtake photographs of her or his subject andmemorabilia. Use the stories and photographs asthe basis for a local history slide show. Or, youmight select the most interesting images to enlargefor public display, or produce a special publicationto commemorate the Women's Oral History Day.

81. Slide ShowsWith the help of your state or local historicalsociety, plan and produce a slide show about thehistory of women in your county or community.Narration can be done by a primary voice with thevoices of other local women reading from diariesand other sources about life in earlier times. Imagesmight include local sites, historic markers, important

30

geographic landmarks, mad signs and tombstones,as well as images of historic and contemporarywomen at work in offices, at home and in thecommunity.

82. Women's Hall of FameDevelop a Women's Hall of Fame for yourcommunity or state. Local historical societies, theCommission for Women, and women'sorganizations will probably be willing to work withyou on this type of project. Include women from avariety of occupational and avocational fields; bemulticultural in your approach.

83. Women's Sports ClinicsInvite professional or semi-professional femaleathletes to demonstrate their skills at a sports clinicheld at a park or school campus. Set it up so thatseveral different sports are being demonstratedthroughout the day. Provide an opportunity forparticipants to try their hand. Accompany withfilms about women in sports. Contact the Women'sSports Foundation for excellent referrals. Phone(800)227-3988.

84. Jane Addams Hull HouseCommunity Potluck DinnerA favorite activity in the town of Santa Rosa,California, this low-cost event features a prominentaspect of women's culture: food. Invite peoplerepresenting a wide variety of ethnic organizationsto be on the planning committee, and be sure thatpublicity goes out to all ethnic communities in yourarea. Invite families to attend. Ask them to dress intraditional ethnic costumes and to bring theirfavorite ethnic foods to share. A program of musicand dance from around the world, or arts from manylands, will round out the evening well.

85. Build a FloatJoin in other scheduled parades to alert thecommunity that National Women's History Monthis coming. Founders' Days, Labor Day,Thanksgiving Day? Women were involved in theevents being commemorated by your parade. Letthe parade watchers in on this well-kept secret!

86. Woman of the Year AwardsEvery community includes outstanding women whoare daily adding to the historical legacy we willleave our children. Who are the notable women in

Page 32: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

your area? Enlist women's organizations, churchgroups, educators, and the local press to makenominations for "Woman of the Year" or "Womenof Achievement" awards, to be presented duringNWHM. Categories should be representative of themany areas of endeavor in which women are foundtoday. A reception and formal presentation of theawards (a small, engraved plaque or framedcertificate of some sort will do) will make the eventreally special. Be sure to line up media coverage ofthe event. (Hint: Having media representatives onthe panel to choose the winners will almost ensuregreat coverage of your event)

87. "One Fine Day"Show the rousing five-minute film, "One Fine Day,"at the meetings of every women's organization inyour community during the month of March. Anddon't stop there: Show it to the men, too. It onlytakes five minutes, from start to finish. Offer toshow it a second time, reading the names of thewomen pictured as the film plays. Using the videoformat, "One Fine Day" can be played continuouslyin the lobby of a major employer, public buildingfoyer, or library anteroom.

88. Organizational NewslettersDo you belong to a women's organization that has aregular newsletter? In the late fall, submit a briefarticle encouraging members to contact theirchildren's schools to find out whether NWHM isbeing observed there. For program ideas to suggest,see the "School Programs" section of this booklet.Other ideas for newsletter articles: Offer suggestionsfor a women's history reading list, featuring some ofyour organization's history; include shortbiographical sketches of women prominent in fieldsrelated to your organizational interests.

89. In-Service TrainingsOffer to conduct a teacher in-service trainingsession about women's history. "HistoryRevisited," a complete training kit, may be availablewithout charge through your state's Department ofEducation or your region's DesegregationAssistance Center (see "State Departments ofEducation" and "Regional Desegregation AssistanceCenters"). "History Revisited" is also available forpurchase through the NWHP Catalog. The kitexplains the need for integrating women's historyinto the curriculum and the ease with which

31

National Women's History Month can begin fillingthis need. "History Revisited" contains all the A-Vand print materials for you to successfully carry outan in-service from 20 minutes to 21/2 hours in length.

90. Costume PartiesThrow a "Visitors from the Past" costume party.Invite people to come dressed as their favoritewoman hero, or her escort; decorate the walls withposters of our foremothers, and photos of ourmothers; give out NWHM buttons as party favors;award NWHM posters for the best costumes; andhire a women's band or play women's music.

91. Who Was She?Devise a quiz about women in your state,contemporary or historic, and distribute it to yourlocal schools, youth organizations, libraries,newspapers, and radio and television stations. Postthe quiz answers at your main public NWHMprogram, drawing for token prizes from thoseentries with all the questions correctly answered.

92. Hire a HeavyweightIf your organization has money to spend onprogramming, hire a big-name speaker for a publiclecture or talk. One excellent resource: The AddressBook: How to Reach Anyone Who's Anyone, byMichael Levine (Perigee Books, 1993). Suchspeakers have to be lined up many months inadvance, so plan early for events of this type.

93. Meet the AuthorsAre there published women in your community?Schedule one for a program where she can talkabout her creative processes, sources for materials,and routes to publication, to help and inspire otherpotential writers. A book-selling and signing wouldobviously conclude the meeting! Ask for bookreviews of the author's work, to be featured in thelocal press just prior to the event. Be sure to letlocal bookstores know about the event in advance sothey can order extra copies of the book. Or, arrangeto hold the event itself in a bookstore, so that copiesof the book can be bought "on the spot" byinterested audience members.

94. Window AnnouncementsAsk each business on the main streets of yourcommercial district to cooperate in putting a posterfor NWHM in its front window. Find or design a

32

Page 33: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

series of similarly formatted posters, eachportraying a different woman from historyperhaps businesswomen from your community, pastand present with a brief biographical statementabout her life. Alternatively, "Notable Women"Photo Display Sets I and II, available through theNWHP Catalog, include glossy black-and-whitephotos plus short biographies of 24 historic andcontemporary women. Also, see "Poster Sources."

95. Oral HistoriesVideotape oral histories of older women ofaccomplishment in your community. Honor thesewomen at a special reception; have the videotapesplayed over your local cable broadcasting station oras part of a special event at your local museum,library, or historical society. Several excellentresources to help make your project a success areavailable through the American Association forState and Local History (530 Church St., Ste. 600,Nashville, TN 37219, (615)255-2971) or throughthe National Women's History Project Catalog.

96. Encourage Children's ProgramsAttend early fall meetings of Girl Scouts, Blue Birdsand other youth organizations to talk about NationalWomen's History Month, and resources availablefor special programming for their groups. Do ashow-and-tell, if this is at all possible. Take alongthis guide and a copy of the NWHP Catalog for thegroup leader, referring her or him to resources andactivities listed for school-age observances.

97. Shopping BagsLocal supermarkets often have specialannouncements printed on their grocery bags. Ifyou approach store managers early enough in theyear, you may be able to get an announcement ofNational Women's History Month printed ongrocery bags, cash register receipts, etc.

98. Circle of RemembranceIf your organization, church group or club enjoysceremonies, suggest a Circle of Remembrance at theclose of your March meetings. This is a time to paytribute to women past and present who haveinfluenced your lives in various ways. The groupforms a circle and each person takes a few secondsto speak the name and a few words about a woman,living or dead, who has a special place in her heart.

32

99. Community QuiltInvite each women's group in your community tomake a quilt block of its group emblem, then pieceall the blocks together and display the resultant quiltprominently during NWHM. Circulate the quiltamong county libraries and public buildings fordisplay at other times during the year.

100. Meeting of the MindsFive women select personalities from the past, dressas they would have, and meet for an evening ofdiscussion. The public is invited to eavesdrop!Select topics beforehand so each woman candevelop a sense of what her character wouldprobably have said in a similar situation. It is bestto have a moderator, perhaps in modem attire.

101. Calendar of EventsDesign and print a poster/flier listing all the NWHMevents in your community as soon as they can beconfirmed, and distribute it widely! Considerhaving this calendar printed as a placemat to be usedduring the month of March at local restaurants andfast food houses. Or provide clean black-and-whitecopies of the calendar of events, send to eachorganization that has an event listed, and encouragethe organizations to reproduce copies to distribute totheir own constituencies.

If you put on a community-based women's historyprogram, either based on one of these ideas or onyour own imagination, please let the NationalWomen's History Project in on the details! Wewould be delighted to share your stories andsuccesses with other program planners. Please writeto NWHP, 7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492.

33

Page 34: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

Women's History PotpourriHere are a variety of facts concerning the lives ofmany afferent women. We suggest that you use thesefor posters, research topics, quiz materials,announcements in daily bulletins, and placards in thehallways, library and cafeteria.

Who founded Bethune-Cookman College, establishedthe National Council of Negro Women, and served asan advisor on minority affairs to President FranklinD. Roosevelt?** Mary McLeod Bethune (187 .1955)**

What woman needed President Grant's approvalbefore she could receive her law degree? In 1879 shebecame the first woman admitted to practice beforethe Supreme Court** Belva Lockwood (1830-1917)**

Who was the first Asian-American woman elected tothe U.S. Congress?** Patsy Takamoto Mink (1927- ) **

What Black woman refused to give up her bus seat toa White man, in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955,thus sparking the civil rights movement of thefollowing decade?** Rosa Parks (1913- ) **

Who was the first woman to run for president of theUnited States (1872)?** Victoria Woodhull (1838 -1927) **

Who opened up social work as a profession forwomen, and also won the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize forher anti-war organizing work?** Jane Addams (1860-1935) **

In the late '70s, which Hispanic woman wasrepeatedly the leading money winner in the LadiesProfessional Golf Association?** Nancy Lopez (1957- ) **

Who printed the first copies of the Declaration ofIndependence in 1776?** Mary Katherine Goddard (1738.1816) **

What woman was turned down by 29 medicalschools before being accepted as a student, graduatedat the top of her class, and became the first licensedwoman doctor in the U.S.?** Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) **

What woman, married to a U.S. President, developedher own solid reputation as a tireless campaigner forworld peace and equality?** Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)**

Who wrote the first version of the Equal RightsAmendment, in 1923?** Alice Paul (1885-1977) **

What Cree Indian woman has written and recordedmany albums of songs dealing with the situation ofAmerican Indians in this country?** Buffy Sainte-Marie (1941- ) **

Who was the only member of Congress to voteagainst U.S. entry into both World War I and WorldWar II?** Jeannette Rankin (1880-1973) **

What leading suffragist was arrested and convicted ofattempting to vote in the 1872 national election?** Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) **

Who was the first Chinese-American woman electedto hold a statewide office in the United States?** March Fong Eu (1922- ) **

What journalist traveled around the world in 72 daysin 1890?**Nellie Bly (1867.1922) **(real name: Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman)

What former slave was a powerful speaker for therights of women and Blacks?** Sojourner Truth (c.1797-1883) **

Who worked side-by-side with Eli Whitney to inventthe cotton gin?** Catherine Greene (1755-1814) **

When was the Equal Rights Amendment firstintroduced into Congress?** 1923 **

Who was instrumental in devising the Union strategywhich ultimately won the Civil War?** Anna Ella Carroll (1815.1893) **

Who was the last queen of the Hawaiian Islands,deposed because American business interests wantedto annex Hawaii to the U.S.?** Queen Liliuokalani (1838.1917) **

33

34

Page 35: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY POTPOURRI

In 1939, what famous African-American concertsinger was barred from singing in Washington'sConstitution Hall because of her race? 75,000 peoplecame to hear her sing on the steps of the LincolnMemorial, instead.** Marian Anderson (1902-1993) **

Which woman was banished from the MassachusettsBay Colony because of her nontraditional religiousteachings?** Anne Hutchinson (1591.1643) **

In the 1880s, who spoke out for the advancement ofAmerican Indians' rights from speakers' platformsnationwide and before Congressional committees?** Sarah Winnemucca (1844-1891)**

Who drove a stagecoach across the roughest part ofthe West without anyone knowing until she died thatshe was a woman?** Charlie Parkhurst (c.1879) **

Who was the first Hispanic woman to served as U.S.Treasurer?** Romana Bahue los (1925- ) **

What astronomer was awarded a gold medal by theKing of Denmark for her discovery of a comet in1847?** Maria Mitchell (1818 -1889) **

Who is chair of theboard and publisher of TheWashington Post and Newsweek magazine, and alsooversees six broadcasting stations?** Katharine Graham (1917- ) **

Who was the world's first Black person in modemtimes to build a large manufacturing enterprise? Sheproduced hair and skin care products, and became thefirst self-made woman millionaire in the U.S.** Madam C. J. Walker (1867-1919)**

About 20,000 women shirtwaist workers staged astrike for better working conditions. Their action wascalled "The Uprising of the 20,000." When andwhere did this strike occur?** 1909, in New York City **

When did officials of Little League baseball an-nounce that they would "defer to the changing socialclimate" and let girls play on their teams?** 1974 **

Which dancer revolutionized dance with herprogressive ideas in the early 1900s?** Isadora Duncan (1878-1927) **

34

As vice president of the United Farm Workers, whatwoman has been speaking out for civil and economicrights for famtworIcers throughout the U.S.?** Dolores Huerta (1930- ) **

Who is revered for her contributions to Puerto Ricantraditions, folklore and feminist ideals?** Maria Cadilla de Martinez (1886-1951) **

When did Title IX of the Education Amendments(1972) go into effect, prohibiting discrimination onthe basis of sex in federally funded school programsand activities?** 1976 4.4.

In 1943, what woman was invited to teach nuclearphysics at Princeton University, even though nofemale students were allowed to study there?** Chien-Shiung Wu (1912- ) **

What woman served as a "conductor" on the Under-ground Railroad, freeing hundreds of southern slavesand leading them to safety in the North? A $40,000reward was offered for her capture.** Harriet Tubman (1820-1913)**

Who was the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, the bookwhich was a significant factor in the rise of anti-slavery sentiment leading up to the Civil War?** Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) **

What woman is credited with helping free more than2,000 Chinese women smuggled into San Franciscoas slaves?** Donaldina Cameron (1869-1968) **

Who was the first African-American woman poet tobe published in the U.S.?** Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) **

Who pioneered in the field of industrial time-and-motion efficiency, using her theories to organize herown home and twelve children?** Lillian Gilbreth (1878-1972) **

Which major national bakery was started by MargaretFogarty Rudkin (1897-1967) from her additive-free,home-baked bread?** Pepperidge Farms**

Who was the Shoshone Indian woman who servedas guide and interpreter on the Lewis and Clarkexpedition?** Sacajawea (c.1787-1812) **

Page 36: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY POTPOURRI

Who was the first Black woman elected to Congress?** Shirley Chisholm (1924- ) **

Who was the first woman rabbi in the U.S., ordainedin 1972?** Sally Priesand (1946- ) 5*

Who was the 17-year-old sculptor for whomPresident Lincoln posed, and who later sculpted thestatue of him now in the Capitol Rotunda?** Vinnie Ream (1846 -1914) **

What woman, the daughter of an Omaha Indian chief,became an effective reformer and lecturer on behalfof American Indians?** Susette La Flesche (1854-1903) **

Who was the first woman to receive the Congress-ional Medal of Honor, awarded for her work as anarmy surgeon during the Civil Wax? (Her medal waslater withdrawn when she became involved in thewoman suffrage movement.)** Dr. Mary Walker (1832-1919) **

What female singer was instrumental in gettingbilingual education legislation enacted in the State ofCalifornia?** Vikki Carr (1940- ) 5*

What woman wrote the poem "Battle Hymn of theRepublic," which was later set to the tune of "JohnBrown's Body"?** Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910) **

What member of the House of Representativeswho later received the National Motherhood Awardclaims to be the only person to take theCongressional oath while clutching a handbag filledwith disposable diapers?** Patricia Schroeder (1942- ) 5*

What woman's skill as a potter and teacher saved herNew Mexico village from poverty and established afirm economic base for her community?** Maria Martinez (1887-1980) **

What woman raises sled dogs and races themcompetitively? In 1985 she became the first womanto win the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a32-day race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska.** Libby Riddles **

What Jewish poet wrote the famous poem now on thebase of the Statue of Liberty?** Emma Lazarus (1849-1887)**

What 16- year -old made a rain-drenched, 40-milemidnight ride on horseback in 1777, to warn of theBritish march on rebel supplies at Danbury,Connecticut?** Sybil Ludington (1762-1839) **

What woman organized the first Women's RightsConvention in 1848, and publicly called for women'sright to vote?** Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902)**

Who was the fast woman chosen by a major politicalparty to run for vice president of the United States?** Geraldine Ferraro (1935- ) **

Who was the first U.S. citizen to be named a saint?** Francesca Xavier Cabrini (1850.1917) **

Who was the first woman elected to the NationalAcademy of Sciences, in 1925? Her field wasanatomy.** Florence Rena Sabin (1871-1953) **

Who was co-founder of the Japanese-AmericanReparations Committee?** Ying Lee Kelly (1933- ) **

Who was the first American woman astronaut totravel into space?** Sally Ride (1951- ) *5

Who was the first woman to have her picture on aU.S. dollar?** Martha Washington (1886) **

Who was the astronomer who identified andclassified more stars than anyone else in the world?** Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941) **

Who was the first woman to complete an around-the-world solo flight?** Jerrie Mock (1925- ) **

In 1901, what woman dared to be the first personever to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel?** Anna Taylor **

In 1985, who was the first female member of theHarlem Globetrotters basketball team?** Lynette Woodard **

Who is considered the all-time, all-sports, all-American woman athlete?** Mildred "Babe' Didrikson Zaharias (1914-1956) **

3536

Page 37: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY POTPOURRI

Whose book, The Silent Spring, led to the modernenvironmental movement?** Rachel Carson (1907 -1964) **

What woman swimmer has won 8 Olympic medals?** Shirley Babashoff (1957- ) **

Who was the famous aviator of the 1930s whodisappeared over the Pacific on her attempted flightaround the world?** Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) **

Who exposed horrible conditions in mental institu-tions, influencing changes in 15 states' mentalinstitutions before the Civil War?** Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) **

Who was the first woman appointed to the U.S.Supreme Court?** Sandra Day O'Connor (1930- ) 5*

Who set an aviation record in 1986 when she and herpartner flew around the world without stopping?** Jeana Yeager (1952- ) **

Which writer of 28 books almost single-handedlycreated the genre of Japanese-American children'sliterature?** Yoshiko Uchida (1921-1992) **

What African-American civil rights activist playedleading roles in the NAACP in the 1940s, and in theformation of the Southern CLristian LeadershipConference in the 1950s and the Student NonviolentCoordinating Committee in the 1960s?** Ella Baker (1903.1986) **

What labor and civil rights leader is best known forher fiery speeches and union organizing work onbehalf of pecan shellers in a Texas food-processingplant?** Emma Tenayuca (1916- ) **

Which Mexican-American journalist also co-foundedLa Cruz Blanca (The White Cross) during theMexican Revolution, to nurse the injured from bothsides of the conflict?"" Jovita War (1885-194.6) **

What educator and civil rights organizer founded achain of "Citizenship Schools" in the South from1955 to 1970, resulting in the voter registration ofalmost two million African Americans?** Septima Clark (1898-1987) **

36

Whose landmark book, Fifth Chinese Daughter, firstpublished in 1945, was the first to deal with theexperience of growing up Chinese American andfemale?** Jade Snow Wong (1922- ) **

Who is the most successful woman in professionaltennis, holder of the most Wimbledon titles ever, andthe first woman to coach a professional team?** Billie Jean King (1943- ) **

What opera singer was acclaimed for her portrayal of"Aida," and was the first opera singer to receive thePresidential Medal of Freedom (in 1965)?** Leontyne Price (1927- ) **

What woman, regarded as the greatest American-born ballerina, began studying dance as a small childon the Osage Reservation in Oklahoma?"" Maria Talkhief (1925- )

37

Page 38: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

Women's History Poster SourcesEvery year, more and more posters appropriate forwomen's history displays are becoming available.The following list will give you a good start in yoursearch. Please let us know about other sources youmight discover.

Items with an asterisk (4) are available through the1993 National Women's History Project Catalog .

* National Women's History MonthCommemorative PosterNational Women's History ProjectEach year the National Women's History Projectadopts a theme and develops a commemorativeposter for National Women's History Month. Theposter usually features five to ten women, out-standing for their contributions in a variety of fields.Current year and posters since 1983 are available.Full color, usually 18" x 24," $6.00 each (discountavailable for bulk orders of current poster). For fulldescription, see NWHP Catalog.

* National Women's History Week/MonthPoster CollectionNational Women's History ProjectIncludesten historic National Women's HistoryWeek/Month Posters from 1983 to 1993. $36.00.Achievements of American WomenHayes School Publishing Co., Inc., 321 PennwoodAve., Pittsburgh , PA 15221. (800) 245-6234.Eight two-color posters each featuring several candidphotographs and brief biographical sketchesdemonstrating the achievements of women inparticular fields. Topics include: Firsts, Science, Artand Literature, Performing Arts, Government, SocialReform, Sports, and the Common Woman.Multicultural. 12"x 18" $4.95

American Jewish WomenAmerican Jewish Archives (Ruth Kreimer) cloHebrew Union College, 3101 Clifton Ave.,Cincinnati, 01!45220. (513)221-1875 .Nine posters, printed in several colors on heavystock. Eight feature such notable American Jewishwomen as poet Emma Lazarus, and suffragistErnestine Rose. One commemorates the 10thanniversary of women in the rabbinate. One set freeto libraries. Free catalog.Individual posters, 18"x 24" $4.00 each.

* A Salute to Historic Black WomenEmpakAn attractive and colorful collage of original portraitsof notable Black women, from colonial times to thepresent. 20"x 28" $9.95

Black Women: Achievements Against the OddsSmithsonian Institution. Contact Carolynne Harris,SITES, 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW, Room 3146,Washington, DC 20560. (202)357-3171.Set of 20 oversized posters acquaints viewers with120 Black women whose accomplishments in 16fields have changed our lives. Organized around 18featured women drawn in carbon pencil,incorporating scenes from their lives and placingthem in historical perspective. 20 posters, 60 runningfeet, $200 .

Black Women in America:Contributions to Our HeritageBethune Museum and Archives, 1318 Vermont Ave,NW, Wasnington, DC 20005. (202) 332-1233.This kit includes twenty 16"x 20" black/whiteposters, a book of biographical histories andphotographs, and a teaching unit for grades 6-12.

* Celebrate Women!Margaret Zierdt- National Women's History ProjectA sampler of birthdays of over 750 women who haveleft their marks on U.S. history, with a shortbiographical statement about each woman. Laid outin columns for each month of the year. Full color.Revised 8/91. 24"x 37" !t',9.95

* Celebrating Black V/omen's HistoryNational Women's Etstory ProjectA beautiful two-color poster featuring portraits ofSojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Mary McLeodBethune, Marian Anderson, Lorraine Hansberry,Lena Home, Rosa Parks, Madam C.J. Walker andWilma Rudolph. 18"x 24" $6.00

*Celebrate Women's History Coloring PosterNational Women's History ProjectFeatures 12 women from history; poster is perfect foran individual or group coloring project.24"x 34" $4.00

Contemporary PersonalitiesWeber Costello, (800) 238-6009Wonderful, full-color 11 1/2" x 15 1/2" poster sets onheavy paper with biographical notes on each posterface, brief guide for teachers with each set:Contemporary Asian Americans (#232926), NorthAmerican Indian Personalities ( #232538), 20th-Century Black Personalities (#951020), 20th-CenturyHispanic Americans (#963835), and 20th-CenturyAmerican Women (#963827), and ContemporaryBlack Personalities (#160689). Women compriseabout half of each ethnic set: some sets are printed onboth sides. $14.-$15. per set

37 3 3

Page 39: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY POSTER SOURCES

Discover a New World: Women's HistoryNational Women's History ProjectA complex and intriguing graphic invitation to learnmore about the women and events of multiculturalwomen's history. 17"x 23" $6.00

Great American WomenKnowledge UnlimitedPO Box 52, Madison, WI 53701-0052(800) 356-2303 FAX: (608) 831-1570Colorful portraits of ten notable women, each with ashort biography printed on the poster. Set includes:Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt, EmilyDickinson, Rachel Carson, Abigail Adams, WilmaRudolph, Helen Keller, Sandra Day O'Connor,Georgia O'Keeffe, and Jane Addams. High-glossfinish, 17"x 22." Set of 10 $34.95

* International Women's DayNational Women's History ProjectMarch 8 is International Women's Day, celebratedsince' 1910 in honor of working women throughoutthe world. The poster depicts women internationally,fired on ceramic tiles then photographed for astunning effect. Full color. 18"x 24" $7.00

*Inventive Women Poster SetNational Women's History ProjectThe creative genius of women is beautifullyillustrated in this twelve-poster, multicultural sethonoring women inventors. Each poster is 11"x 17."$24.00

*Lalcota Women: Keepers of the NationS.D. Dept. of Education & Cultural AffairsA powerful message of women's strong force asculture bearers, honoring six Rosebud elders who areensuring the survival of their nation. 18"x 24" $8.00

* Liberty PosterParagraphics.An attention-grabbing, huge, 3-color poster, 275photos of historical women are uniquely combined tocreate the allegorical face of the Statue of Liberty.Includes key for locating specific individuals.30"x 40" $8.95

National Women's Hall of Fame Poster Series76 Fall Street, Seneca Falls, NY 13148.(315) 568-2936.The 31 posters of American Women of Achievement,part of the Faces and Phases of Women Learning Kit,are available separately from the National Women'sHall of Fame. Black and white. 11"x 14"

OEES PostersOrganization for Equal Education of the Sexes,PO Box 438, Blue Hill, ME 04614 (207) 374-2489A marvelous array of multicultural posters onwomen's history and nontraditional careers, manyinclude biographical sheets. Most are two colors.11"x 17." Send $2.00 for a catalog.

38

* We Can Do It!National Women's History ProjectOriginally designed to recruit women for defenseindustry jobs during World War II, this bold posterfeatures Rosie the Riveter showing her muscle andthe slogan, "We Can Do It!" 18"x 24" $6.00

*Woman Suffrage MovementNational Women's History ProjectIn the colors of the long suffrage campaign, purpleand gold, the individuals and events of the movementare commemorated on this striking poster. An entirechapter of women's history in a compact format.18"x 24" $6.00

* Women and the Civil WarNational Women's History ProjectFeatures photographs of notable women of theperiod, in the foreground, and historic images ofwomen's activities in the background. Red, whiteand blue; 18"x 24" $6.00

*Women in Science and MathematicsNational Women's History ProjectInspiring visual statement of 20 historic andcontemporary women who have shaped the fields ofscience and mathematics. 22"x 27" $8.00

*Women Who Have Changed the WorldGen. Conference of Women's HistoriesStunning poster features dozens of postage stampsfrom the U.S. and worldwide who have honored thecontributions of women. 21"x 30" $9.50

* Write Women Back Into HistoryNational Women's History ProjectThe names, dates and deeds of over 200 women frompre-colonial times to the present are chronologicallyarranged in script. Printed on glossy white paperwith deep purple and turquoise ink, this is a poster tohang everywhere all year 'round. 20"x 26" $6.00

39

Page 40: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY POSTER SOURCES

DISPLAY KITSBy the National Women's History Project

*Mexican-Ameriatn/Chicana WomenPhoto DisplayFascinating and comprehensive, this set contains rarephotos of the personalities and events of Mexican-American/Chicana women's history. Twenty strikingblack-and-white 81/2"z 11" photos, plus bilingualde,scripL ans. $12.00

* Notable Women Photo Display KitsSet I and Set IIEach set features twenty-four 81/2"z 11" b/w photos ofwomenfrom all walks of life, who have madecontributions to our nation's history. Plus, half-pagebiography of each. Set I includes 19 notableindividuals and 5 photos which honor "commonwomen:" Asian American, Black, Hispanic, andAmerican Indian, and European immigrants. Set IIfeatures 24 individuals. $12.00 each set.

* Outstanding Women of Mathematicsand Science Display KitHigh-quality 81/2"x 11" photographs of scientists andmathematicians from a wide variety of fields andtime periods; multicultural. Twenty-three photoswith a short biography of each woman. Inspirational!$12.00

* Woman Suffrage Movement Display KitAlI the materials you will need for an informativebulletin board display. Twenty-four 51/2"z 8Wblack-and-white photos of the individuals and eventsof the 72-year campaign for women's voting rights,each captioned with historical information. Alsoincluded are reprints of historical documents, andcolored paper mats for the photos. $12.00

Women and the Constitution Display KitThe six historical documents and sixteen captioned51/2"x 81/2" b/w photos contained in this kitdemonstrate women's relationship to theConstitution. Also included are: backgroundinformation, suggestions for organizing your bulletin-board display, recommended resources, and red papermats for the photos. $12.00.

Page 41: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

Biographical Information SourcesMany women' s history activities require biographicalinformation about the lives of notable women. Whilegeneral reference sources may lack informationabout the women whose names and deeds arebecoming increasingly known to us, a wide variety ofbiographical resources is now available.

Elementary* Multicultural Curriculum UnitsNational Women's History ProjectThree elementary-level units, each containing sixbiographies, coloring pages, student activities.

* Multicultural Women's HistoryCurriculum UnitNational Women's History ProjectBiographies and student activities for Felisa Rinconde Gautier, Mary Shadd Cary, Frances Willard, AdaDeer, and Tye Leung Schultz.

* American Women in Science - Set 1The Equity InstituteTen biographies of women in a variety of scienceoccupations; focus is on their childhoods.Multicultural.

* American Women in Science - Set 2The Equity InstituteFive biographies of women with major disabilitiesactive in a variety of science occupations.Multicultural.

Middle SchoolFaces and Phases of WomenNational Women's Hall of Fame , 76 Fall St.,Seneca Falls, NY 13148. (315)568-2936.Two-page biographies and charcoal sketches of thefirst 31 women to be inducted into the NationalWomen's Hall of Fame. Accompanied by a timeline,glossary and activities.

The Times and Triumphs of American WomenNational Women's Hall of Fame , 76 Fall St., SenecaFalls, NY 13148. (315)568-2936.Companion piece to the above volume, featuringportraits, biographies and study questions as well aspuzzles, a 14-character play, list of notable women'sbirthdates, and more.

*Science is Women's Work: Photos andBiographies of American Women in the SciencesNational Women's History ProjectTwenty-four 81/2"x 11" photos and correspondingone-page biographies make this booklet an excellentintroduction to outstanding women from 18 differentfields.

40

*Great Women in the StruggleToyomi Igus, ed.Profiles 84 African-American women ofachievement, with one-page biographies andaccompanying photos.

* A Story of Her Own: A Resource Guide iorTeaching Literature by WomenMary Lyons - National Women's History ProjectTeaching guide and 15 biographical posters.

Her Way - Biographies for Young PeopleMary Ellen Kulkin.Chicago: American Library Association, 1976.Short biographies of hundreds of women, easy-to-read format.

Secondary and AdultContinuum Dictionary of Women's BiographyJennifer S. Uglow, ed. NY: Continuum Pub., 1989.Short biographies of 1,500 women worldwide.

* Famous American Women: A BiographicalDictionary from Colonial Times to the PresentRobert McHenry, editorShort biographies of over 1,000 women in U.S.history, arranged aphabetically with an index by fieldof endeavor.

*Notable American Women: 1607-1950Edward T. and Janet Wilson James, editorsContains biographical information on 1,359 womenwho have made major contributions to U.S. history.Death dates prior to 1950.

* Notable American Women: The Modern PeriodBarbara Sicherman and Carol Hurd Green, editorsBiographies of 442 women who have made notablecontributions; death dates between 1950-1975.

Biographies of American Women:An Annotated BibliographyPatricia E. Sweeney. Santa Barbara, CA:ABC-CLIO, 1990.1,391 listings; indexed by profession or type ofactivity. 290 pages, cloth.

*Epic Lives: 100 Black WomenWho Made a DifferenceJessie Carney SmithBiographies and photos of both famous women andunsung pioneers who have achieved in a wide varietyof fields throughout American history.

Notable Black American WomenJessie Carney Smith, ed.Detroit: Gale Research, 1992.Rich narrative biographical essays on 500 women ofachievement. 1,334 pages, cloth,

41

Page 42: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SOURCES

* Black Women in America:An Historical EncyclopediaDarlene Clark Hine, ed.A fabulous resource, this is the most comprehensivework ever published on African-American womenand the organizations and events that have shapedtheir lives over the past 300 years. Two volumes.

* Women in Science: Antiquity through theNineteenth Century: A Biographical DictionaryMarilyn Bailey Ogilvie186 profiles of women scientists, with a classified,annotated bibliography.

* Women in MathematicsLynn M. OsenOutlines the impact women have had onmathematics; profiles the lives of individuals anddescribes the contexts in which they worked.

* Women of Science: Righting the RecordG. Kass-Simon & Patricia'Farnes, eds.Organized by scientific field, this new work offersnew insight into the women pioneers in a wide rangeof the sciences. Biographical information as well asanalysis of the obstacles to greater participation bywomen in science.

Women in History - computer softwareHartley Courseware, Inc., 133 Bridge St.,Dimc..dale, MI 48821. (800) 247 -1380.Thirty-four prominent women of the world from thelast two centuries are included. The program is notethnically balanced, but additions are simple, so itcan easily be tailored to particular needs andinterests. 'P-pple format.

* Norton Anthology of Literature by WomenSandra Gilbert & Susan Gubar, eds.Includes short biographies of the many authorswhose works are included in this massive volumne;covers English literature from the Middle Ages tothe present.

*Bloomsbury Guide to Women's LiteratureClaire Buck, ed.A thorough reference guide on women's literature,this volume covers a vast range of cultural groupsworldwide; moves from ancient to comtemporaryauthors. A-Z reference section of authors andmajor works.

*Notable Hispanic American WomenDiane Tel gen & Jim Kamp, eds.Nearly 300 fascinating entries of Hispanic womenof achievement; covers a broad range of fieldsof activity.

* Las Mujeres:Mexican American/Chicana WomenNational Women's History ProjectPhotos and biographies of 17 women from 1700s tothe present. In English and Spanish.

*Native American Women:A Biographical DictionaryGretchen M. Bataille, ed.Each entry includes facts about the accomplishmentsof the individual, her tribe, and participation in orcontribution to causes, issues, and historicalmovements.

All Grades

* Notable Women Photo Display KitSet I and Set IINational Women's History ProjectEach set contains 8"x 10" photographs and half-pagebiographical sketches of 24 women from all walks oflife who have made notable contributions to U.S.history.

* Outstanding Women in Mathematicsand Science Display KitNational Women's History ProjectTwenty-two scientists and mathematicians from awide range of specialities are profiled. An 8"x 10"photo of each woman is accompanied by a shortbiography.

* "Celebrate Women!" posterNational Women's History ProjectNames, birthdates and contributions of over 850women in U.S. history. 24" x 37"

* "Write Women Back Into History" posterNational Women's History ProjectNames, dates and contributions of over 222 womenin U.S. history. 20"x 26"

Items with an asterisk (*) are available through theNational Women's History Project Catalog as of Fall1993. For a copy of the current catalog send $1 to:NWHP, 7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492. Orcall (707)838-6000.

41 42

Page 43: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

Information SourcesFor planning your programs and activities or forconducting research, you might find the informationavailable from the following organizations helpful.Catalogs are available as indicated. (revised 9/93)

INDIAN HISTORIAN PRESSPublishes books on American Indian history.1493 Masonic Ave., San Francisco, CA 94117(415) 626-5235.

ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OFAFRO-AMERICAN LIFE AND HISTORYThe originator of Negro History Week, now BlackHistory Month. Promotes historical research andwriting, collects manuscripts and materials, andpublishes information on Afro-American history.1407 Fourteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20005.(202) 667-2822.

CHICANA RESEARCH ANDLEARNING CENTERExtensive database on Chicana women: biographies,and photographs, bibliographies in English andSpanish. Can help locate specialized materials, dataor publications. Very modest fee for services.1100 East 8th Street, Austin, TX 78702.(512) 477-1604.

JAPANESE AMERICANCURRICULUM PROJECT$3 catalog lists educational materials of all sorts byand about Japanese Americans, categorized by agegroup of user. 234 Main Street, San Mateo, CA94401. Phone: (415) 343-9408.FAX: (415)343-5711.

LESBIAN HERSTORY EDUCATIONALFOUNDATIONMaintains extensive archives on lesbian history; hasguest speakers list, slide shows for schools andcommunity groups, and traveling exhibit; publishes ocomprehensive newsletter. PO Box 1258,New York, NY 10116. (718) 768-3953.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES FORBLACK WOMEN IN HISTORYComprehensive collection of materials about Blackwomen throughout U.S. history, traveling exhibits,brochures, videotapes, booklets, poster series. 1318Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005.(202) 806-7239.

NATIONAL COWGIRL HALL OF FAMEInformation and extensive photograph collection.515 Avenue B, PO Box 1742, Hereford, TX 79045.(806) 364-5252.

42

NATIONAL WOMEN'S HALL OF FAMEFree catalog describes their posters, books, calendars,traveling exhibit and other information availableabout women in U.S. history, especially focused onthe women honored in the Hall of Fame. 76 Fall St.,Seneca Falls, NY 13148.(315) 568-2936.

NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY PROJECTOriginators and primary promoters of NationalWomen's History Month. Extensive library andphoto files on women in U. S. history, informationon print, media, and research sources. Semi-annualcatalog of multicultural books, posters, curriculumand celebration materials ($1). 7738 Bell Road,Windsor, CA 95492. (707) 838-6000.

UPPER MIDWEST WOMEN'S HISTORYCENTERExtensive library of materials on women in worldcultures, both historical and contemporary. Theyproduce curriculum and conduct teacher trainingworkshops. Free catalog of curriculum materials,film strips and computer software for secondaryand post secondary use. s/o Susan Gross, HamlineUniversity, 1536 Hewitt, St. Paul, MN 55104(612) 644-1727.

WOMEN'S BUREAUU. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABORThe Women's Bureau has been keeping statistics andproducing informational pamphlets on women in theworkforce since about 1920. An excellent source ofinformation on the current status of working women.Room S3305, U.S. Dept of Labor, 200 ConsititutionAve. NW, Washington, DC 20210 (202) 219-6593.

WOMEN'S HISTORY NETWORKA participant organization of over 650 individualsand groups interested in sharing women's historyinformation and experiences planning women'shistory programs and celebrations. Quarterlynewsletter, semi-annual annotated participantdirectory. Women's History Network e/o NWHP,7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492.(707) 838-6000.

WOMEN'S SPORTS FOUNDATIONA multitude of resources about women and girls insports, including the Women's Sports Hall of Fame,films, videotapes, statistical reports, and posters.Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, NY 11554. (800)227-3988, or from NY call (516) 542-4700.

43

Page 44: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

INFORMATION SOURCES

Print Resources

WOMEN IN PARTICULAR:AN INDEX TO AMERICAN WOMENKali Herman, Oryx Press, 1984Five indexes combined into one volume. Approx.1,400 American women cross-referenced by thefollowing indexes: Field and Career Index; ReligiousAffiliation Index; Ethnic and Racial Index,Geographical Index; and Alphabetical Index. Eachentry gives brief vital information, and references towhere further information can be found.

WOMEN REMEMBERED: A GUIDE TOLANDMARKS OF WOMEN'S HISTORY INTHE UNITED STATESMarion Tin ling, Greenwood Press, 1986Organized by region, state, and individual town orcity, this is a treasure trove of historic homes andother sites paying tribute to notable women fromhistory. Indexed by individual women's names.796 pages, cloth.

WOMEN'S COLLECTIONS: LIBRARIES,ARCHIVES, AND CONSCIOUSNESSSuzanne Hildenbrand, ed.Haworth Press, 1986Includes extensive information on a wide variety ofwomen's history archives and collections nation-wide. 194 pages, cloth.

WOMEN'S HISTORY RESOURCESNational Women's History ProjectExtensive lists of women's history resources,updated biennially, including the eight lists in thispublication, films /videos, museums and archives,and resource lists for African- American, AmericanIndian, Hispanic and Asian-American women.

WOMEN'S HISTORY SOURCESAndrea Hinding, ed.R.R. Bowker Company, 1979A survey report of archives and manuscript reposito-ries for sources pertaining to women's history in theUnited States, from the colonial period to 1976.Contains descriptions of 18,026 archival collectionsand 1,586 manuscript collections, arrangedgeographically by state and city, indexed by women'snames. For the in-depth researcher,2 volumes, 1505 pages, cloth.

This list was compiled by the National Women'sHistory Project, 7738 Bell Road, Windsor,CA 95492. (707) 838-6000.

4344

Page 45: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

Women's History Traveling ExhibitsOn this list of traveling exhibits you may find exhibitsyou would like to schedule for showing in yourcommunity. The list may also insp.re an idea for anexhibit of your own. In either event, contact theperson or office indicated for further information.

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION TRAVELINGEXHIBITION SERVICE (SITES) is a majoroutreach program of that museum. Admission cannotbe charged for viewing a SITES exhibit; they cannotbe used for fundraising events. Contact CarolynneHarris, SITES, 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW, Room 3146,Washington, DC 20560. (202)357-3171.

Strength and Diversity: Japanese-AmericanWomen, 1885-1990

Through photographs, oral histories, literaryworks, art forms, and artifacts, four generationsof women tell about their own lives within twovery different cultures. 71 photo and text panels,75 objects. Requires 2,500 square feet.$7,000 rental.

THE BETHUNE MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES,founded by the National Council of Negro Women,has four exhibits available. Arrangements are madethrough The Museum Curator, 1318 VermontAvenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005.(202) 332-1233.

Mary McLeod Bethune, 1875-1955Small panel exhibit consisting of thee 31/2' x 7'pine and formica panels with support systems.Includes photographs, text and facsimiles ofdocuments. $450 rental.

Twenty 19th Century Black WomenDocuments the lives of twenty women active inthe late 19th and early 20th centuries. Includessuch persons as Anna Julia Cooper, Mary ShaddCary, Madame Sissieretta Jones and others. Pendrawings, photos, rare documents and books,facsimiles, and text. Catalog available for $10.$825 rental.

Black Women in America:Contributors to Our Heritage

Photographic exhibit documenting the lives oftwenty women active from the colonial period tothe present. Lightweight, folding metal supportsystem and twenty mural-sized photographicimages. $1,000 rental.

44

Black Women:Organizing for Social Change

Documents the role of Black women in thedevelopment of extensive social service programsand as powerful advocates for social change.Mural-sized photographs and historical data.$400 rental.

MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETYTwo exhibits available. No rental fee; shippingcharges only. Contact Brenda Brown, Manager ofTraveling Exhibits Program, Minnesota HistoricalSociety, 345 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, MN55102-1906. (612) 297-4497.

Her Works Praise Her: Inventions by WomenAn enormously popular panel exhibit on womeninventors, created by the Minnesota HistoricalSociety and Goldstein Gallery of the Univ. ofMinnesota. Photos from the Smithsonian andNASA, from industries and often from theinventors themselves.

Failure is Impossible: Women Win the VoteTraces American women's struggle for the right tovote, through photographs, graphics and docu-ments, together with full-scale reproductions ofearly suffrage banners. 10-panel exhibit,12 banners.

INDIVIDUAL EXHIBIT SOURCESWomen of Sweetgrass, Cedar and SageThe first exhibit devoted entirely to the contem-porary art of Native American women no longertours, but slides documenting the show are available.Contact Carla A. Roberts, ATLATL, 2303 N. CentralAve., Ste. 104, Phoenix, AZ 85004. (602) 253-2731.

Generations of WomenWomen of various historical periods, ages, socialclasses, ethnic and national groups are captured inportraits and candid shots. Enlargements from the1860s through the late 1970s, arranged in fivethematic groups. Twenty-four 20"x 30" styrofoam-backed photographs; narratives included. Can bearranged to fit almost any space; easy to hang; rentalarrangements are flexible, fees vary. Contact Dr.Doris Friedensohn at (201) 200-3170, or BarbaraRubin at (201) 200-3551. Jersey City State College,Jersey City, NJ 07305.

45

Page 46: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY TRAVELING EXHIBITS

Count These Women In: U.S. ImmigrationHistory Through Family PhotographsThe spotlight is on immigrant women, their situationand status on native soil, motives for immigrating tothe United States, their passage stories, their familyand worklives in the new land. Contact Dr. DorisFriedensohn at (201) 200-3170, or Barbara Rubin at(201) 200-3551. Jersey City State College, JerseyCity, NJ 07305.

Women of CourageFeatures Judith Sedwick's marvelous 16" x 20" colorportraits of 55 of the participants in the BlackWomen Oral History Project of the SchlesingerLibrary. The exhibit reqoires no rental fee. Borrow-ers must plan suitable programming of interest to theBlack community and public school children, providesuitable security, and pay one-way shipping chargesfrom previous site. Wall space required: 100 runningfeet, plus floor space for a free-standing kiosk.Contact Ruth Hill, The Schlesinger Library, 3 JamesStreet, Cambridge, MA 02138. (617)495-8618.

Votes for AllThe history of woman suffrage in the United States isthe subject of this exhibit. Contact NationalWomen's Hall of Fame, 76 Fall Street, Seneca Falls,NY 13148. (315) 568-8060.

Texas Women: A Celebration of HistoryShow includes five areas of interest; occupies 1,300square feet. A smaller version of the show is alsoavailable. Established by the Texas Foundation forWomen's Resources. Contact Annette Long,Institute of Texan Cultures, PO Box 1226, SanAntonio, TX 78294. (800) 776-7651.

California Woman Suffrage 1870-1911Museums may borrow the eight 40"x 60" panels ofthe exhibit, with photographs, drawings and textexplaining salient concepts of the state's struggle forvoting rights for women. Fee for rental plus shipping.Much of the text is in the words of the people of thetime. Contact Jeanne McDonnell, Women's HeritageMuseum Project, 870 Market Street. #547, SanFrancisco. CA 94102. (415) 433-3026.

The Feminization of Power58 photos and brief biographies of outstandingwomen leaders, both historical and contemporary,laminated for continuous display. All you need to dois mount them on Crescent board (16' x 20" recom-mended). All 116 pieces for $98, plus $2 s/h.Contact Susie Gilligan, Fund for the FeministMajority, 8105 W. Third Street, Suite 1, Los Angeles,CA 90048. (213)651-0495.

Movers and Shakers: Visions and Revisions ofNevada WomenThree-part exhibit by the Nevada HumanitiesCommittee at the University of Reno. Highlights thehistory and importance of women in Nevada.Available to nonprofit groups in Nevada; contactCarol Lefcourte, (702) 784-6587.

Ten Afro-American QuiltersFeatures the vibrant quilts created by Black womenfrom Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. Includesphotographs of African textiles, portrait and biogra-phy of each quilter, and educational packages.$1,500 for 6 weeks, plus outgoing shipping expenses.Contact Dr. Maude Wahlman, Art Department, Univ.of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816. (407)823-5925. (Forty related slides also available, from JohnRosenthal, Rosenthal Art Slides, 5256 S. RidgewoodCt., Chicago, IL 60615. (312) 324-3367.)

Black Women of Connecticut:Achievements Against the OddsIn 15 display panels, the significant contributions of81 Connecticut Black women in 14 fields over aperiod of more than two centuries are honored. Each2' x 3' panel contains a brief essay about the role ofBlack women in that field, biographical sketches andphotographs of the women, and original art work.$15/month rental. Available within CT only;borrower must provide own transportation. ContactOutreach Coordinator, Connecticut HistoricalSociety, One Elizabeth Street, Hartford, CT 06105,(203) 236-5621. (Exhibit is also available throughLaurie MacCallum, Connecticut Humanities Council,41 Lawn Avenue, Middletown, CT 06457,(203) 347-6888. Free rental; borrower must payshipping charges or provide own transportation.)

Behold, Our Works Were GoodWomen in Arkansas history, from pre-contact timesto the present, are presented through artifacts andphotographs in this exhibit. The twelve free-standingpanels have material on both sides and require 15running feet. Free rental. Within AR, return shippingis charged; outside AR, round-trip shipping ischarged. Contact Arkansas Humanities ResourceCenter, 10816 Executive Center Dr., Ste. 310, LittleRock, AR 72211. (501) 221-0093.

Iowa Women in the WorkplaceThirty-four photographs tell the little-known story ofwomen wage-earners at the turn of the century.These were taken in Dubuque factories, shops andoffices in 1912. Mounted on 25 plexiglass-framedpanels, ready for hanging. No fees other than round-trip shipping of the three 90-pound wood crates.Contact Michael Gibson, Center for DubuqueHistory, Wahlert Library, Loras College, 1450 AltaVista Ave., P.O. Box 178, Dubuque, IA 52001.(319) 588-7163.

45

46

Page 47: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY TRAVELING EXHIBITS

Emma Goldman ExhibitReproductions of rare historic photographs, personalletters, government documents and other memora-bilia of her life, accompanied by a narrative tracingher thoughts and activities in the early 20th century.Contact Sally Thomas, Emma Goldman PapersProject, Univ. of Calif., 2372 Ellsworth St., Berkeley,CA 94720. (510) 643-8518.

Movers and Shakers: Visions and Revisions ofNevada WomenThree-part exhibit highlighting the history andimportance of women in Nevada. Contact ElaineEnarson, Women's Studies Program, Univ. ofNevada, Reno, NV 89557 (702)784-1560.

Women at Work: Connecticut, 1900.1980Through quotations, historical photographs andinterpretive text, the exhibit examines women'sworkforce participation during this century. Accom-panied by a continuous slide-show component. Six-panel exhibit is freestanding and requires 28' x 10'square space; available within CT only. $60 ship-ping. Contact Laurie Mac Callum, ConnecticutHumanities Council, (203)347-6888.

Women and the American RailroadPreviously at the California State Railroad Museumin Sacramento. Collected and assembled by ShirleyBurman; contact her at 2648 Fifth Ave., Sacramento,CA 95818. (916) 457-1908.

La Mujer: Rose of Varied HuesSix 24" x 36" photographs, with captions, aboutMexican-American women in the San Joaquin Valleyof California, from the 1800s to the present. Womenare shown in different work, community, family andpolitical situations. Insurance for $1,500 required;$300 rental fee is negotiable. Contact: Dr. LeaYbarra, Chicano-Latino Studies, California StateUniversity, Fresno, CA 93740. (209) 278-5303

This list was compiled by the National Women'sHistory Porject, 7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA95492. 707-838-6000.

46

Page 48: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

National OrganizationsThese national organizations havestate and, often, local chapters orbranches. Contact them for areferral to their group(s) nearestyou. Their members may beinterested in helping with women'shistory activity planning orprogram co-sponsorship. Theymight also be able to providespeakers for your workplace,community, or school program.

American Association of RetiredPersons (AARP)601 E Street NWWashington, DC 20049(202) 434-2277

American Association for Stateand Local History530 Church St., Ste. 600Nashville, TN 37219(615) 255-2971

American Association ofUniversity Women (AAUW)1111 16th Street NWWashington, DC 20036(202) 785-7700

Asian Women Unitedc % Elaine Kim, Asian-AmericanStudies,3407 Dwinelle Hall, Univ.of CA,Berkeley, CA 94720(510) 642-9132

Association for Women inScience1522 K Street NWWashington, DC 20005(800) 886-2947 or (202) 408-0742

Business and ProfessionalWomen (BPW)2012 Massachusetts Ave., NWWashington, DC 20036(202) 293-1100

Church Women United475 Riverside Drive, Suite 812New York, NY 10115(212) 870-2347

Coalition of Labor Union Women15 Union SquareWestNew York, NY 10003(212) 242-0700

National Society of Daughters ofthe American Revolution(NSDAR)1776 D Street NWWashington, DC 20006(202) 628-1776

Federally Employed Women1400 I St. NW, Suite 425Washington, DC 20005(202) 898-0994

Financial Women International7910 Woodmont Ave.Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 657-8288

General Federation of Women'sClubs (GFWC)1734 N Street NWWashington, DC 20036(202) 347-3168

Gray Panthers1424 16th Street NW, Ste. 602Washington, DC 20036(202) 387-3111

Hadassah50 W. 58th StreetNew York, NY 10019(212) 355-7900

League of Women Voters1730 M Street NW, 10th FloorWashington, DC 20036(202) 429-1965

Links, Inc.1200 Massachusetts Ave NWWashington, DC 20005(202) 842-8686

National Association for FemaleExecutives127 West 24th StreetNew York, NY 10011(212) 645-0770

National Association of NegroBusiness and ProfessionalWomen's Clubs, Inc.1806 New Hampshire AvenueNWWashington, DC 20009(202) 483-4206

National Conference of PuertoRican WomenFive Thomas CircleWashington, DC 20005(202)387-4716

47 48

National Council ofCatholic Women1275 K Street NW, Ste. 975Washington, DC 20005(202)682-0334

National Council of JewishWomen1101 15th Street NW, Ste. 1012Washington, DC 20005(202)296-2588

National Council of NegroWomen1667 K Street NW. Ste. 700Washington, DC 20006(20-)659-0006

National Federation of Businessand Professional Women's Clubs(BPW)2012 Massachusetts Ave NWWashington, DC 20036(202)293-1100

National Organization forWomen (NOW)1000 16th Street NW, Ste. 700Washington, DC 20036(202)331-0066

National Women's PoliticalCaucus (NWPC)1275 K Street NW, Suite 750Washington, DC 20005(202)898-1100

Older Women's League (OWL)666 11th Street NW, Ste. 700Washington, DC 20001(202)783-6686

Soroptimist International1616 Walnut StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19103(215)732-0512

Young Women's ChristianAssociation (YWCA)726 BroadwayNew York, NY 10003(212)614-2700

Zonta International557 West RandolphChicago, IL 60661(312)930-5848

Page 49: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

Regional Desegregation Assistance CentersThe following DACs serve the states listed in each service area. Contact them for help in planning your National.Women's History Month programs. They might be able to supply teacher training materials, films, books, posters,speakers, or other resources. (Update: 9/93)

Region #1 ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RIDianne Curran, Asst. DirectorNew England DAC144 Wayland Ave.Providence, RI 02906(401) 351-7577

Region #2 NY, NJ, PR, VIDr. LaMar Miller, DirectorEquity Assistance CenterNew York University32 Washington Place, 7th FloorNew York, NY 10003(212) 998-5100

Region #3 PA, DE, MD, VA, WV, DCSusan Shaffer, Gender SpecialistMary Newsom, Race SpecialistMid-Atlantic Center5454 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1500Chevy Chase, MD 20815(301) 657-7741

Region #4 NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, KY, TNTeri Medina, Gender SpecialistQuentin North, Race SpecialistSouth eastern DAC8603 S. Dixie Hwy, Suite 304Miami, FL 33143305-669-0114

Region #5 OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MNEleanor Linn, Gender EquityNorma Barquet, Nat'l Origin EquityBob Croninger, Race EquityProgram for Educational OpportunityUniversity of Michigan1005 School of EducationAnn Arbor, MI 48109-1259(313) 763-9910

Region #6 TX, LA, OK, AR, NMDr. Alicia Salinas SosaMichaela Velasquez, Gender SpecialistBradley Scott, Race/Deseg. SpecialistIntercultural Development Research Assoc.5835 Callaghan St., #350San Antonio, TX 78228(210) 684-8180

48

Region #7 IA, NE, KS., MODr. Camille Barneit. 'ender SpecialistJuanita McGowan, Race SpecialistMidwest DACBluemont Hall 401Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS 66506(913) 532-6408

Region #8 ND, SD, MT, CO, WY, UTKathleen Rigsby, Gender EquityMarilyn Chipman, Race EquityHenry Ramirez, Nat'l Orig. EquityMNPS DACCampus Box 73Metropoitan State College of DenverP.O. Box 173362Denver, CO 80217-3362(303) 556-8494

Region #9 CA, NV, AZNada Tushnet, Gender SpecialistCarmen De Neve, Multicultural Spec.Huynh Dinh Te, SE Asian SpecialistSW Center for Educational EquitySouthwest Regional Laboratory4665 Larnpson Ave.Los Alamitos, CA 90720(310) 598-7661

Region #10 HI, OR, WA, ID, AK,Guam, AS, CM, Trust TernCenter for National Origin and Sex EquityNancy Huppertz, Gender Equity SpecialistJoyce Harris, Race Equity Specialist101 SW Main., Ste. 500Portland, OR 97204(503) 275-9507

4J

Page 50: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

State Departments of EducationThe Sex Equity Specialist at your State Department of Education might be able to help you with your plans forNational Women's History Month by supplying films, books, speakers, or other resources. (updated 8/93)

ALABAMA INDIANA NEBRASKA RHODE ISLANDMae Willa Mason Cynthia Danyluk Peggy Weeks Frank Walker(205) 242-9115 (317) 232-0550 (402) 471-2476 (401) 277-6890

ALASKA IOWA NEVADA SOUTH CAROLINAAnne Kessler Molly Wheeler Ms. Robby Bacon Susan Davis(907) 465-8716 (515) 281-3848 (702) 687-3187 (803) 253-4032

ARIZONA KANSAS NEW HAMPSHIRE SOUTH DAKOTAJenny Erwin Mary Martin Christy Hammer Pat Stewart(602) 542-5357 (913) 296-2424 (603) 271-3196 (605) 773-4257

ARKANSAS KENTUCKY NEW JERSEY TENNESSEECall for Contact Mary Marshall Gilda Worro Pearl Marritt(501) 682-4213 (502) 564-6916 (609) 984-1436 (615) 532-2800

CALIFORNIA LOUISIANA NEW MEXICO TEXASZelma Solomon Jannifer Guillory Sharon Fox Judith Hetherly(916) 657-2678 (504)342-6326 (505) 827-6511 (512) 463-9454

COLORADO MAINE NEW YORK UTAHJeanette Ray-Goins Edward Maroon Michael Moon Mary Peterson(303) 866-6680 (207) 287-5854 (518) 473-7281 (801) 538-7647

CONNECTICUT MARYLAND NORTH CAROLINA VERMONTCarol Gilchrist Linda Shevitz Shirley Bullock Louvenia Bright(203) 566-7325 (301) 333-2239 (919) 715-1669 (802) 658-6342

DELAWARE MASSACHUSETTS NORTH DAKOTA VIRGINIABarbara Philbin Pain Kaufmann Janet Placek Elizabeth Hawa(302) 739-2770 (617) 388-3300 x425 (701) 224-2678 (804) 225-2711

FLORIDA MICHIGAN OHIO WASHINGTONJohn Occhiuzzo Jo Jacobs Jeanne Daniel Darcy Lees(904) 488-6217 (517) 373-3497 (614) 644-6242 (206) 753-2560

GEORGIA MINNESOTA OKLAHOMA WEST VIRGINIARuby Sherrill Sue Sattell Shirley Martinson Dee Butler(404) 657-8325 (612) 297-2792 (405) 521-2841 (304) 558-7864

HAWAII MISSISSIPPI OREGON WISCONSINDr. Linda Wheeler Ginger Sims Marilyn Lane Melissa Keyes(808) 586-3329 (601) 359-6590 (503) 378-2997 (608) 267-9157

IDAHO MISSOURI PENNSYLVANIA WYOMINGBarbara Eisenbarth Joyce Akeman Kathleen Kennedy Lois Mottonen(208) 334-2186 (314) 751-8408 (717) 787-3048 (307) 777-6276

ILLINOIS MONTANAPatricia Poole Pat Callbeck-Harper(312) 814-3226 (406) 444-1952

5049

Page 51: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

Women's History PerformersThe performers on this list (major update 9193) areavailable to do women's history programs of varioussorts, in various parts of the country. Unlessmembers of our Project staff have actually been atone of their performances, we cannot make anyspecific comments about them individually.

We would suggest that you talk with the performersyou contact about the following subjects prior tocontracting for their program:

Performance requirements: stage, sound andlighting needs; children/no children; alcohol-freerefreshment stand?

Publicity requirements: information and photoavailable?

Fees: for a single performance; for block booking(multiple performances, same or consecutive days);travel/per diem?

Personal requirements: housing; groundtransportation?

Program content: If your audience would besensitive about specific topics, ask direct questionsabout program content.

CALIFORNIAJean Marie AckermannPO Box 424, Pacific Grove, CA 93950408-649-8215Ackermann reads from her plays exploring poorlyunderstood world-class women, talking about theiruniqueness and spirit. Try Lydia E. Pinkham,Pocahontas, or Jessie Benton Fremont, or "TomBenton's Daughter."

Dr. Nancy S. Beagledba Leia MorningPO Box 3791, Arcadia, CA 91066818-355-0813 or 818-793-4211 (both message only)"Literary Ladies...Working Women" presents writersAphra Behn, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, EmilyDickinson, Virginia Woolf in separate plays. "ThisLand, My Story" presents Sacajawea. PioneerWoman, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, "Rosiethe Riveter," Christa McAuliffe.

Lenora Black12 Saint Jude Road, Mill Valley, CA 94941415-383-0974Mezzo Lenora Black performs classical songs bygreat women (1100-1910), offers biographicalcommentary and sings folk songs about women'sexperiences.

50

Wanda Bristow, Linda TringaliBristow Educational ProductionsPO Box 10601, Pleasanton, CA 94588510-846-7374Wanda and Linda portray women in history throughoriginal drama and song. Programs and assemblies,grades K-12, college and adult.

Barbara Carr4891 Geneva Avenue, Concord, CA 94521510-687-7726Harriet Tubman tells of growing up in slavery,marriage to John Tubman, work on the UndergroundRailroad and as a spy for the Union Army, and finallyfreedom for Black people. Adventure, suspense and(briefly) romance. Entertaining, educational.

Del Rey and The Blues GatorsBox 2224, San Rafael, CA 94912A musical trio presents "Women in AmericanMusic," featuring anecdotes and music by importantAmerican women musicians from blues to rock.

Helena HaleOne Woman Theatre803 Paseo Alicante, Santa Barbara, CA 93103805-569-0506"O'Keeffe" includes a slide show of the artist's work,original music; "Louise Nevelson: AnotherDimension," opens with an onstage transformation asactor Hale becomes sculptor Nevelson. Both adapt toclassroom presentations.

Katie KetchumPO Box 1024, Occidental, CA 95465"Impressions of Mary Cassatt A One WomanMusical." One of the 19th century's greatest artistsportrayed through songs, dramatization, costumes,slides, and paintings.

Betty E. Land824 Sycamore Dr., Palo Alto, CA 94303415-856-6282Susan B. Anthony, on her 70th birthday, recalls fieryepisodes in her lifetime campaign to get women thevote. Geographic areas: Within 75 miles of SanFrancisco.

Anne Mattingly426 Lighthouse Ave. #2, Pacific Grove, CA 93950408-372-2721One-woman performances on the lives of AgathaChristie, Dorothy Parker, Stevie Smith, LillianHellman, and the six wives of Henry VIII.

51

Page 52: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

BBB MunozHistorical Reflections252 Amherst Ave., Kensington, CA 94708510-525-0383Drama, slides, artifacts. Elizabeth I, Priscilla Alden,Betsy Ross, Dol ley Madison, Mary Lincoln, LottaCrabtree, Phoebe Hearst, Amelia Earhart, ClaraBarton, Elizabeth C. Stanton, Alaska Nellie. GradesK-8, group size variable.

Melissa O'Brien18711 Tiffeni Drive, Sonora, CA 95370H:916-586-0786 W:916-532-7428Sarah Bemhardt, Amelia Earhart, Isadora Duncanand Dian Fossey are among the 17 "biologues"running 10-15 minutes each. Also, "Suffragettes'Speeches" and "Women of the West."

Past Present: The History Peformance ProjectChrista Dahlstrom, mgr.Box 10901, Oakland, CA 94610-0901510-839-4787Corp of trained actors portray women (and men) fromdifferent historical eras for students. Commonwomen and men from a variety of classes, races andworldviews speak about their participation in theevents of their times. Geographic area: SF Bay Area.

Carol Lynn Pearson1384 Cornwall Court, Walnut Creek, CA 94596510-939-0757"Mother Wove the Morning": 16 women search forgod the mother. A paleolithic woman, an Egyptianpriestess, a biblical woman, a gnostic woman, amedieval witch, a Shaker deaconess and others.

Margaret Hayden Rector10700 Stradella Ct., Los Angeles, CA 90077310-476-1566An hour-long, 140-slide lecture with two costumes,on my book Alva, That Vanderbilt-Belmont Woman.No charge for the lecture, but I do request theprivilege of selling and autographing my bookafterward. Geographic area: California (and otherstates, if I can block book).

Miriam ReedPO Box 2781, Beverly Hills, CA 90213310-859-8385"Mrs. Stanton and Susan" Two 40-minutemonologues taken from the writings of ElizabethCady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to create twodifferent short programs or one 90-minute program.

51

Connie StetsonWild ProductionsBox 811, Yosemite, CA 95389209-379-2431"Sarah Hawkins Contemplates a Fourth Marriage"Though Sarah is a fictional character, her story istue: a crazy-quilt of real-life incidents from thediaries and other accounts of pioneer women whomanaged to cross the hazardous Overland Trails inthe mid-19th century.

People Speaking TheatreJudith O'RourkePO Box 41, San Anselmo, CA 94960Two productions: 1) "Eleanor Roosevelt: AnotherStory;" 2) Black leader and educator Mary McLeodBethune and labor organizer Mary Harris "Mother"Jones meet for the first time on stage in "WithConviction and a Voice." Study guide available.Adults and grades 4-12.

Linda Tringali423 Buel, Pacifica, CA 94044415-355-7617"The Margaret Sanger Story." The life of the birthcontrol pioneer is a timely topic; the performer bringsSanger "back to life" on stage.

Pat Wynne and Carma Muir BerglundPat Wynne, 577 Capp St., San Francisco, CA 94110415-648-3457 (Wynne) or 415-564-8816 (Berglund)"Working Women's Stories and Songs," a 70-minuteperformance (original and traditional songs/oralhistories) documenting and celebrating women'sexperiences at work and in unions. Geographic area:Western U.S., but will consider others.

American Living History TheaterPO Box 2677, Hollywood, CA 90078213-876-2202Dorene Ludwig performs "Past the Morning Star: ARetrospective of American Women;" "The Crossing:The Story of the Pioneers ;" "The Tamers: WomenWho Built the West ;" "Not Just One of the Boys:Women in a Man's World;" "Loveliness to Sell: TheLady Poets ;" "Double Duty: The Working Women ofAmerica ;" and "Isabella: More Than ColumbusAn Audience with the Queen."

ODC Dance/San Francisco3153 17th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110415-863-6606"Western Women." inspired by journals of womenwho made the trek westward in the 1850s. Fullystaged dance performance with orchestra.

52

Page 53: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

COLORADOEugenia RawlsDenver Center for Performing Arts1050 13th St., Denver, CO 80204303-893-4000Three one-woman shows written and acted byEugenia Rawls: "Tallulah, A Memory";"Affectionately Yours: Fanny Kemble;" "Women ofthe West."

Opalanga D. Pugh1324 Jersey Street, Denver, CO 80220303-871-6929, or 303-377-4128"She-Roes." In the Afro-American tradition, storiesfeaturing Aunt Clara Brown, Dr. Justina Ford, HarrietTubman, Sojourner Truth, and more...

CONNECTICUTBread & Roses83 Kenyon St., Hartford, CT 06105203-233-8765Four women who sing songs of human struggle:women's labor, civil rights, anti-imperialism, anti-nuclear and other life-affirming music. Geographicarea Connecticut and vicinity.

Connie Clark98 Broad Street, Groton, CT 06340203-449-1877Emily Dickinson's givens and life choices, loves,publications, joys and sorrows; and Sarah Bernhardt,the innovative, courageous, immensely gifted womanbehind the outrageous public image. Seminars onboth, also.

Muriel Nussbaum11 Esquire Rd., Norwalk, CT 06851203-847-3939"Happy Birthday, Miss Szold." Henrietta Szold,founder of Hadassah and World War II humanitarian,talks with guests in her home on the occassion of her80th birthday. "Byline - Nellie Bly," the intrepidjournalist and manufacturer often called the "bestreporter in America."

Emma PalzereBe Well ProductionsPO Box 310079, Newington, CT 06131-0079212-875-7079, or 203-666-6681"Live from the Milky Way... It's Gil& Radner!" afunny, sensitive look at her work and struggle withcancer, with some of her famous characters; and "TheBelle of Amherst," a heartwarming, funny, movingstory of Emily Dickinson.

52

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAPaula McKenzie, dba Equality ProductionsBox 7135, Washington, DC 20044703-765-1886 or 202-234-4558Dramatic portrayal of "Elizabeth Cady StantonSpeaks Out" brings the "mother of the Women'sMovement" to life through her stories and speeches.

Chris Prouty1514 34th St. NW, Washington, DC 20007202-338-5788Word sketches with slide portrait of: Pocahontas,Margaret Sanger, Mary Cassatt, Lucretia Mott,Louisa May Alcott, combined to make either half-hour or one-hour programs; 30 minutes on EmpressTaytu of Ethiopia: 1895-1910. Geographic area:Atlantic seaboard and occasionally California.

Angela Welch dba Horizons1041 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20007Two plays, "Still Life" and "Absent Minded Sweet-hearts," examine the attitudes of women toward war.

Kimberly Barnes4353 Dubois Place SE, Washington, DC 20019202-582-0002Through humor, music, and dramatic portrayals,"Mind Over Matter (M.O.M.)" takes its audience ona tour of the vast intellectual successes of African-American women in science.

FLORIDAEdna M. BrownP.O. Box 633, Murdock, FL 33938-0633813-624-3527Edna Brown presents "Sojourner Truth," a dynamicone-woman performance telling the story ofSojourner Truth, a woman born a slave who workedfor changes in the status of slaver; and women.

ILLINOISLegaciesMaggie Fredricks, Booking Agent777 Prairie, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137708-469-624835-minute portrayals of individual women: AnnaHoward Shaw, Margaret Sanger, Ernestine Rose,Jeannette Rankin, Susan B. Anthony, Mary Cassatt,Lillian Hellman, Peace Pilgrim, Sojourner Truth,Susannah Wesley, and Jane Addams.

Kristin Lems, dba Carolsdatter Productions221-C Dodge Ave, Evanston, IL 60202708-864-0737

53

Page 54: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

Wide-ranging, energetic musical program usingsatire, sentiment and scholarship to rediscover lostwomen and celebrate women's rights. Adaptable toschoolchildren or adults. Inspiring singer-songwriterwith five albums. Geographic area: Midwest,Chicago preferred.

Amy Nyman817 Blenheim Drive, Rockford, IL 61108815-226-8133Dramatic, rust-person portrayals of Jane Addams,Amelia Earhart, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, AbigailAdams, Emily Dickinson, Hildegard of Bingen, KatyLuther, Juliette Gordon Low, Lady Julian, SusannahWesley, and Biblical women.

A. Riehle Original7608 West Monee-Manhatten Rd., Monee, IL 60449708-534-8661 & 708-534-3421Mythical seamstress talks of her experiences withMercy Otis Warren, Martha Washington, AbigailAdams, and Martha Jefferson Randolph, as herhistorical fashions unfold, featuring replicas of gownsfrom 1760-1815. More shows of other decades pastare also available.

INDIANADenee Corbin4175 LAEB, School of Education, Purdue University,W. Lafayette, IN 47907H:317 07-7165 W:317-494-2372Various personae. Drama provides an opportunity topresent issues in society from a variety ofperspectives. Presentations include emotion, detailsand personal conflicts which women have faced inhistory.

Nancy BrooksWoman Shine Productions1600 N. Willis, #200, Bloomington, IN 47401H:812-339-9498 W:812-334-8268"Eleanor," a portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt, drawnfrom her own writings and those of her friends andbiographers.

Buckeye 'n' Molly1510" Count Fleet Court, Cannel, IN 46032317-845-2170Buckeye 'n' Molly "Bringing the Past to Life."Costumed first-person interpreters of early 1830spioneer life. This backwoods mother and daughterbring history alive with their fun-loving charactersand demonstrations with authentic artifacts andnature items, together with stories, songs and gamesof the early 1800s.

MAINEWomen's Voices do Robin MelloBox 254, Buckfield, ME 04220207-336-2639One-woman theatre combines personal familyportraits with historical figures in women's history.Song, mime, comedy, and storytelling.

MARYLANDCathy Fink & Marcy MarxerAgent: Barbara Simon122 E. 57th Street, New York NY 10022212-980-5920Concerts and workshops representing women incountry music and songs of working women, for kidsand adults. Cathy-banjo, guitar, vocals. Marcy-electric and acoustic guitar, mandolin, hammereddulcimer, vocals.

Marilyn WarsofskyMW Studio2803 Cheswolde Rd., Baltimore, MD 21209410-764-9421"Daughters of Jerusalem," a one-woman show,develops the Jewish woman as a "multifaceteddiamond." Characters range from contemporarywomen to an Israeli pioneer in her 70s.

MASSACHUSETTSIngrid Askew100 Rolling Green, Amherst, MA 01002413-256-1402"Miss Ida B. Wells," a one-act play depicting the lifeof the writer, publisher, and civil rights activist wholed a campaign against lynching in the late 1800s.

Kitty McKay35 Swanson Ct. #26-D, Boxboro, MA 01719508-263-6394Abigail Adams eloquently speaks from thePresident's House in November 1800, in herdetermined yet gentle way, of her life with John.

Robin Lane Productions105 Charles Street, Suite 112, Boston, MA 02114617-337-8132"Ladies First," a one-woman portrayal of First LadiesRachel Jackson, Julia Tyler, Mary Lincoln, EleanorRoosevelt, and Jacqueline Kennedy. "Queen of BackBay," a dramatization of the life of art patron IsabellaStewart Gardner.

53 54

Page 55: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

Jessa PtaiaPO Box 845, Cambridge, MA 02139617-868-3661"Some of My Sisters" features four Massachusettswomen from 1600-1900. Vignettes juxtapose publicevents and personal motivations of Amelia Earhart,Susan Anthony, Mary Dyer, Susanna Rewson, ClaraBarton, and Isabella Stewart Gardner. Geographicarea: New England, or further.

Charleston Working Theater442 Bunker Hill St., Charleston, MA 02129"Talking With," play by Jane Martin. Monologuesby eleven contemporary women, each passionatelyinvolved with one thing which brings her to life.Geographic area New England.

Frances West29 Robbins Island, Essex, MA 01929508-768-7693"The Inner House," a performance drawn from theautobiography, journals, letter, fiction and otherwritings of Edith Wharton. Geographic area: NewEngland/New York; other areas negotiable.

Judith Black33 Prospect Street, Marblehead, MA 01945W: 617-631-4417With humor, humility and a strong dose of chutzpah,unsung heroines have often steered the ships of men.Share an evening that will bring alive our history andthe women who molded it. One example: MaryHanis "Mother" Jones (1830-1930).

MICHIGANCandace Anderson1616 Jefferson, Kalamazoo, MI 49007H: 616-344-2169 W:616-343-2280"Sampler of Pioneer Women" features 14 balladswritten from speeches, diaries and stories collectedfrom the oral tradition. Album and 4-part radio seriesfor NPR also available on cassette with lyric bookletsand curriculum guide.

Karen Rae Mehaffey14500 Prospect #210, Dearborn, MI 48126313-883-8650Costumed lectures on Victorian American women,1840-1880, with a focus on the 1860s, Civil War era.Geographic area: Central or SE Michigan, NorthernOhio.

Dr. Gladys Holdeman McKenney135 Northwood, Rochester, MI 48307313-651-8328 (W) 313-651-8328

54

"Fabulous Foremothers A Celebration." Throughrole-playing, anecdotes, and authentically sculptedand dressed Fabulous Foremother Figures, Gladysportrays 12 U.S. suffrage leaders. Informative,entertaining for K-adult.Dr. Sally Roesch WagnerRepresented by Barbara DeanP.O. Box 851, Grand Haven, MI 49417616-846-5551Through audience-interactive performances ofElizabeth Cady Stanton and Matilda Joslyn Gage, shebrings the issues of the early women's rightsmovement alive: racism, a woman's right to controlher own body, Supreme Court injustice. Dr. Wagnerappears in single performances as well as residencies.

MINNESOTAJane Curry5048 37th Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55417612-729-6457"Samantha Rastles the Woman Question:" a farmwife and rustic philosopher tackles women's issues ofthe 19th century by using common sense humor."Just Say Know:" a satire about formal education forgirls and women. "Nice Girls Don't Sweat:" womenand sports, with a sense of history and humor.

Becker Co. Historical Society, Harriet Davis,DirectorBox 622, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501218-847-2938"The Ladies" features women in Becker Countyhistory who have contributed to the growth of thearea. Different time period covered each year.Geographic area Northern Minnesota.

Susan Whitby Thimsen1857 N. Fairview, St. Paul, MN 55113612-645-8325We bring to life the stories of Anne Hutchinson,Margaret Brent, Abigail Adams, Harriet Tubman andothers through a dozen women from your groupdressed in lavish costumes of the past. We tell thestories.

Herstory Unlimited1431 St. Clair, St. Paul, MN 55105612-699-8257"Votes for Women," a solo performance ofmulticultural women's suffrage history, has delightedaudiences for five years; half-hour program. "AWoman of Purpose: Julia Bullard Nelson ofRedwing, Minnesota" presents the Freedman Schoolsteacher, suffragist, temperance activist, and editor(1842-1914). 45 min., with discussion afterwards.

Page 56: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

NEW JERSEYIVIichele LaRue281 Lincoln Ave., Secaucus, NJ 07094201-863-6436"The Yellow Wallpaper," Charlotte Perkins Gilman's1892 miniature high tragedy of a Victorian ladywhose hidden fears slowly come to life. Geographicarea: Eastern U.S.A.

Roberta Nobleman, Patricia Ferry, Manager110 Beacon St., Dumont, NJ 07628201-384-6181 (W) 201-387-0723Solo Theater: "Julian of Norwich," 14th c. mysticand spiritual guide; "All that I Am," celebratingunfamous, unsung women in history; "Blessed Mary,Mother of Jesus;" "St. Luke's Gospel;" and "Teresaof Avila."

NEW MEXICODeborah Blanche dba Palomita ProductionsPO Box 7443, Albuquerque, NM 87194505-243-1673Several distinctly different performances: "BriefCandles" (western women, 1917-1941); "Women ofthe West" (1850-1905); solo characters JeannetteRankin, Abigail Scott Duniway, Emma Tenayuca,and others. Also storytelling.

Joanne McEntire6771 Guadalupe Trail NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107505-345-6109In a 35-minute presentation, Amelia Earhart is seenreliving incidents and anticipating the future whileworking on a manuscript for her autobiography.

NEW YORKSara Jane Berman10 Donald St., East Williston, NY 11596516-294-0920"Brave Hearts" is a library/school program forchildren(K-6), which focuses on courageous girls and womenin American history. Geographic area: East Coast.

Joanne Hamlin34 West 88th Street Apt. #1, New York, NY 10024212-799-5167"Choices," a dramatic documentary spanning threecenturies, brings fourteen American women tovibrant life through their own words: AnneHutchinson, Deborah Sampson, Abigail Adams,Clara Barton, "Mother" Jones, Susan Anthony,Louisa May Alcott. Also, "I Am an Artist, Mr.Price," the life of prolific painter Lilly MartinSpencer (1822-1902).

Lizzie Olesker431 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11231718-237-2538"Housework," a solo theatrical piece with sound andslides, explores housework through the femalecharacters of a fictitious family.

Vinie Burrows63 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009-6535H:212-6774667 W:212-757-6300"Sister! Sister!" A collage of poetry, prose, and songsaluting the struggles and triumphs of women aroundthe world.

Emma Palzere7 W. 81st St. #6A, New York, NY 10024212-875-7079"The Belle of Amherst" is a funny, heartwarming,educational and enlightening play based on the life ofEmily Dickinson, available in two lengths.

Deborah Clapp240 East 13th St. #16, New York, NY 10003212-254-6836"Statue of Liberty" serenely recalls a few who choseto manifest their dreams, suddenly sees howconditions have deteriorated, and quits. In a coffeeshop she discovers her destiny is still intact. In "TheCalling," the artist tells her version of theAnnunciation of the Virgin Mary, pointing to thesignificant reality of a woman's psychologicalautonomy.

Maureen Hurley16 East 71st Street, New York, NY 10021212-744-7524 (W) 212-489-1300"Despite the Odds." Women who "made it" to claima spot in history despite the odds of living in theVictorian and Edwardian eras.

Laurie James95 Buttonwood Dr., Dix Hills, NY 11746516-499-1637"Men, Women, and Margaret Fuller," a solo portraitof Margaret Fuller. "Roots of Rebellion," adocudrama solo portrait of the first speeches made byearly feminists in the U.S.Interborough Repertory Theater Luane Davis467 Pacific Street, #6, Brooklyn, NY 11217718-522-2858"The World In My Hands," an hour-long musicalabout the inspiring story of Helen Keller. Thistouring production nurtures the development ofdisability awareness; also discusses Keller'scommitment to women's rights.

55 56

Page 57: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

Blue Heron Theatre645 West End Avenue, 7B, New York, NY 10025212-787-0422"We Are Your Sisters" (4 actors), based on actualslave stories focusing on childhood memories,adolescent experiences, the challenge ofe. iancipation. "Edna St. Vincent Millay" (3 actors),brought to life in three different periods of her career.

Carmino Ravosa60 Haze 1ton Circle, Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510914-941-5881 (W) 212-722-5160Performed at the White House. Composerflyricist ofmusical "Seneca Falls," which was performed atCarnegie Hall. Moving, emotional, inspiring storiesand songs about 30 famous women. Geographicarea: New York City area: (NJ, CT, MA, LongIsland).

Linda Russell250 West 99th St., Apt. 8C, New York, NY 10025212-666-2656"Patchwork: Voices of 19th-Century Rural Women."One-woman show depicting lives of rural 19th-century women as seen through diaries, letters,magazines, songs, etc.

Gayle Stahihuth121 Madison #3M, New York, NY 10016212-684-1562"Lou." Louisa May Alcott discusses her family, lifeas an army nurse, and writing career as she packs fora trip to Europe. "Not Above a Whisper:" in 1843,Dorothea Dix and Charles Dearing disagree as theyawait the legislature's decision concerning her bill forthe mentally ill.

Amy Warner78 West 85th Street, #6D. New York, NY 10024212-874-2994"As the Wind Rocks the Wagon" recreates life on theOregon Trail, 1840-1870, based on the eyewitnessaccounts in diaries of pioneer women.

Holly Wolf1Miudy Washingtonao 156 2nd Avenue, #6A, New York, NY 10003212-254-8420"Songs of Mother Earth." Reader's Theatrepresentation of the life, writings and speeches ofEmma Goldman, as heard through the characters ofthe younger and older Emma. Discussion afterwards.Running time: 1 hr. 45 mins. Geographic area:Eastern Seaboard, Northern Calif., Chicago.

56

Ann Maxine Dawson310 West 56 Street, Suite 11D, New York, NY10019212-581-1634"The Ladies with Talent, Taste & Chutzpah" is atribute to Fanny Brice, Barbra Streisand, Molly Piconand Sophie Tucker, performed with pianoaccompaniment. Highlights the immigrantexperience and achievements of these artists. Shortand long versions available.

Ann Beige]568 Amsterdam Avenue #3N, New York, NY 10024212-724-2089"Isadora Duncan: American Legend," the flamboyantdancer whose revolutionary approach foreverchanged the art form.

Ellen Orchid78 Prospect Park West #1A, Brooklyn, NY 11215718-832-3188, or 212-724-2800We meet Anna Freud on the eve of her father's(Sigmund Freud) death. She is struggling with theimpending loss as she reminisces about hercontributions to psychoanalysis, past and future. Shetriumphs.

NORTH CAROLINALucinda McDermott169 Old NC 345Mant'o, NC 27954919-473-1621"O'Keeffe!" explores the artist's life from 1915,when she began developing her own painting style, toStieglitz's death in 1946.

(Elena) Diana Glenn Miller28 Dogwood Terrace, Fletcher, NC 28732704-684-8220Costumed dramatic presentations on women inhistory. Music with dulcimer, autoharp and guitar,folk singing, storytelling, dancing toys and puppets.

Robin Voiers645 Summit Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101(919)725-4575In performances of "Zelda" (Zelda Fitzgerald), "TheBelle of Amherst" (Emily Dickinson), and "AChristmas Memory" (Miss Sook of the Capote story),I present portraits of talented, bright, sensitivewomen thwarted by their times and circumstances.Geographic area: Southeast U.S.

5

Page 58: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

OHIOEcky Broad8824 Carnes Drive, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022(216)543-1827summer: P.O. Box 538, Chautauqua, NY 14722Dramatic, fun and inspiring portrayals of AmeliaEarhart; America's First Ladies; Jane Clemens (MarkTwain's mother); Florence Nightingale; Katie Luther(wife of Martin); Dr. Mary Walker, Mary Jemison;Jenny June Croly; Nellie Bly; Annie Sullivan Macy;Grandma Moses; women of the Bible; Wesleywomen; Vivien Leigh; Mary Martin; 19th Centurypioneers; Williamsburg ghosts; Narcissa Whitman.

Michele Colopy669 Copley Road, Akron, OH 44320216-762-8338I perform a one-woman show about Emma Goldmanentitled "A Most Dangerous Woman."

Betty Geiger2109 Elmwood Avenue, Springfield, OH 45505513-328-6936As Katherine Wright (suffragist, teacher, and sister ofthe aviators) or Lucy Hayes (wife of the President),Geiger brings history to life through costumedperformances. Geographic area please inquire.

OKLAHOMADixie Belcher2628 E. 19, Tulsa, OK 74104918-749-6234"Our Kate," a one-person, one-act presentation aboutthe life of Kate Barnard. Known as the "Good Angelof Oklahoma," Barnard was Oklahoma's firstCommissioner of Charities and Corrections, and anadvocate of fair treatment for American Indians andchildren.

Francine RingoldPerformance Literature Connection3215 South Yorktown, Tulsa, OK 74105(918)745-9234"Mercy," Mercy Otis Warren, 18th-century historianof the American Revolution, playwright, politicalpamphleteer, mother. A one-act, one-woman dramaavailable in several formats.

OREGONMusica Femina Flute-Guitar DuoPO Box 15121, Portland, OR 97215503-233-1206

57

"Concert/Informance" features women's history andmusical compositions from 1600s to the present.Experienced, polished performers; fascinating,informative, accessible program. Recordings andworkshops also available.

Mary Rose1735 NE Wasco, Portland, OR 97232503-282-3172Mary Rose combines a refreshingly clear voice withstrong guitar/piano accompaniment, singing aboutwomen, encouraging positive herstory expressionwith audiences. Geographic area: West Coast,Pacific Northwest, and British Columbia.

Susan G. Butruille10521 SW River Road, Tigard, OR 97224503-624-1325"Women's Voices from the Oregon Trail," anarrative with music and poetry from my book of thesame name.

Diane Olson2526 SE 37th, Portland, OR 97202503-236-9190"Aim and Sympathy" explores the complex fifty-yearrelationship between women's rights pioneersElizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

PENNSYLVANIAAmerican Historical Theatre2008 Mt. Vernon Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130215-232-2690Taylor Williams: "Alice Paul - Votes Are NotEnough!" This 45-minute play allows us to meetAlice Paul in person and hear about her struggle forthe Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Q&A follows.

Pamela Sommerfield: "Lucretia.. The Candle Bums,"recalling the life of 19th century Quaker, LucretiaMott. She fought for abolition, women's rights,peace, Indian rights the bravest of them all. 45minutes, Q&A follows.

Pat Jordan: "I, Amelia," dramatizes the pioneeringspirit of Amelia Earhart. Two acts encompassingaviation triumphs up to her mysteriousdisappearance. 90 minutes.

Gwen Briley-Strand: "Harriet Tubman, Following theNorth Star," recalls the life of the daring abolitionist.Includes spirituals and stories of adventures on theUnderground Railroad. 50 minutes.

58

Page 59: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

Rita BalbusBox 390, Devon, PA 19333215-644-6683 or 215-296-2828Presentation about the various women who helped towin the Revolutionary War their escapades andfeats of derring-do! A talk also on daily lives,marriage and courtship, 18th-century style.

Bonnie Cavanaugh540 Hasbrook Ave., Cheltenham, PA 19012"A Visit with Do lley Madison," a half-hour, one-woman show chronicling the life of one of America'sforemost First Ladies. Geographic area: MostlyPhiladelphia area, but inquire!

The Stuart Sisters, Spring School of the Arts43rd & Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19104215-878-3963 or 215-222-0788Dance, drama, and song presentation on African-American history, including a portrayal of HarrietTubman.

Jacqueline WadeDust Tracks Theater Productions501 W. Hansberry St., Philadelphia, PA 19144215-848-9059"Zora!" the life and writings of Zora Neale Hurston,literary Queen of the Harlem Renaissance,interwoven with her folktales and stories, and music,dance, and slides. Also "Phi llis Wheatley: TheAfrican Muse," the first African-American womanpublished in America.

SOUTH CAROLINASandi Shackelford801 12th Avenue, Conway, SC 29526(h)803-248-9203 (w)803-349-2443"An Audience with Fanny Kemble" depicts anevening with the 19th - century actress, abolitionist,and diarist as she recounts events in her life.

SOUTH DAKOTAPhyllis A. Schrag1100 S. Main, Sioux Falls, SD 57105H:605-334-3846 W:605-331-7990One-woman dramatic performances, musicalinformances, convention/banquet/after-dinnerentertainment, creative dramatic workshops. SouthDakota Arts Council endorsed Touring Program.Geographic area: South Dakota and bordering states.

58

TEXASRuthe WinegartenBox 49084Austin, TX 78765512.453-7919"I Am Annie Mae," an exhilarating one- womanmusical based on the life of a Texas woman whosevered the shackles of poverty to become one of thestate's finest civic leaders. Gospel, jazz, blues, rock& roll, field chants. Audiences of all ages.

Mary C. JohnstonRoute 2, Box 1049, Kountze, TX 77625Strong, rugged pioneer "Ma Thicket" of the book,Big Thicket Legacy, is introduced with a powerfulconservation message and bluegrass accordion music.

Sarah Grant Reid, Sarah ElizabethCommunicationsPO Box 810216, Dallas, TX 75381214-243-7501outside Dallas 800-327-1849Entertaining, one-woman shows bring Clara Barton,Josephine Bonaparte and Madame Tussaudunheralded women achieversto life throughfascinating, authentic stories.

Belinda Simmonsvia Naomi Carrier2902 Renshaw, Houston, TX 77023.713-928-2132"I Am Annie Mae" is a one-woman musical about aBlack Dallas woman, taken from the book by thesame name. It covers 150 years of Black history,slavery to the present. Suitable for all ages; adaptableto classroom presentations.

VERMONTElena DoddRoute 4, Box 470, Putney, VT 05346802-387-4756"Meet Eleanor Roosevelt:" three-part solo "visit"sharing her experience as a troubled adolescent; wife,mother, First Lady; UN delegate, world traveler.Geographic area: New England; others negotiated.

59

Page 60: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

WOMEN'S HISTORY PERFORMERS

VIRGINIADianna DiatzBox 17102, Alexandria, VA 22302703-751-4064Versatile performing artist who specializes in realand imaginary historical characters (including Dol leyMadison), storytelling, lectures and more.Appropriate for adults and children; performancescan be customized to the theme of your event.

Van Ann Moore36 Rose Hill Farms Dr., Stafford, VA 22554Re-creation of the 19th century opera/concert singerJenny Lind, known on two continents as "TheSwedish Nightingale", or the Rags-to-Riches-to-Ragslife story of Colorado's Silver Queen, Baby DoeTabor. Susan Shelby Magoffin, the first "whitewoman" down the Santa Fe Trail, and Dot% Tules,Santa Fe gambling hall queen, are presented in afascinating dramatized concert.

Vivian and Debi Smith"Look Up At the Hawks"3415 Surrey Lane, Falls Church, VA 22042(H) 703-560-4119 (W) 703-698-6814Original readings and songs from Nebraska woman'spioneer/dustbowl journal, presented by daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Workshops about familyhistory projects.

Ann Timmons4810 South 29th Street, #B1, Arlington, VA 22206W: 703-820-9589"Off the Wall: The Life and Works of CharlottePerkins Gilman." In an evening of private revelation,Perkins retraces the rocky path she has chosen, as shecrusades daringly for women's rights and socialjustice at the dawn of the 20th century.

WASHINGTONMartha Furey505 Edgecliff, Langley, WA 98260206-221-2357"O'Keeffe, Sunset of an Artist," a one-woman playabout Georgia O'Keeffe. Intimate, dramaticunraveling of the artist's life as she moves fromstudio to adobe patio in her 94th year.

Playworks7541 19th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115206-524-3016"Vesuvius at Home." Original presentationelucidating life and poetry of Emily Dickinson. Bothcharms and informs a tdiences. Performer/writer:Ruth McRee; Director. Anne Ludlum.

WEST VIRGINIAJeanne SchrammBox 102, West Liberty, WV 26074304-336-7159 (W) 304-336-8035Seven one-hour portrayals using the actual words ofSusan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Julia Ward Howe,Harriet Beecher Stowe, Dorothea Dix, Jane Addamsand Mother Jones. Geographic area: East Coast.

WISCONSINGerd GribiPO Box 8021, Green Bay, WI 54308414-437-7373Performs "Womenfolk," folk music that celebratesreal women as workers, reformers, creators, andsurvivors. Conducts workshops, concerts for schools,conferences, meetings.

Jocelyn RileyPO Box 5264, Madison, WI 53705608-271-7083"Her Own Words: Pioneer Women's Diaries."Presentations on pioneer women's diaries, quilts,votes for women, and journal-keeping.

WYOMINGSheila Sundquist1977 Newton Dr., Cheyenne, WY 82001307-632-8302Dramatic monologues of women: Josephine (ChicagoJoe) Hensley, Victoria Woodhull, Narcissa Whitmanand Frances Trollope. Geographic area: Wyomingand Northern Colorado.

This list was compiled byMary Ruthsdotter, Projects DirectorNATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY PROJECT7738 Bell Road, Windsor CA 95492.(707)838-6000

59 60

Page 61: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

Congressional ResolutionDesignating the Month of March as

"Women's History Month:

Whereas American women of every race, class, and ethnic background have madehistoric contributions to the growth and strength of our Nation in countless recordedand unrecorded ways;

Whereas American women have played and continue to play a critical economic,cultural, and social role in every sphere of the life of the Nation by constituting asignificant portion of the labor force working inside and outside of the home;

Whereas American women have played a unique role throughout the history of theNation by providing the majority of the volunteer labor force of the Nation;

Whereas American women were particularly important in the establishment of earlycharitable, philanthropic, and cultural institutions in our Nation;

Whereas American women of every race, class, and ethnic background served as earlyleaders in the forefront of every major progressive social change movement;

Whereas American women have been leaders, not only in securing their own rightsof suffrage and equal opportunity, but also in the abolitionist movement, theemancipation movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement,and other movements, especially the peace movement, which create a more fair andjust society for all; and

Whereas despite these contributions, the role of American women in history hasbeen consistently overlooked and undervalued, in the literature, teaching and study ofAmerican history:

-N3w, therefore, be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of theUnited States of America in Congress assembled, that March is designated as "Women'sHistory Month." The President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation foreach of these months, calling upon the people of the United States to observe thosemonths with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

This resolution was passed by Congress in 1987 and successive years.For more information about the origin of National Women's History Month, orthe activities of the National Women's History Project, contact:National Women's History Project, 7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492 707-838-6000

6I

Page 62: Print ED393768.TIF (62 pages) - ERIC · In researching her life, students should look for examples of the ways in which their nominee's work or activities demonstrate that she fits

NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY PROJECT

This guide is one of the many types of resources developed by the NationalWomen's History Project for use by educators and by workplace and communityorganizers. Our Project exists solely to promote an awareness of multiculturalwomen's history in schools and communities nationwide. We are delighted withthe public response to our efforts.

National Women's History Month, originated by members of this Project, hasbecome a regular feature on school, workplace and community calendars. It isour goal to eventually have the study of women's history included as a regularpart of the K-12 curriculum, so that students and adults alike can celebrate thetremendous contributions of women from all walks of life.

The National Women's History Project Catalog has grown dramatically since itsinception in 1983. The 48-page Women's History Catalog offers a plethora ofbooks, curriculum units; posters, games, plays, videos, and more all easilyaccessible by mail order.

The Women's History Network, coordinated by our office, includes hundreds ofindividual and institutional participants, working together across the country towrite women back into history. A quarterly newsletter keeps Network membersabreast of information; directories make each participant accessible to the others.

The NWHP consulting staff conducts in-service training workshops for schooldistricts and state departments of education throughout the country. Our four-day teacher training workshop, held each summer in California, draws educatorsand community activists from across the nation.

We are a nonprofit, educational corporation; your donation, above the price ofitems ordered, are tax deductible and will greatly facilitate our ongoing work.

It is our hope that the services and materials we offer will be a useful resourceand support for your efforts to write women back into history.

The National Women's History Project Staff

62