The College World Reporter

The College World = Reporter

March 2009=20 - Vol. 1, No. = 3

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Women In=20 History: =20

Special Women's = History=20 Month=20 = Feature

A New = Approach=20 to Presenting and Learning History=20

By Donell Edwards

In the process of preparing for this = special=20 Women's History Month issue of The College = World=20 Reporter I discovered one of the most = interesting=20 women's groups, Women In = History headquartered in=20 Lakewood, Ohio.

The group is a non-profit corporation = dedicated to=20 the education of all people through the dramatic = recreation of lives of notable women in U.S.=20 history. It is this aspect of their = organization,=20 the dramatic recreation of the lives of = historical=20 women, that makes them different.

Character research is extensive. It = includes=20 published material and, when possible, visits to = the=20 locales where the individual lived and worked, = plus=20 interviews with family, friends and = biographers.

Women In History insists on authenticity in = costuming. Authentic vintage clothing is = used;=20 pieces in poor condition are used as patterns = for=20 reproduction. Hairdos are replicated using = the=20 presenter's natural hair or wigs, styled by a = specialist=20 in historic hair design. This individual = also=20 styles for the Cleveland Lyric Opera, the = Cleveland=20 Opera, and films.

At the end of a performance the audience = can ask=20 questions, or interview the historical figure = being=20 portrayed, this too recreates the atmosphere of = actually=20 being in the presence of that particular person, = in the=20 time they lived, and having the opportunity to = speak=20 directly to them and ask them questions, which = is really=20 a remarkable experience.

To provide our readers with a better = understanding=20 of this outstanding group, their work, and their = place=20 in Women's History Month, we interviewed the = President=20 of the Board of Directors and the Managing = Director of=20 Women In History, Ms. Vernice Jackson.

Ms.=20 Jackson portrays Josephine Baker (shown at = right), an=20 African American International star, civil = rights=20 activist and WWII heroine; Mary Elizabeth = Bowser, a=20 Union spy in the Confederate Whitehouse; Sally = Hennings,=20 who sacrificed her freedom from slavery for the = love of=20 President Thomas Jefferson; Harriet Tubman, the=20 Underground Railroad Conductor, Army scout, and=20 suffragist; Madame C.J. Walker, an = entrepreneur,=20 millionaire and philanthropist; and Josephine = Wilson=20 Bruce, the first African American teach in the=20 Cleveland, Ohio Public Schools and and a founder = of the=20 National Association of Colored = Women.

CWR: Ms. Jackson, = tell our=20 readers about Women In History and your = mission.

Ms. Jackson: The = goal of=20 Women In History is to gather accurate = historical data=20 and share this information with others. = Women In=20 History accomplishes this in two ways:

Live performances - in the form of = historical=20 characterizations that provice the audience an = intimate=20 glimpse into the life and times of these famous=20 women. Each portrayal is carefully and = extensively=20 researched to insure an accurate presentation of = a total=20 personality. These historical recreations = provide=20 the audience the opportunity for spontaneous=20 conversations, question and answer = sessions. =20 People walk away with the feeling of having = actually met=20 the historical figure. The research = involved in=20 the development of the characters is = ongoing. =20 These historical educators read any and all = available=20 materials (biographies, autobiographies, = academic=20 treatises, magazine articles, and other = published=20 materials). When possible they conduct = oral=20 history interviews with members of the = individual's=20 family, friends, and authors who have researched = and=20 published information. They travel to = locales=20 where the individual worked, lived, or developed = associates.

Historical Internet Resource (a work in = progress) -=20 Women In History's website, http://www.womenhistoryohio.com/ (www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/) was = established in August 1997, with the generous = support of=20 the Lakewood Public Library. This = user-friendly=20 site is accessible through any web = browser. =20 Accurate information can be obtained on more = than 100=20 historical American females, including some = pictures=20 and/or artist renditions, bibliographies, and = links to=20 other related web sites. Initially, the = site was=20 to provide a means of communicating what Women = In=20 History did and why. Over the years = the site=20 has proven to be a much-valued resource to the = students=20 of all ages. Not only can the general = public gain=20 access to the historical information available = there,=20 but also can direct specific questions to Women = In=20 History that will be answered via the = Internet. =20 This site registers up to 2 billion hits per=20 month. In 2001, Women In History was = recognized by=20 HistoryChannel.com as one of the best history = sites on=20 the web and invited us to become part of their=20 network. The Smithsonian web site also=20 acknowledges Women In History as a resource = for=20 historical information.

CWR: Who is your = membership=20 comprised of?

Ms. Jackson: The = founding=20 members developed a working board of trustees = that=20 collectively brought expertise in the area of = history,=20 psychology/social work, human relations, public=20 relations, fund raising, business management, = computer=20 sciences, accounting, and office = management. The=20 advisory board has been developed to bring = additional=20 skills and expertise to the organization. = The=20 board of trustees, advisory board, and the = historical=20 educators are the members of Women In = History. Our=20 historical educators come from all walks of = life,=20 teachers, writers, corporate managers and = homemakers=20 come together based on their love of = history.

CWR: You mentioned = that your=20 website includes information on more = than 100=20 women in history, are your selections based = strictly on=20 historical contributions, or do you seek = subjects that=20 match the historical educators in your = group, or=20 both?

Ms.=20 Jackson: Women In History = began=20 almost by accident 18 years abo when Sophia=20 Mastrandreas-Dadas was called upon to present a = vintage=20 fashion show for a Mother-Daughter Girl Scout = Tea. =20 Sophia had a collection of vintage clothing = dating back=20 to the 1860s. She thought = perhaps it=20 would be both interesting and educational to not = only=20 wear the clothes, but to act out a role of a = woman who=20 might have worn the outfit. The five = models were a=20 hit. Other organizations started calling = and the=20 ladies have been performing ever since. = Additional=20 women have been chosen based on request for = programs and=20 those women who are part of our educational=20 curriculum. In addition, we have added = women who's=20 stories were found personally = appealing.

CWR: What do you = consider to=20 be the greatest impact your organization has on = the role=20 of women in society?

Ms. Jackson: = Historian=20 Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. wrote, "Women have made = up half=20 the human race but you could never tell by the = books=20 that historians write." These five women = agreed=20 and felt a debt to their ancestors and a = responsibility=20 to future generations to share women's stories = in a way=20 that will enhance and complete the history of=20 America. We bring history to life.

CWR: In your = opinion, what=20 are the most significant opportunities made = available to=20 women, and the most significant achievements = made by=20 women in the past 100 - 150 years?

Ms. Jackson: The = suffrage=20 movement gave women their "public voice." = By=20 opening that door, the ladies have left their = mark on=20 all walks of society.

CWR: Is there some = point=20 where the past history of women, the present = evolution=20 of women, and the future expanding role of women = in=20 society intersect, so that the past greatly = affected the=20 present and the future of women in society, and = what=20 would you say that point of intersection is or=20 was?

Ms. Jackson: When = women won=20 the vote in 1920 a "point of intersection" was = achieved=20 between the past, present and future roles of = women in=20 society. The suffrage movement began with = the=20 first Woman's Rights Convention in 1848 and = ended 72=20 years later when women won the vote. The = early=20 suffrage leaders, especially Elizabeth Cady = Stanton and=20 Susan B. Anthony laid the foundation for the = victory but=20 did not live to see it. Securing the vote=20 empowered the women of the 1920s as well as = opening the=20 door for the future gains for women's = equality.

CWR: In what way = does your=20 work influence the present generation of young = women,=20 particularly college undergraduates and graduate = students, in such a way that it empowers them to = want to=20 have a role in contributing mightily to the = expanding=20 role of women in society, thus helping to write = a new=20 chapter in women's history?

Ms.=20 Jackson: The Majority of = the women=20 portrayed during our "Women In History" = performances=20 lived their lives under extremely difficult=20 circumstances. Most faced gender and = racial=20 inequality. Many did not have a formal=20 education. Yet, they achieved their goals, = changed=20 the course of history and exhibited true courage = as they=20 blazed the trails for future generations. = Young=20 women today are inspired by these stories and = empowered=20 to reach and even surpass their individual=20 potential.

CWR: Do men attend = your=20 performances, and if so, what message or = impression do=20 you hope they will leave with?

Ms. Jackson: Men are = always=20 welcome at "Women In History" performances and = many=20 attend. We hope that everyone leaves our=20 performances with a better understanding of the = role=20 that women played in the history of our country = and=20 acknowledge the importance of women's = contribution to=20 American society.

CWR: Historically = speaking,=20 based on where women are today compared with = where women=20 have come from, have we reached a point in = American=20 society where there is gender equality? = Please=20 explain your answer.

Ms. Jackson: = Certainly there=20 are fewer barriers to gender equality than there = were=20 100 or even 50 years ago. Although, as = recently as=20 the 1960s help wanted ads were listed = male/female. =20 In my opinion we will not reach gender equality = until we=20 reach pay equity and until women are accepted = into any=20 position that they are qualified for including = skilled=20 trades, corporate CEOs and the President of the = United=20 States.

CWR: What lessons = should we=20 learn, first from your work at Women In History, = and=20 second from Women's History Month?

Ms. Jackson: History is made up of=20 stories. Stories that tell of individual = and group=20 courage, struggle, loss and achievement. =20 Ultimately, it is the goal of "Women In History" = to bell=20 these stories in the hope that our audience will = not=20 only learn from the past but also use these = stories as a=20 catalyst for the = future. Women's History=20 Month provides an opportunity to focus on the = lives of=20 courageous women who contributed to our = countryu's=20 history, women who for the most part = have remained=20 unknown to a majority of Americans.

Contact Information:

Women In History

P. O. Box 770682

Lakewood, OH 44107

216-228-4779

http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/index.html
women@wom= eninhistoryohio.com

Disclaimer=

The opinions=20 expressed within The College World Reporter by = writers=20 not associated with Donell Edwards Enterprises, = are=20 those of the writers, and are not = necessarily=20 shared by the publisher. The items = contained=20 herein are provided for general information = purposes only. Readers should not rely = solely on=20 this information, but should do their own=20 research. This newsletter may contain links = to=20 websites that are created and maintained by = other=20 organizations. Donell Edwards Enterprises does = not=20 necessarily endorse the views expressed on these = websites, nor does it guarantee the accuracy or=20 completeness of any information presented there. = =