Women's history in film
Singer Nadjah Nicole to lead discussion at Feb. 22 women's history film screening
8:06 a.m., Feb. 17, 2016--This February marks the 30th anniversary of the Women’s History Through Film series at the University of Delaware, with this year’s focus on the theme “Women’s History, Women’s Lives.”
The series takes place from 7-9 p.m. on Mondays, Feb. 22 through March 21, in 206 Kirkbride Hall. The events are free and open to the public.
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To celebrate this anniversary year’s first session, Delaware native Nadjah Nicole, of NBC’s The Voice, will lead a discussion for the film The Girls in the Band.
Anne Boylan, professor of history, created the Women’s History Through Film series 30 years ago and, although retired, continues to serve on the planning committee.
“With the series, we felt we could teach some aspects of women’s history and women’s life experiences, and also challenge our audiences to learn how to view and evaluate documentary sources,” Boylan said about the reasons for starting the series and for its long staying power.
The series is sponsored by the departments of Anthropology, Black American Studies, History, and Women and Gender Studies, as well as the Faculty Senate Committee on Cultural Activities and Public Events, the Center for Black Culture and the Student Centers Programming Advisory Board.
“I think this year's series reflects the series' strength over the years,” Boylan said. “There are five thought-provoking documentary films covering a variety of historical and contemporary issues, with knowledgeable and interesting speakers present for audience discussion and interaction.”
Feb. 22, The Girls in The Band – This film tells the emotional stories of female jazz and big band instrumentalists in the music industry in the late 1930s. Facing racism, sexism and other hardships, the forgotten “All-Girl Bands” toured the country during the mid-20th century. Nadjah Nicole, of The Voice, will attend and lead the discussion.
Feb. 29, A Girl Like Her – The film depicts the stories of more than a million young women who were shunned and banished over their pregnancies during the 1950s and ’60s. It seeks to air the voices of mothers who were forced to surrender their secret children, move on and forget the hardships and pain they faced and endured. Catherine Dukes of Planned Parenthood of Delaware speaks.
March 7, She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry – Exploring the gender equality movement and radical factions of women’s liberation, this film tells the stories of women who catalyzed the revolution for women’s rights during the late 1960s. Focusing on challenges such as racism, sexual orientation and other controversies, She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry depicts the truths of the second-wave of feminism and is presented by Mary Jean Collins of Veteran Feminists of America.
March 14, Gloria: In Her Own Words – This intimate biography shows the early years of feminist and women’s rights icon Gloria Steinem and her trailblazing journey through American journalism. Marie Laberge, of UD’s Department of Women and Gender Studies, will lead a discussion on Steinem’s experiences, ranging from her notorious exposé on the Playboy Bunnies and her direct experience with abortion speak-outs for New York Magazine in 1969.
March 21, Maquilapolis – Suzanne Cherrin, of the UD Women and Gender Studies Department, leads a discussion on “maquiladoras” in Tijuana, Mexico, who work in subpar conditions in massive factories owned by large multinational corporations. Often violating several labor and environmental laws, these factories frequently subject women to a daily struggle for survival. Maquilapolis explores the story of globalization through these women’s eyes and tells their evocative story.
Article by Christopher Razzano