Press Release
March 1, 2021
Contact: Steve Hawkins
Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0754
shawkins@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/historycenter
Oklahoma History Center to Offer Smithsonian Virtual Programming for Women’s History Month
OKLAHOMA CITY — As a Smithsonian Affiliate, the Oklahoma History Center is proud to offer a virtual portal to Smithsonian programming celebrating Women’s History Month. These programs are part of Because of Her Story, a series of Smithsonian Affiliations’ Virtual Scholar Talks highlighting Women’s History Month, as well as discussing the Smithsonian’s latest book, “Smithsonian American Women.” The events are free to watch on Zoom, but preregistration is required. Links to register for each of these events can be found at www.okhistory.org/historycenter/classes. The programs and dates offered are as follows:
“African American Women’s Activism in Historical Perspective,” Wednesday, March 3, 6 p.m. CST: This program will highlight objects related to African American women’s history in the Smithsonian collections, focusing on African American women’s activism and contributions in historical perspective. Each speaker will explore an interesting aspect of African American women’s activism through an extended discussion of one or two objects. Featured speakers for this event are Dr. Nancy Bercaw, chair of political and military history at the National Museum of American History; Dr. Aleia Brown, assistant director of the Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities; Dr. Modupe Labode, curator at the National Museum of American History; and Dr. Crystal Moten, curator at the National Museum of American History.
“Lena Richard and Julia Child: Two Women Who Changed Culinary History,” Wednesday, March 10, 6 p.m. CST: Through their cookbooks, teaching and television programs, these extraordinary women inspired generations of people to take cooking seriously. They challenged perceptions and stereotypes of women in their respective eras and made lasting contributions to culinary history. Their stories, reflective of their very different backgrounds, reveal insights about women, race, food and culture in 20th-century America. Featured speakers for this event are Paula Johnson, curator at the National Museum of American History; and Dr. Ashley Rose Young, historian at the National Museum of American History.
“Women in Aerospace: Stories from the Smithsonian Collection,” Wednesday, March 17, 4 p.m. CST: Featured speaker Dr. Margaret Weitekamp, curator and department chair of the Space History Department at the National Air and Space Museum has researched and written on how a groundswell of support helped create a LEGO set representing women’s contributions to aerospace.
“Ancient Worlds Contemporary Selves: Smithsonian Scholars Explore Intersectionality,” Wednesday, March 24, 6 p.m. CST: In this discussion, scholars from the National Museum of the American Indian, Asian Pacific American Center and Smithsonian American Art Museum will explore how artists integrate the ancient world within their contemporary artistic practice. In so doing, their works update and create new meanings, allowing them to pass on complex and layered cultural interpretations to future generations. Featured speakers for this program are Dr. Michelle Delany, assistant director for history and culture at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian; Healoha Johnston, curator of Asian Pacific American women’s cultural history at the Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American Center; and Claudia Zapata, curatorial assistant at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
“Women Artists Respond to Place,” Wednesday, March 31, 4 p.m. CST: In this discussion, the significance of landscapes, places and narratives of all kinds will be examined through the works of contemporary women artists in Smithsonian collections. Featured speakers for this program are Dr. Tuliza Fleming, curator of American art at the National Museum of African American History and Culture; and Rebecca Trautmann, assistant curator of contemporary art at the National Museum of the American Indian.
The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive in Oklahoma City. For more information about these programs or to preregister, please visit www.okhistory.org/historycenter/classes.
The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and is an accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
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