Archive for the ‘Women's History’ Category
Women, the Civil War, and Cemeteries…
From the National Women’s History Museum
Much of women’s history is missing from our public story. One more example—women were almost entirely responsible for the recognition of Memorial Day. Its origin was the Civil War and until recently, the day focused on the terrible War between the states that, at tremendous human cost, ended slavery.
Just weeks after the Civil War ended in April 1865, Ellen Call Long organized a women’s memorial society to reconcile embittered enemies. Usually named some variant of “women’s relief society,” groups sprang up in both the North and South that not only memorialized the dead, but also cared for the war’s disabled and its widows and orphans.
Pioneer Cemetery, Civil War Monument, Eugene, OR
On June 22, 1865, women adopted these profound, forgiving, and future-oriented resolutions. The document read in part:
The object of this meeting is to initiate a Memorial Association…that shall perpetuate in an honorable manner the memory of the gallant dead…
In no invidious spirit do we come; the political storm that shook our country to its foundation, we hope, is passed… We are done with the [Confederate] cause… and are willing to do all that women can do to stem the tide of bitterness… and angry feelings…. We will practice and teach forbearance and patience, which must finally bring peace and justice….
Our society has forgotten that women cleaned up the mess. They took the gruesome reality of approximately a half-million dead men, and by promoting cemeteries, led the way in turning blood and gore into something that encouraged serenity and reflection.
article post at: http://www.nwhm.org/memorialday.html
main website page: http://www.nwhm.org/
CSWS Road Scholars’ Presentation Grants for Graduate Students
CSWS will make awards of $200 each for presentations by graduate students that address some aspect of this broad theme. Presentations that situate women’s history in relation to race, ethnicity, class, or ability, or in an international context, are strongly encouraged. These 20–30 minute presentations need to be accessible to a very general audience, likely to be middle or high school students.
Those graduate students who receive awards will be expected to be available to give their presentation once (and no more than twice) in public venues to be organized by CSWS.
To apply, graduate students must submit the following by 10/7/09:
Drop application materials by our office or send them to: CSWS 340 Hendricks Hall University of Oregon Eugene OR 97403-1201
For more information, email: csws@uoregon.edu
Selected students will be asked to present their proposal to a CSWS committee before 11/1/09.