In recognition of National Women’s History Month, Ridge Historical Society, 10621 S. Seeley, will present “Nevertheless She Persisted,” a women’s history exhibit. The exhibit, prepared in partnership with GFWC IL Morgan Park Junior Woman’s Club, will open Thurs., Mar. 8, International Women’s Day.
The exhibit takes its title from the 2018 National Women’s History Month theme, “Nevertheless She Persisted: Honoring Women Who Fight All Forms of Discrimination Against Women,” which was designated by the National Women’s History Project (nwhp.org).
The RHS exhibit will include items from the Morgan Park Juniors’ “Honoring Our Heritage” project. The Juniors started their project in 2011 and modeled it on Judy Chicago’s “The Dinner Party” installation, an icon of 1970s feminist art which is now in the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Museum.
Members of the Juniors selected as subjects notable women such as Jane Addams and Eleanor Roosevelt as well as women who made lasting contributions to our local community. Club members researched the women and their accomplishments, and created place settings in their honor.
Sixteen of the place settings created by the Juniors will be displayed at RHS in thematic groups, along with biographical sketches and interpretive material. The place settings evoke the significance of each woman and depict how their work and persistence affects us now; what contributions each subject made to improving society; how they were challenged by their gender and status; and how they inspired others.
Thematic groupings include Trailblazers and Mentors; Activists and Social Reformers; Women in the Peace movement; the Women’s History movement; Women in the Skies; Gender and Race in Civil Rights; and Clubwomen.
The exhibit opens on Mar. 8 with casual viewing from 1 to 7 p.m., and an introductory presentation by members of the Morgan Park Juniors at 3 p.m. It will be on display until the end of March. Info and hours: 773-881-1675 or ridgehistory@hotmail.com.
