Celebrating the
women of Illinois history
Lincoln Presidential Library devotes March 17 ‘Stories from the
Stacks’ to the women who helped build Illinois
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[March 07, 2015]
SPRINGFIELD
– The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will open up
its vast collections March 17 to highlight the amazing women,
whether famous or anonymous, who helped build Illinois.
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The free “Stories from the Stacks” event will explore early
educational opportunities for Illinois women and details of the
domestic life that many of them pursued. It covers the contributions
of groups like the League of Women Voters and the Women’s Auxiliary
of the Progressive Mine Workers of America. Fascinating women like
labor activist Mother Jones and sculptor Vinnie Ream will get time
in the spotlight.
The event takes place Tuesday, March, 17, at 5:30 p.m. in the
multi-purpose room of the Lincoln Presidential Library (112 N. Sixth
Street, Springfield).
Reservations
are required. They can be made by visiting
www.presidentlincoln.gov
and clicking “Special Event Reservations” or by calling (217)
558-8934.
“The story of hard-working Illinois women, known and lesser-known,
is an inspiration to us as we plan for a brighter future for our
children,” said Eileen Mackevich, executive director of the Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
“Stories from the Stacks” gives the public a peek into the library’s
collections on Illinois history. Using documents, pictures and
artifacts, library experts explore topics beyond Abraham Lincoln.
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The presentation on women includes a look at institutions like
the Monticello Female Seminary in Godfrey, the Bettie Stuart
Institute in Springfield and the Ladies Education Society in
Jacksonville, which was established in 1833 and is still active
today.
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The audience will hear about women who supported
unions, fought for the right to vote, banded together to improve
life for African Americans and served in World War I.
Domestic affairs and manners will also be featured, with catalogs
published just prior to the Great Depression, greeting cards, books
on manners and household remedies, and Springfield’s own Herndon’s
Illustrated Journal of Fashion from 1873.
The Lincoln Presidential Library includes the Illinois State
Historical Library, which has spent 125 years collecting artifacts
and documents about Illinois heritage.
[Chris Wills, Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Museum] |