Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
February 28, 2008 issue
Historian of Gender and Race at Farthing Monday Evening
Story by Bernadette Cahill
“The history of women is important and you can’t do women’s history for just one month of the year,” said Dr. Maggie McFadden of the Women’s Studies program at ASU, referring to the fact that March is Women’s History Month. “One month is not enough,” to cover or highlight all the facets of women’s history, she said.
ASU, therefore, has courses and events all this semester related to multiple aspects of women’s lives.
“A lot of things are coming together from different groups,” said McFadden, who was instrumental in arranging the visit of Dr. Sally Roesch Wagner, the keynote speaker at this Saturday’s Women’s Leadership Conference and the afternoon session on Friday about a 19th century feminist who ran for president in 1872 and one who worked for Native American rights.
One event related to the women’s theme takes place this Monday, March 3, with the visit of Nell Painter, one of the pre-eminent historians in America today. She visits the campus as the second speaker in ASU’s Forum series, following Gloria Steinem in early February.
One of Painter’s books, “Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol,” analyzed Truth’s life, both as an African-American woman and as a crusader for human rights. In this and in other works, Painter has explored issues of personal beauty, stereotypes of gender and race, and the history of racial prejudice in America. Her current research project builds on her analysis of Sojourner Truth's photographs and concerns personal beauty.
The award-winning scholar’s presentation and slide how on Monday evening is called, “Creating Black Americans.”
Date: Monday, March 3
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Farthing Auditorium, ASU
Cost: Free