Women of Note
Jo Freeman Reviews Kamala’s Way, an Overview of Harris’ Life in California Politics
Jo Freeman writes: This is a political biography. Published only a week before Kamala Harris was inaugurated as this country’s first female Vice President, this book is an overview of Harris’ life in California politics. The author was able to write it so quickly because he has reported on California politics, policy and justice for two newspapers in that state for four decades; Harris has been politically active for about three. more »
Jill Norgren Reviews The Doctor's Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women — and Women to Medicine
Working with primary sources, Nimura documents the courage, drive, and training that the sisters drew upon to establish the dispensary and hospital. They had no personal wealth. Their mission was not merely to aid women who were ill but to educate them in the power of hygiene and sanitation at a time when it was not understood that germs caused illness. Indeed, they were teaching hygiene to mothers at a time when doctors rarely washed their hands between patients. In her excellent new biography, The Doctors Blackwell, Janice Nimura documents another important force for change: individuals. In this book, written with grace and clarity, Nimura describes how the Blackwells brought women to medicine and medicine to women. more »
Even Though the Room Is Full, They Are “The Only One in the Room”; Eight Women Across 3 Centuries in Smithsonian Exhibit
Carving out a successful career in business and entrepreneurship is tough, but for women, rising to the top of their fields is even tougher. Those who do reach this pinnacle often find that they are the only woman in the room. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History features eight such women in its display, “The Only One in the Room.” This “New Perspectives” case will be on view in the museum’s business history exhibition, “American Enterprise,” through November 2021. The display will explore the stories of women who made a mark in their respective industries, including banking, beauty, advertising and manufacturing, and examine the obstacles they faced and the context of the times in which they lived. more »
National Museum of American History: Even Though the Room Is Full, They Are “The Only One in the Room”
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will feature eight such women in its new display, “The Only One in the Room,” which opened on Nov. 20. This “New Perspectives” case will be on view in the museum’s business history exhibition, “National Museum of American History: Even Though the Room Is Full, They Are “The Only One in the Room”” through November 2021. Spanning three centuries of American history, the display will explore the stories of women who made a mark in their respective industries, including banking, beauty, advertising and manufacturing, and examine the obstacles they faced and the context of the times in which they lived. more »