Micromemphis: University District The Neighborhoods of the University of Memphis
  • Home
  • About
    • University District in the News
    • University District Website
    • University District Map
    • MicroMemphis Team
  • News
  • Business
  • Religion
  • Food
  • Community
  • Campus
  • Multimedia
    • Slideshows
    • Video

U of M students celebrate Women's History Month by honoring inspiring women from the past

3/19/2014

0 Comments

 
By Jamesa Y. Alston

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the University of Memphis hosted Inspiring Women of the 1960s in the McWherter Library on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Faculty and students filled the rotunda of the library as undergraduate and graduate students honored women writers, artists and activists of the 1960s by reading excerpts from speeches, letters, poems and government documents.

“We held the program in the library to encourage attendees to use our resources to further explore the topics addressed in the program,” said Jennifer Schnabel, assistant professor at the University of Memphis.

Women’s History Month began in 1987 and is now observed annually throughout the month of March as a time to celebrate the women who have inspired positive change and contributed to our history, culture and society.

The event highlighted women who were advocates for gender equality and fought exploitation such as Betty Friedan, who was a writer, activist and feminist.  The event also addressed topics like the Civil Rights Movement and socioeconomic disparities.

“This event was intended to celebrate inspiring women from history as well as accomplished women of today,” Schnabel said. “It was unique because each student read work from women that inspired them.”
As each student rose to read their excerpt, Aram Goudsouzian, chair of the university’s history department and author of "Down to the Crossroad: Civil Rights, Black power, and the Meredith March Against Fear," introduced the students and their relative topics. He also served as the master of ceremony.

“Society has been dictated by men for many years,” U of M student, Arian Dabney said. “This event along with Women History Month is a way to show people that women have a part in society as well.”

The event focused on the 1960s era to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and was inspired by the “The Civil Rights Act of 1964: How far have we come?” exhibition on the first and fourth floors of the library, which includes historical documents and newspaper clippings.

“If I had not attended this event, I would have never thought to look at the exhibit,” said Ashton Carnes, an English major.

The event concluded with a tribute to the late civil rights activist, Maxine Smith, who applied to the University of Memphis in 1957 and was rejected because of her race.

“It’s always good to revisit history, especially women’s history,” Carnes said. “Women are not noted enough for the things they contribute to our culture.”
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Tweets by @UDistrictMicro

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

    Categories

    All
    Arts
    Audio
    Black History
    Black Owned Business
    Blue Tom Records
    Botanic Garden
    Brittany Carruthers
    Bruce Harber
    Bryan Heater
    Business
    Campus
    Caray Oldham
    Carlissa Robinson
    Carrie Sanders
    Charity
    Chings
    City Council
    Civil Rights Movement
    Community
    Cormac Parker
    Crime
    Dana Porter
    Education
    Empress And Emperor Mentoring
    Entertainment
    Erica Hartsfield
    Events
    Fashion
    Feature
    Fitness
    Food
    Green
    Gsrm
    Health
    Highland
    Housing
    Innovation
    Instagram
    Jerald Harris
    Jj Greer
    John Martin
    Kathy Brower
    Local
    Lovie Hudson
    Maps
    Master Plan
    Memphis
    Mentoring
    Michelle Corbet
    Millennials
    Multimedia
    Music
    News
    Non-profit
    Normal Station
    Park Ave.
    Park Avenue
    Patterson
    Politics
    Poplar
    Preview
    Profile
    Public Safety
    Raleigh Egypt
    Raven Mcclain
    Recruitment
    Religion
    Sex
    Slideshow
    Social-media
    Southern
    Sports
    St-jude
    Transportation
    Udistrict History
    University Of Memphis
    Urban Garden
    Video
    Walker Avenue