Insights: Winter 2016 Notes from the CCWH Vol. 47:4

A Culture of Giving Mary Ann Villarreal, Co-President, CCWH

Originally, I had intended this said goodbye to my family, who entered end of life. Two weeks column to focus on exploring a boarded a flight home to before my sister’s death, I plan that CCWH might Colorado, while I followed my shared with her my struggle of consider in creating a sus- usual Sunday return to Cali- powerlessness over cancer. She tainable culture of philan- fornia. I left them after three replied: “Dear Mary Ann, I thropy. As a volunteer organ- days centered on my children think that the anger and grief ization that relies on mem- and grandmother, allowing them comes before peace…Peace is bership fees, as so many of our their last moments surrounded something I wish for you. As peer organizations do, the by my sister’s belongings. they say in French, “je question about how we enter Three long months ago, we said f’embrasse tres forte.” Her note our 50th year with new goodbye to my sister following after my sister’s death affirmed pathways to financial sus- her fiercely fought battle against the deep grief that I felt: “Dear tainability has taken up a great pancreatic cancer. Mary Ann, Your pain must be deal of my thinking as we Four months ago, as Rachel unbearable at times. You have prepare for the AHA in Denver. stayed active in retirement lost one of the most important But plans and ideas change engaged with CCWH’s co- people in your life…” She quicker than we can ever authored report on part-time and connected in honesty and with imagine. As I prepared to adjunct faculty, cared for her an ability to see right through all board a plane in Houston, I husband following his surgery, the toughness I thought I needed learned that we had lost Rachel and worked on manuscript edits to perform. Fuchs unexpectedly. Rachel’s for Gender and Citizenship in At her last CCWH meeting, death stunned me; it deepened Historical and Transnational Rachel was clear, she was the hole of recent losses of Perspective: Agency, Space, retiring and would eventually significant women in my Borders (forthcoming Palgrave, roll off all projects. But in true professional and personal life. 2016), she still made time to Rachel Fuchs spirit, she stayed The news arrived just as I had check on me weekly as my sister with projects that she had start- INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

ed and promised to see them tions and helped me find ways to through. I had told her, “I am redirect when it felt like I had not letting you go that easy!” lost control of my class. In that Of course, she would commit call she expressed excitement to to a final report, but then she work with me as a colleague, to had retirement to enjoy. As she reconnect and strengthen the saw the decline of tenure-track role of the CCWH. positions, and the consequent Rachel had many friendships increased reliance on part-time across her professional net- faculty with few benefits and works, but there were two that Mary Ann Villarreal outrageous teaching loads, we shared from my time at Rachel was dedicated to raising ASU, Noel Stowe and Jann fairness. Her outrage about the attention to the issues sur- Warren Findley. Both public injustice and “the admin- rounding part-time faculty, but historians and long-term depart- istrators” who encouraged such also ready to let others take up ment colleagues, Noel and Jann practices was at the top of the the fight. made a deep impact in public agenda during one of our first Over two years ago, Rachel history. Rachel spoke of their conversations. She came to me, contacted me after I was in- illnesses and ultimate deaths both as her Co-President and as vited to be considered as Co- with such love and respect for faculty turned administrator. President of the CCWH. Years the way they chose to die. She She wasted little time in pushing had passed since we had impressed upon me that the that we survey our membership, previously talked, but the work they had accomplished at and in that moment, Rachel memories of my very green ASU and within the National turned to me as her colleague time as a graduate student Council on Public History may and partner to represent our instructor were very much be absent from the present day membership in this necessary imprinted in her mind. As a department, but it was not for- and vital discussion. I hope we graduate student, I occupied the gotten. In her retelling of their will stay focused on this office across from hers and last days, with such grace and commitment and work with our often wandered into her office compassion, Rachel gave me the affiliate peers in turning our as I prepared to teach my first priceless gift of reminding me of recommendations into imple- classes at Arizona State Uni- the honor of being the recipient mentation. versity. We would discuss at of such rich mentorship. Like a true mentor, Rachel length the materials I was The CCWH report on part- made me feel like I occupied a using, pedagogical techniques time and adjunct faculty was not special place, closing her emails to give the discussion life, and a bandwagon idea. Rachel was in French in response to my how to approach grading both astounded when she discovered “abrazos fuerte.” She modeled a in terms of use of time and that an instructor at her culture of giving time, talent, ensuring students received institution was hired to teach and resources through her useful feedback. The fact that I double the load of tenure faculty mentorship, scholarship, and was not studying French his- at half the pay. I asked her, service. She gave the CCWH a tory nor that she had no “Did you really not know that new purpose. Like the many obligation to my studies, did salaries and teaching loads for brilliant women historians who not interfere with my weekly non-tenure track faculty did not led the CCWH, Rachel led with office visits and all that she was mirror that of tenure-track her heart, her mind, her willing to share with and teach faculty?” She had not stopped to intellect, and her passion. Her me. Rachel saw an opportunity think about the disparity, until legacies, should we follow to ensure that I would find she heard the story from a them, will lead us to a stronger success in the classroom and recently hired lecturer. The idea and more humane organization. made it her concern. She embarrassed her for her depart-

walked me through my frustra- ment and angered her sense of

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Kate Imy for her article titled, “Queering the Martial Races: Notes from the Masculinity, Sex and Circum- Executive Director cision in the Twentieth-Century British Indian Army.” Sandra Trudgen Dawson, The first Carol Gold Award Executive Director, CCWH for Best Article goes to Cara Delay for her article, “Women, Dear CCWH Members, Childbirth Customs, and Author- ity in Ireland, 1850-1930.” Sandra Trudgen Dawson By now you should have The CCWH/Berks Graduate received a reminder about Student Fellowship goes this The luncheon and celebrate with membership renewal for 2017. year to Mary Klann for her our award winners. At the Please renew as soon as you dissertation, “Citizens with luncheon, our keynote speaker can, as this will allow the Reservations: Race, Coloni- is Rebecca Plant, President of officers and Executive Board to alism, and Native American the Western Association of plan and budget for next year. Citizenship in the Mid-Twen- Women Historians and winner Many of you have taken tieth Century American West.” of the Berkshire Conference of advantage of the three-year An honorable mention for the Women Historians best article memberships that we intro- award goes to Kathryn Lawton award. The title of Rebecca’s duced this year. This is a great for her dissertation, “Deinstitu- talk is, “Race, Motherhood, and way to stay updated for three tionalization and Disability the Commemoration of Amer- years without having to Rights: Policy and Activism in ica’s World War I Dead.” remember to renew again until New York State.” The CCWH is sponsoring and late 2019 for 2020! The Idea B. Wells Graduate co-sponsoring a number of other We have heard from all the Student Fellowship goes this panels at the AHA including “A CCWH award committees year to Alisha J. Hines for her Question of Intent: Alcoholic about the 2016 winners. There dissertation, “Geographies of Insanity, Violence and the Law were so many great appli- Freedom: Black Women’s Mo- in 19th Century America,” “New cations this year and so we also bility in the Western River Directions in Gender and have several honorable men- World, 1814-1865.” An honor- Women’s History: China, Japan, tions. The richness and diver- able mention was awarded to and the U.S.,” Job Workshop sity of topics suggests CCWH Jessica Blake for “A Taste for for Historians, “Strategies for members will be leaders in Africa: Imperial Fantasy and Teaching the History of Fashion their fields! I would like to Clothing Commerce in Revolu- and Dress,” and “Consumption, congratulate all of our 2016 tionary-Era New Orleans. Rationing, Boycotting, and winners: I would like to thank all the National Identity: Britain at The Catherine Prelinger members of each selection War, 1939-45.” Award goes to Frances Reanae committee for their service to Once again, the CCWH the McNeal for her dissertation, the organization and their Berks, and the Committee on “African Native American dedicated approach to each LGBTQ History will unite to Women’s Rhetorics of Sur- application. Thank you all so host a reception on Friday, vivance: Decolonization and much! January 6th at the Hyatt Social Transformation.” Hon- Most of the awardees will be Regency. This is always a good orable mentions go to three attending the CCWH Annual time to meet others from dif- members, Courtney Campbell, Award Luncheon at the AHA in ferent organizations. I do hope Lara Freidenfelds, and Lily Denver on January 7, 2017. The you will join us there. Anne Welty Tamai. cost of the tickets for the Please contact me with any The Nupur Chaudhuri Award luncheon is $40. If you plan to questions, concerns, or ideas – First Article Award goes to attend the AHA, please come to [email protected]. INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

Membership funding for conference and research travel. For some, the Programs & host program may mean the Opportunities difference between remaining active in the profession or not. Ilaria Scaglia Second, and equally important, Membership Coordinator this program represents a mean- ingful step towards supporting a On behalf of the Member- model of academia centered not ship Outreach Committee, it is on competition, but on col- with great joy that I present to legiality. Indeed, the host pro- Ilaria Scaglia you the first map with all of the gram signals inclusion and is a locations covered by our new welcome sign to colleagues search trip and wish to stay with CCWH HOST program. In regardless of rank or affiliation. a host, please contact our HOST each of the places marked on It is also a model other asso- Program Coordinator, Dr. the map below, we have at least ciations might consider fol- Jennifer Allen, at host@the one CCWH member willing to lowing. ccwh.org. Don’t hesitate! This host another CCWH member Our thanks go to all those who is a great opportunity not only who may be attending a con- volunteered to open their homes, to defray costs, but also to meet ference or conducting a short and especially to Dr. Jennifer fellow CCWH members! archival trip. Hudson Allen who agreed to If you wish to sign up as a This is a substantial step serve as Coordinator for this host, please fill out the form on towards fulfilling CCWH’s important program and created the same webpage. The Host mission to support women in the first version of this map, and Program Coordinator will give history. Indeed, this program to Erin Bush who refined it and your name to any member who has the potential of being made it available on our contacts her looking for a place transformational for many of website. to stay. Members would com- us. First, it can provide sub- If you have plans to travel to municate directly with each stantial financial help to those any of these cities for a other and make final arrange- without access to institutional conference and/or for a short re- ments on lodging. The CCWH Host Program Coordinator would only connect Hosts and Guests; individuals would ul- timately be responsible for any specific agreements made. Don’t hesitate! You do not need to offer luxurious lodgings to become a host. A welcoming smile can do wonders, and any additional peg on this map makes the future just a little bit brighter for all of us. And remember to view the link to the map at http://theccwh.org/re- sources/host-program/.

CCWH HOST Program Map 5 Public History cation of the new museum. Supporters of placing the new Forum museum on the National Mall, Sarah Case including President Bush, pre- vailed, and the museum is Public History Coordinator situated on part of the grounds of the Washington Monument. The choice of the site near the The National Museum of popular National Museum of African American History Natural History and National and Culture Museum of American History meant both convenience and Sarah Case In September, the Smith- symbolic resonance, but also sonian Institution officially put restrictions on the architects, artisans. NMAAHC director, opened its newest museum, the who were required to create a Lonnie Bunch, intentionally National Museum of African building that did not intrude hoped to create a “darker American History and Culture upon the view from the Capitol building” that pointed to how (NMAAHC). The museum, to the Lincoln Memorial. Americans “undervalue, ne- first proposed in 1915 by black The architect, the Ghanaian glect, overlook” black history union veterans, overcame years Britain, David Adjaye, made and black Americans, but one of indifference and opposition this constraint a virtue. Al- that also speaks to “resiliency within Congress and the Smith- though lower than other muse- and uplift.” Although low and sonian itself until finally re- ums on the Mall (many of its somewhat set back from the ceiving support of key mem- exhibit floors are underground), Mall, the building is visually bers of Congress, including the building makes a strong stunning. Representative John Lewis of statement. The building is a The museum began with a Georgia, a new director of the step pyramid, covered with in- mission – interpret African Smithsonian, and of President tricate metal work (aluminum American history and a central George W. Bush in 2003. Part covered with bronze), meant to part of American history – but of the controversy was the lo- invoke the handiwork of slave no objects. Much of the collec-

The NMAAHC Building. Alan Karchmer/NMAAHC. INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH Public History Forum (cont.)

tion consists of objects asso- ciated with major figures in black history and culture – Ella Fitzgerald’s dress, Chuck Berry’s Cadillac, Nat Turner’s bible. But much of it is from local communities and tells a quieter, but no less compelling story. The new museum used “history harvesting” or com- munity collecting to encourage potential donors to give part of their family history to the museum, to view their personal treasures as part of American history. As such, it displays objects that interpret individual experience as part of the Red Cadillac Eldorado owned by Chuck Berry, 1973. Collection of the national story. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History Culture, Gift of The museum is immense. Charles E. Berry. Although I spent a good part of The exhibit follows chrono- the startlingly small tents that two days visiting it, I still did logically, next covering the up to twenty freedmen and not see everything. The lower expansion of slavery in colonies women used as shelter in floors of the museum interpret and the new United States. It is contraband camps. A slave cab- history, and the upper floors careful to demonstrate black in used well after the end of the culture. To access the history agency, and not only black war further underscores the lack floor, visitors descend by ele- victimization, highlighting sto- of full autonomy and financial vator. Once there, they con- ries such as that of Anthony stability endured by freedmen front the early modern world Johnson (an enslaved African and women. and the emergence of trans- who purchased his freedom and Postwar themes of the tenu- atlantic slavery. One side of the became a land-owner in Mary- ousness of freedom are demon- room displays African objects, land) and Revolutionary War strated with a prison tower from the other European. To the side participants, on both sides of the Angola State Prison in Loui- is a small, dark room holding conflict. The paradox of the siana that looms over text that parts of the São José Paquete thoughts and actions of Thomas explains the convict labor Africa, a Portuguese slave ship. Jefferson as well as the promises system. Segregation, lynching, Director Bunch made finding and contradictions of the lan- and racist popular culture and displaying a slave ship one guage of the Revolution, are receive attention, as do the of his primary goals, and the given special attention. Indeed, growth of education, women’s NMAAHC worked with sev- paradox, rather than linear pro- club activism, and black-owned eral U.S. and African museums gress, acts as the major theme of businesses. Journalist and re- to locate and authenticate the the history galleries. The inter- former Ida B. Wells receives ship. Nearby hand and neck pretation of the Civil War particular attention. Here, too, cuffs, some sized to fit chil- presented the idea of self- the exhibit creates a complicat- dren, are displayed. emancipation, but also displayed ed story highlighting progress

7 Public History visitors come in family groups, on the military, sports, and ac- and seemed to be engaged in tivism. Especially compelling Forum (cont.) wide-ranging conversations in- was a room focused on famed spired by the exhibit. educator and civil rights activist as well as ongoing struggle and Upstairs, the fourth floor Mary McLeod Bethune which discrimination. focuses on culture and presents was styled like a club room, Rising upward, physically rooms on music, dance, theater, complete with a table upon and symbolically, visitors television, movies, and fine arts, which were cards inviting encounter the Civil Rights as well as displays on food- visitors to share their social Movement. Video and aural ways, gesture, language, beauty concerns. recordings enliven this section, products, colorism, and other If this sounds a bit over- perhaps the most uplifting of topics. The music room gives whelming, it can be. It is worth the history exhibit. At an attention to everything from planning to spend extensive interactive exhibit, visitors sit blues, jazz, R&B, and hip-hop, time at the museum, or visit at a long counter, invoking a to country and hard-core. more than once. Although, the lunch counter and displayed Genres of music indebted to current advance ticket reser- next to stools from the black artists, but not always vation, now sold out through Greensboro, North Carolina associated with them. These March as of this newsletter’s sit-ins, and are encouraged to areas use video extensively and publication, makes this difficult. think of themselves as partici- visitors clearly enjoyed finding This speaks to the thor- pants in the ongoing struggle. particular artists, television oughness, and accomplishment, Among the most memorable shows, and other popular cul- of the museum and its curators, objects is a striking display of ture favorites. The floor below which in turn speaks to the small pieces of stained glass includes an interpretation of complexity of the African from the Sixteenth Street local place, as well as exhibits American experience. Baptist Church. These are quiet objects that speak to the horror of the bombing. The final section interprets a “changing America” since 1968, including Black Power, the candidacy of Shirley Chisholm, hip-hop as a musical and social movement, and the presidency of Barack Obama. Themes of ongoing struggles over education and housing are included, as well as the Black Lives Matter Movement. Throughout the exhibit, incorporation of current schol- arship in black history is evident. Notably, many visitors photograph not only objects, but also text panels, and discuss them with their com- panions. This is something curators hope for, but do not Shards of glass from the 16th Street Baptist Church. Collection of the always achieve. Indeed, many Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Trumpauer-Mulholland Collection.

INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

EM: To begin with, how many Graduate News job cycles did you participate Erin McCullugh in?

Graduate Representative TM: Two – once when I was conceivably close to finishing “Don’t Take It Personally” and by the end of the academic Other Suggestions From An year, and once when I had de- Academic Job Market Survivor fended my completed disser- tation, but had not yet been Erin McCullugh We have all heard the general awarded the Ph.D. advice: You can expect the line, and had the satisfaction of competition to be fierce. You EM: Did you look for jobs checking them off the list when will need new clothing. Be sure outside of academia? applications were submitted! not to wear bright colors or distracting accessories. Expect TM: I did not. I applied to a EM: During your first cycle, the application process to be variety of academic jobs and you were still working on enormously disruptive to your postdocs, and figured if nothing finishing your dissertation. personal and scholarly life. Be worked out I would then begin Were you also teaching while prepared to receive little or no applying for non-academic applying for jobs? notice about the status of your jobs. But don’t be like me! application or whether or not Definitely start thinking – early TM: Both years were crazy. you have been removed from and often – about other ways in My first year on the market I consideration. Be prepared to which you could apply the was fortunate to have a com- try again. skills acquired during graduate pletion fellowship, so I wasn’t The decline in federal and school to other careers. teaching, but juggling different state funding for public uni- types of applications and fin- versities coupled with the rise EM: Organization and tracking ishing the dissertation (while al- in hiring adjunct professors has – whether for research or so being abroad) took up much led some to compare landing a applications – always seems to more time than I anticipated. In tenure track job to unicorn be tricky. How did you manage my second year, I had a research hunting, and an entire industry your different types of appli- fellowship in the fall, while has sprung up around preparing cations for, example, post-docs, writing applications, and was graduate students for the research universities, or teach- teaching two courses in winter, market. There are many dif- ing colleges? Did you find any while going on campus visits. ferent approaches and opinions specific type of software help- Luckily, by the time the dis- on how to “succeed” on the job ful? sertation was finished; other- market. wise, I think I would have slept Unfortunately, there is no TM: I’m a big fan of Evernote. even less than I did already! fail-proof strategy to getting It’s free, and it allows you to There’s no way around it: it’s a hired. With this in mind, I clip entire webpages to specific stressful time, and, with any recently sat down with Pro- folders on your computer or luck, probably one of your fessor Tessa Murphy, a recent phone or tablet, making it easier busiest in grad school. I was PhD graduate from the Uni- to verify all relevant details in able to cluster my teaching so versity of Chicago and newly one place. I organized different that campus visits didn’t inter- minted Assistant Professor of applications into subfolders ac- fere with my ability to be there History at Syracuse University cording to type (job, postdoc, for my students, and was for- to talk about her recent ex- etc.). Within each application tunate that a campus visit during perience navigating the aca- folder, I organized individual my first year on the market demic job market. job ads chronologically by dead provided a job talk template for 9

life audience. Gather feedback should remember that just Graduate from specialists as well as because you may not have been News (cont.) people outside your field. If at the right person for a specific all possible, try out the talk position, doesn’t mean you’re those I gave in year two. with non-historians (your fam- not a great person and scholar in ily, your friends, colleagues in general. EM: What was your timeline other departments) at least like for looking? For example, once. They can be a great gauge EM: What would be your one how early did you start look- of whether you’re providing an piece of advice for someone ing? When does the market engaging, easy to follow argu- who is on the market for the actually start? And were there ment. And get some sleep. first time? any places you found jobs that our readers might not readily EM: What was the most TM: See above. Also, don’t get look? surprising aspect of the campus too attached to a specific visit? Or an interview question position, especially before TM: I would recommend get- that caught you off guard? you’ve even interviewed for it! ting your general materials It’s certainly worth seriously (teaching and research state- TM: Probably just how dif- considering whether you would ment, general cover letter) in ferent each visit can be. Some want to live in a specific place order over the summer, so that places are primarily interested or be part of a given community when job ads start to appear in in your research, others want to before you apply to a tenure- August and September you’re know how you would teach track job there, but try not to get ready to tailor your application their particular student body, ahead of yourself. I’ve known to specific positions. Appli- and still others are very in- people who start browsing real cation due dates seemed to vested in how you would fit estate ads right after clicking cluster in mid-September and into or complement the existing “submit” and that strikes me as mid- to late October, with a academic community. There’s a recipe for disappointment. few trickling in around Novem- no one-size-fits-all model, and ber. You can generally breathe, preparation is your best friend. EM: Now that you have or work furiously on the dis- transitioned from graduate sertation, in December. Then, EM: What was the best piece student to assistant professor, in January, after the AHA, of advice you received before what has been the most things start up again, either going on the market? challenging or surprising part of with campus visits or with your first year? applications for postdocs and TM: Don’t take it personally. I VAPs advertised later. think for a lot of people apply TM: Things continue to be for jobs is a very trying time incredibly busy. I had the naïve EM: The campus visit and job psychologically. In addition to idea that once I got a job, things talk. It’s what everyone hopes stress and lack of sleep, what would calm down a little. How for, but also one of the most you’ve been working on for wrong I was! But, I’m loving stressful aspects of the process. years is now open to scrutiny. all the things that accompany Do you have any suggestions Every rejection, or, more often, the transition from grad student for preparing for the campus total lack of response, can feel to assistant professor – advising visit? like a judgment on the value of students, planning new courses, your work, and it’s hard not to seeing the inner workings of the TM: Practice, practice, prac- get down about it. But there are department. And having my tice! Take as many opportu- so many reasons why one own office is pretty great too! nities as you can to actually de- doesn’t get a particular job, or, liver your job talk before a real- in this market, any job, and you INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

to adjust to the aspects of our advice I read in blogs such as Guest profession that require me to The Professor Is In, I do take make a case for myself. I am exception to the unforgiving Column also in favor of a more world they portray, one in Ilaria Scaglia inclusive – rather than a which a bad haircut or a casual Membership Coordinator cutthroat, competitive, and conversation dragged too long exclusionary – approach to at a conference (both offenses I success in academia. Yet, I am certainly prone to commit) recognize the need, and even represent an irreversible faux Of “Meat Markets” and the merit, of putting forth one’s pas that jeopardizes one’s Similar Metaphors: One case. chances to succeed. I know for Woman’s View A precious piece of advice sure that academia offers many once came from an older col- opportunities for frank conver- I was talking to a colleague league, indeed, a woman, who sations and sincere friendships, about presenting a paper at the pointed out that I was not many of which I am privileged AHA this year, and she re- “promoting” or “selling” my- to enjoy, and most people will marked on how much she self, but only my work and my not be as unforgiving as they are avoids this conference as it ideas. I was preparing my first often made out to be. Also, reminds her of the job market annual review at the time, and I associations such as the CCWH days – the “meat market,” she confessed to her I felt uncom- stand witness to the fact that called it, a moment in her fortable “bragging” about what many scholars are willing to career she gladly left behind. I had done. She suggested volunteer time, energy, and At a different venue, during a thinking of it as “justifying my money to help others succeed. talk, another young female expense of taxpayers’ money,” Such service, it seems to me, scholar quipped about her own and that did the trick. I surely represents the best alternative to dislike of “prostitution” while felt confident in making the corporate models many of us referring to the process of strongest possible case for dislike. The “meat market” talk, applying for funding to finish supporting public education in however, has to go, first because her project. I heard similar Georgia. After that conversa- it effectively discourages wom- language from mentees, grad- tion I actually enjoyed the rest en from putting themselves uate students, and even young of the review process and I felt forth and, second, because it colleagues, as they justified not comfortable in my own skin might just turn into a self- applying for something. I can- while standing behind my fulfilling prophecy. not help wondering about the work. gendered aspects of these Recently, a prominent schol- metaphors, about the fact that ar, also a woman, commented most often – if only anecdotally on the “prostitution” metaphor – I hear them from women, and by pointing out that the alter- about the effect of this mindset native to marketing oneself is on their professional expe- “being sold” arbitrarily by rience. somebody else. If only to stand I am not foreign to the uneasy against the “Pygmalion” model feelings that might arise while of academia, “self-marketing” in the process of putting forth surely represents a more em- one’s candidacy. I come from powering alternative. Italy, a cultural environment Embracing such process does where self-promotion is fre- not have to devolve into a neo- quently scorned as superbia liberal, corporate approach. For and arroganza, and I struggled as much as I am grateful for the 11

reference entries, book reviews, Member and journal articles. Her active publication career deals exten- Spotlight sively on nationalism, women’s rights, women’s liberation, Editor’s Note: In each issue, Turkish-U.S. relations, trans- we spotlight members of the national feminism, and travel CCWH to highlight our mem- literature. Most recently, she bers’ varied backgrounds, completed two smaller pieces fields of study, experience, and “Failing New Women: Anne geographic locations. Spot- Shirley’s Legacy, The New lighting members from across Woman, and World War I” and the CCWH spectrum reflects “Importing the Ethnic: Vo- Debashree Mukherjee the diversity of our mem- yeurism on Your Dinner Plate” bership. (concerning the permeation of Debashree Mukherjee is an American Chinese food). Both Assistant Professor in the are due out in the ensuing year. Department of Middle Eastern, She also maintains an active South Asian, and African Stud- publishing career outside of ies at Columbia University. Her academia and serves as co-chair research and teaching centers on of the European Association of the history of modern South American Studies Women’s Asian visual cultures and indus- Steering Committee. This past tries, with a focus on late colo- summer she crafted travel nial Bombay cinema. Debash- ree draws her methodological writing while spelunking in the Iowa’s Women’s Archives and inspirations from feminist film the Oregon State University historiography, archival ethno- Annessa Ann Babic Archives, as she and her co- graphy, media archaeology, and writer, Tanfer Emmin Tunc, technology studies. Her current Annessa Ann Babic is an have been crafting a discursive book project, Cinema and the adjunct professor and freelance examination of food safety, ac- Practice of Modernity, presents writer, and she was the tivism, and grassroots women’s a cultural history of early coordinator for Interdiscipli- voices. This project – “Safety Bombay cinema (1920s-1940s) nary Studies at a small, private for Our Souls” – has received that privileges material practice, college. She holds a PhD in funding from several libraries. circuits of work, and technol- American History from the Independently, Annessa is near- ogies of production. State University of New York ing completion of her next Debashree received her Ph.D at Stony Brook. Her research academic and popular venture in Cinema Studies from New interests and specialization that explores cultural diversity, York University (2015), and centers on women’s studies, travel narratives, and the holds an M.Phil degree in cultural history, and trans- economic structure of tourism Cinema Studies from the School national studies with a par- on women in the Aegean Sea of Arts & Aesthetics, Jawaharlal ticular emphasis on the Modern region. Nehru University (2009), and an Middle East and U.S. – Turk M.A. in Mass Communication relations. from Jamia Millia Islamia Uni- She is the author of numerous versity (2004). Select publica- books – the most recent being tions include “Creating Cine- Comics as History, Comics as ma’s Reading Publics: The Literature – and book chapters, Emergence of Film Journalism INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

Member The CCWH at the AHA Spotlight (cont.) Denver – January 5-8, 2017

The CCWH co-sponsors a reception and a number of sessions at the AHA, as well as conducting its Annual Business Meeting and in Bombay,” in No Limits: hosting its Annual Awards Luncheon. Join us at these events. Media Studies from India (2013), “Scandalous Evidence: Thursday, January 5th Looking for the Bombay Film Actress in an Absent Archive,” 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. – Colorado Convention Center, Room 302. Session in Doing Women’s Film His- 1, Joint with the Alcohol and Drugs History Society. A Question of th tory: Reframing Cinema’s Past Intention: Alcoholic Insanity, Violence, and the Law in 19 Century and Future (2015), and “Track- America ing Utopias: Technology, La- 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. – Hyatt Regency Denver, Limestone Room. CCWH bor, and Secularism in Bombay Annual Business Meeting Cinema,” in Media/ Utopia (2016). 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. – Hyatt Regency Denver, Mineral Hall C. Session 2, Trained as a filmmaker, Joint with the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians. Women’s Debashree previously worked History Organizations: Regional and National Collaboration in Bombay’s film and tele- vision industries as an assistant Friday, January 6th director, cameraperson, and writer. In 2013, she curated an 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. – Colorado Convention Center, Mile High exhibition of Indian film Ballroom 4C. Session 3, Joint with the AHA Committee and the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians. New Directions in ephemera titled Maya Mahal, Gender and Women’s History: China, Japan, and the U.S. and is actively involved in digital humanities initiatives 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Hyatt Regency Denver, Centennial Ball- such as the indiacine.ma online room D. Session 4, Joint with the AHA. Job Workshop for Historians annotation platform. She is currently an editor with the 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Colorado Convention Center, Room 401. peer reviewed journal Bio- Session 5, Joint with the AHA. Strategies for Teaching the History of Scope: South Asian Screen Fashion and Dress Studies. 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. – Hyatt Regency Denver, Capitol Ballroom 1. LGBTQ Historians’ Reception, Joint with the AHA Committee on LGBTQ Status in the Profession; the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians; and the Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History

Saturday, January 7th

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Colorado Convention Center, Room 402. Session 6, Joint with the AHA and the North American Conference on British Studies. Consumption, Rationing, Boycotting, and National Identity: Britain at War, 1939-45

12:00 - 1:30 p.m. – Hyatt Regency Denver, Mineral Hall A. CCWH Annual Awards Luncheon

13 In Memoriam Arizona, on whose board she women at the time – as agents had served. in their own lives, operating Colleagues and friends from against the constraining limits Rachel Ginnis Fuchs throughout the history com- of their society. Her insights 1939-2016 munity have offered their in other books, notably Con- condolences and remembrances. tested Paternity: Constructing The Coordinating Council for Pamela Stewart noted, “We will Families in Modern France, Women in History recognizes miss her laughter, intellectual demonstrated the ways in the life and work of its past Co- rigor, service, and mentoring, which power and knowledge President, Rachel G. Fuchs but commit to all four.” operated in surprising and (1939-2016). Sandra Trudgen Dawson complex ways. She had a way Formally retired from Ari- remembers Rachel as “a warm of reading and interpreting zona State University in 2015, and generous person who gave against the grain, disrupting Rachel continued her scholar- her love and talents joyfully. assumptions, and arriving at ship unabated. Late 2016 will Rachel had the ability to make a innovative conclusions. I see the publication of another deep impression on the lives of admired the ways in which co-edited book by Rachel, her colleagues and friends. Rachel found the human Gender and Citizenship in Rachel was a professional with a stories within the historical Historical and Transnational big heart. When she was co- context in nuanced and Perspectives. She also had two president of the CCWH, she insightful ways that bridged other books in the works. taught me and mentored me the distance between us in the Rachel’s career track repre- with care and kindness. Rachel present moment and those who sented the “non-traditional” often edited my letter drafts and lived in the past. As a col- path recognized by the CCWH helped my professional develop- league, Rachel was extraor- Catherine Prelinger Award, but ment profoundly. Rachel was dinarily generous of her time, at a time when the term did not caring, helpful, and a really she freely shared her enthu- exist. While raising her chil- excellent editor. I will miss her siasm and good humor, and she dren, Mindy and Daniel, she immensely.” gave sincere and concrete sup- completed her Ph.D. from Sara L. Kimble responded to port to younger scholars. She Indiana University in 1980, the news of Rachel’s passing was a warm, delightful, witty always partnered with her with these thoughts: “Rachel person. I am grateful for all husband, Norman, since high Fuchs was one of the most our conversations, exchanges school days. important influences on my in- about my works in progress, Her award-winning 2009 tellectual development as a meals shared, and the bonds of monograph, Contested Pater- scholar of French history with friendship. I am thankful for nity: Constructing Families in an emphasis in socio-legal his- my shared time with Rachel on Modern France (Johns Hop- tory. In graduate school, I read this planet. I will miss her kins), followed Poor and Preg- Rachel’s book, Poor and Preg- profoundly.” nant in Paris: Strategies for nant in Paris and it changed the And, finally, Cassia Roth Survival in the 19th Century and way I thought about historical adds, “Rachel Fuchs was a Abandoned Children: Found- evidence. In this book, Rachel dedicated and brilliant scholar lings and Child Welfare in 19th examined the discrete acts that and a compassionate mentor. Century France. Her numerous constituted “strategies for sur- When I experienced tragedy works brought women’s lives vival” among vulnerable women and loss in my personal life, to the forefront of her analysis. in the broader landscapes of the Rachel supported me and As her personal feminism in- 19th century French society. urged me to continue in my tertwined inseparably with her Rachel’s analysis of such acts as academic endeavors. I will scholarship, her family has re- leaving infants secretly at miss her.” quested any donations to be foundling homes helped us gain made to Planned Parenthood insight into the options open to INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

University of Southern California, and Tulane Author’s Corner University.

Editor’s Note: As part of a new feature for Insights, How did you become interested in writing a we are interviewing authors of fiction and non- book on the women who worked as “computers” fiction books of interest to our membership. If you at the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL)? are an author, or would like to nominate an author to be interviewed, contact [email protected]. I came across their stories by chance in 2010. My With this issue, Whitney Leeson and M’Elise husband and I were expecting our first baby and Salomon interview Nathalia Holt about her latest having a difficult time coming up with baby names. work, Rise of the Rocket Girls. When my husband suggested the name Eleanor Frances, I decided to Google the name and was intrigued to find a woman named Eleanor Frances Helin pop up in my search. A photograph taken of her in the 1960s revealed she worked at NASA as a scientist at a place called the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. I realized I had never heard of women who worked at NASA during this period in history. After contacting the NASA archives, I learned that there were many women who worked at the lab during that period and soon became obsessed with finding them.

How did you find the women who worked at JPL? And how did you decide which women to interview?

Nathalia Holt It wasn’t easy to find them. NASA had lost most of their names and had no contact information for Today, we are interviewing Nathalia Holt, author them. It took countless phone calls all over the of Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who country to track them down. I interviewed as many Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars. as possible, but, unfortunately, due to space constraints, I wasn’t able to include all their stories Hi Nat. Thank you for fitting this interview into in the book. However, all their memories helped your busy travel schedule. inform the narrative.

Can you please tell our CCWH members a little Tell us about the process of interviewing the about yourself and your background? various Rocket Girls. How many female “com- puters” did you interview? How long were your I’m a science writer and the author of two books: interviews on average? What types of questions Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled did you ask? And, where are the oral histories Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars (Little, you collected currently stored? Brown, 2016) and Cured: The People who Defeated HIV (Penguin Random House, 2014). My work has I interviewed more than 30 women over many appeared in numerous publications including The hours. A few of the women I focused on for the New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The book I spent years of weekly phone calls in order Atlantic, Slate, Popular Science, and Time. I have a to get their stories completely documented. After Ph.D in microbiology and have trained at the Ragon all, these are careers that span five decades! All of Institute of MGH, MIT, Harvard University, the the oral histories, both recordings and transcripts, 15 Author’s Corner (cont.)

are still in my possession, but I hope to make them publically available at some point.

During your interviews, were the Rocket Girls more eager to talk about their work at JPL or their personal lives and relationships with each other? Were some areas of questioning off-limits because of the nature of their work?

The women were eager to discuss all aspects of their work and their personal lives. I was careful to make sure they felt comfortable with the personal details that were included in the final book.

What are one or two favorite stories you heard The JPL computers at work in 1955. Courtesy from the Rocket Girls? NASA/JPL-Caltech

Too many to count! One of my favorites is how the It’s a wonderful experience to write about science Voyager mission was saved from budget cuts in a and technology for a book such as this one and I single weekend by hard work and a daring trajectory really appreciated being able to explore these that included gravity assist. classic missions of space exploration that are such a vital piece of our American history from a Have you received much feedback about the book completely different perspective. from the women you interviewed? What do they think? Do you think the close institutional connections existing between JPL and Caltech made the I’m still in contact with many of the women today Rocket Girls work experience exceptional and consider them my friends. It’s been very especially when compared to that of other rewarding to see how pleased they are with the private contracting firms? publication of the book. I’ve been fortunate enough to do several interviews and events with them since JPL, even today, is very different than other publication and it is very rewarding to see the NASA centers. It’s always had a more casual, response to the book and their incredible careers. academic vibe, and I’m convinced that this, combined with other factors, are the reason the What was the biggest challenge you faced in women were given so much responsibility and writing Rise of the Rocket Girls? made the lab’s earliest computer programmers.

Having a baby halfway through writing the If you had the opportunity to interview one manuscript! individual you were unable to do so for the book, who would you choose and why? As a professional microbiologist, did you enjoy writing a popular history and how did the The answer is easy: Eleanor Frances Helin, whose experience differ from your other book-length story inspired my journey, but who sadly passed projects? What sources did you find most away one year before I came across her name. valuable in historically contextualizing the time period? INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

Author’s Corner (cont.)

Both you and Margot Lee Shetterly published Join us for books about women in the field of mathematics The Seventeenth and aeronautics within months of each other. Why do you think you were both attracted to a Berkshire Conference similar topic at roughly the same time. on the History of Women,

This is a funny coincidence, particularly as it Genders, and Sexualities seems we both started our research the same year, 2010. I love Shetterly’s book and feel so fortunate that we have both been able to document the histories of these incredible women. Image: “Native New Yorker” by Pura Cruz, 2006. Used courtesy of Cliff Jernigan. Diffi cult Conversations: Thinking and Talking About Women, Genders, What advice would you give educators and and Sexualities Inside and Outside the Academy employers trying to encourage women to pursue a career in the STEM fields? June 1-4, 2017 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY Registration opens October 2016. We are fortunate enough to have many great Visit hofstra.edu/BC2017 for complete conference details. female role models in the sciences for young Questions: Please contact us at [email protected] for more information. women today. By recognizing the women in history who have accomplished so much, not just at NASA, but throughout the STEM fields, we Ad_HU_BerkshireConf_Final.indd 1 9/13/16 4:44 PM can inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. Berkshire Conference

What advice would you give to historians The 2017 Berkshire Conference program committee has thinking about writing a popular history? reopened submissions for the Poster Session at the 2017 Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, Genders and Sexualities, Long Island, New York, June 1-4, 2017. Proposals Do it! Bringing history to new readers is are due by December 5, 2016. incredibly rewarding. Submissions are welcome on any topic related to the theme of the conference “Difficult Conversations: Thinking and Talking How can readers discover more about Rise of about Women, Genders, and Sexualities Inside and Outside the Academy.” the Rocket Girls as well as more about the next The poster session aims to provide scholars with a space to book project you have on the horizon? share and discuss current research and to present work in formats that cannot easily be accommodated in a regular panel My website is a great source of information: session. Undergraduate students, graduate students, non- www.nathaliaholt.com. I am working on another affiliated scholars, activists, and those not already on the conference program are strongly encouraged to apply. book project, but am not quite ready to reveal the Presenters of conventional posters will be required to format topic. and print their own poster, which should not exceed the limit of 36” x 48.” Further guidelines and information will be provided upon selection. Whitney and M’Elise have also penned book Please email a 250-word abstract and a one page c.v. that includes your name, affiliation, and contact information reviews of both Nathalia Holt’s book and Margot to [email protected] with the subject heading “poster ses- Lee Shetterly’s book beginning on page 18 of this sion proposal.” For further information about poster guidelines issue. see www.berksconference.org.

17

Book Reviews the early 1950s. The all-white Prince Edward County main- school board refused to address tained segregated schools for complaints about classroom four years after Brown, but in conditions and overcrowding May 1959, an appellate court until student Barbara Johns led a ordered the county to integrate walk-out in protest. After the schools by September. Instead, school superintendent insisted the County Board of Super- the schools were equal, Johns visors closed all public schools. met with NAACP lawyers who Green’s section entitled, “The took the case on the condition Lost Generation,” begins with that they sue for integration Green detailing her years of instead of equal facilities. The schooling at the Prince Edward students returned to class after Academy, which finally ad- two weeks and the NAACP filed mitted black students when she suit. In 1952, the Supreme was in eighth grade. She strug- Court took five cases including gles with the realization that the Davis et al. v. County School “well-mannered Southern gen- Kristen Green. Something Must Board of Prince Edward tlemen” she knew had so Be Done About Prince Edward County, combining them into callously closed the schools. County: A Family, a Virginia Brown v. Board, in which the When interviewing the retired Town, a Civil Rights Battle. Supreme Court declared segre- academy headmaster, Robert T. New York: Harper Collins, gation unconstitutional. Redd, he assures her “you 2015. 320 pp. ISBN 978-0-06- Green regularly interjects the would have voted for it, too.” 226867-9. $15.99. colonial, antebellum, and Civil Contemplating her own privi- War history of the county to lege, the author reflects, “I can’t Rachel Gunter explain the events of the 1950s help but wonder if what he says Texas A & M University and the present, even tying is true” (99). white fears of uprising in the Green again jumps to her Journalist Kristen Green calls 1950s to Nat Turner’s rebellion present struggle with where to this work “a hybrid of history in 1831 about a hundred miles enroll her own mixed race and memoir” (ix). It is both the away. This county history leads children in Richmond, Virginia. history of the author’s family in Green to the founding of the The public school district is Prince Edward County and the Defenders of State Sovereignty failing, but racially diverse. The county’s “massive resistance” and Individual Liberties, a group private school is mostly white, to Brown vs. Board of Edu- organized to maintain segre- middle or upper class, and cation by closing its public gation. County history and draining resources from public schools for five years. The Green family history blend schools. Green goes a little too book follows Green as she further when the author dis- far by comparing her choice grapples with racism, past and covers her grandfather’s name between a failing public school present, and her family’s role in amongst the list of Defenders. and a private school to her the closings. Green also does On May 31, 1955, the grandfather’s choice to shutter an admirable job of connecting Supreme Court handed down public schools. She recalls the events in Prince Edward Brown II ordering public Redd’s words: “You’d do the County to the larger Civil schools to integrate “with all same thing” and concludes, Rights Movement. deliberate speed.” In response, “He’s probably right” (131). The book is organized into white leaders founded the Prince After the public schools three sections. “Separate But Edward School Foundation, closed, money poured in from Not Equal” recalls the decrepit which would found the whites- segregationists and the foun- state of black public schools in only Prince Edward Academy. dation rented space in down- INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

Book activists banded together and white residents do not want to opened the Free Schools one remember. The battle to shape day after the Sixteenth Street the memory of the closings is Reviews (cont.) Church Bombing in Birming- apparent on anniversaries and at ham, making parents all the the local civil rights museum. town buildings, abandoned more nervous. Finally, on May Both scholarly and under- warehouses, and churches. 24, 1965, the Supreme Court graduate audiences will ap- The preparations were slap- ruled school closings uncon- preciate Green’s fascinating dash at best. It is striking stitutional. The court ordered contribution to local and what whites were willing to public, integrated schools o- national histories of the Civil suffer in order to maintain pened; ruled that district courts Rights Movement. segregation. Green argues that could require county supervisors the conditions that first se- to levy taxes for a county school mester were not substantially system; and outlawed Virginia’s different from those of the tuition grants for private edu- former black public schools, cation. That night, Prince Ed- but “white parents were ward County issued tuition willing for their children to grants to families of Academy endure these second-rate fa- students before the courts could cilities for the sake of an all- block them. The public schools white education.” (127). opened that fall with eight white The majority of this section students attending. explores the lives of students Green’s final section, “Inte- profoundly affected by the gration,” covers the further inte- school closings. Some older gration of the public schools and students were able to attend a the forced integration of the college that offered high Academy as well as the current school courses. Others, like state of both. In 1978, Prince Nathalia Holt. Rise of the the daughter of the Green’s Edward Academy lost its tax- Rocket Girls: The Women Who black housekeeper, were sent exempt status for failure to Propelled Us, From Missiles to away to live with relatives. desegregate. Facing financial the Moon to Mars. New York: Still many others were simply ruin, in 1984, the school Little, Brown and Company, unable to acquire an edu- integrated. Without segrega- 2016. 338 pp. ISBN 978-0-316- cation. They remained illi- tionists’ donations, it still strug- 33892-9. $27.00. terate and severely disad- gles financially. The Academy vantaged. Most of these also struggles to recruit non- Whitney Leeson and students were black, but poor white students, but their M’Elise Salomon whites lost years of education successful efforts at recruiting Roanoke College as well. Green traces the black athletes from the public illiteracy and anger that schools has not made them any In Rise of the Rocket Girls, persists within this generation. more trustworthy within the Nathalia Holt chronicles the In 1961, black parents filed black community. Green con- story of a group of ambitious Griffin v. County School cludes that the existence of the young women who began Board of Prince Edward Academy still negatively affects working as “human computers” County, while students and the public schools, siphoning off in the early 1940s at the Jet young adults engaged in direct resources and talent. Green also Propulsion Lab (JPL) in Pasa- action to integrate Prince reflects on how the county dena, California. These mathe- Edward County. In 1963, remembers the school closings, matically-minded women used black and white residents and and in particular how many mechanical pencils, slide rules, 19

Book out Rise of the Rocket Girls, tios for the group’s jet-assisted Holt keeps her narrative person- takeoff (JATO) trials. Soon after centered by providing the reader the Japanese attacked Pearl Reviews (cont.) with a brief description of each Harbor, Barby’s husband was woman’s family history, educa- promoted to engineer and JPL and logarithmic tables to tional background, and career hired additional women to keep calculate the extraordinarily path once hired by JPL. In up with the demands of long and complicated equa- micro-historical fashion, these calculating the potential of vari- tions essential to launching individual accounts allow the ous rocket propellants. While it rockets, satellites, and even- reader to reflect upon the larger took only seconds for a rocket tually men into outer space. social issues of reproductive engine to fire, analyzing a rock- Digital computers, as we control, equitability in employ- et’s thrust, rate of combustion, know the today, did not yet ment and marital relations, and and velocity took a week or exist and so engineers depend- changing gender roles in an era more for several human com- ed upon human computers to when most women did not work puters to accomplish by hand. get the numbers right for professionally. Taken together, During World War II, JPL’s rocketing heavy bombers, de- the rocket girls’ experiences group of human computers termining the orbits of satel- demonstrate how modern wom- became “distinctly female” (35). lites, and landing rovers on en struggled to care for children After JPL’s only male human Mars. The contribution of and maintain a home life while computer left to join the war these women to knowledge of working long, irregular hours in effort, Macie Roberts, head of our solar system is ines- a demanding, but rewarding, the computing department, en- timable and Holt deserves career. Their story is largely an acted a policy of female-only praise for bringing their story uplifting one, but social circum- hiring. Throughout the 1950s to the attention of the Amer- stances forced many rocket girls and 60s, she assiduously avoid- ican public. to leave JPL. Long commutes, ed the disruptive potential of Nathalia Holt’s research for lack of maternity leave, the men who viewed human com- Rise of the Rocket Girls is expectations that the demands of puting as an alternate route to based on extensive research in a spouse’s job trumped theirs, entering the more lucrative and the archives of NASA and divorce, and a limited family prestigious field of aeronautical JPL-Caltech as well as multi- and friends support network engineering. Firmly believing ple oral interviews with sur- were just some of the hurdles that men saw themselves “as viving rocket girls, including women had to overcome. bosses and women as employ- Barbara Paulson whose amaz- The story of the rocket girls ees – not the other way around” ing stories and keen memory begins with the establishment of (64), Macie hired only brilliant, rewarded Holt with much rich JPL itself. After one mishap too dedicated, and hard-working material. Structurally, Holt many, Caltech’s administrators women like Barbara Lewis, approaches her collective bio- asked an all-male group of Helen Ling, and Susan Finley. graphy chronologically, sub- rocket builders, known by the Together, they became a collab- dividing sections by decade – moniker as “the suicide squad,” orative, close-knit group of co- 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and to relocate their base of workers who “called themselves 1970s to the present. Every operations off campus. They the sisterhood” (164). Macie decade features several key selected a remote canyon in the Roberts also made the bold female figures whose long- scrubland north of Pasadena as decision to hire Janez Lawson, a term employment at JPL their new headquarters and young woman with a bachelor’s fundamentally shaped the invited Barby Canright, along degree in chemical engineering work experience and work with her husband, Richard, to from UCLA, who, in 1952, product of the company’s join the team. Barby worked became the first African Amer- human computers. Through- computing thrust-to-weight ra- ican hired for a professional po- INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

Book missions) while also calculating learned to write code, fix trajectories for the Apollo mis- programs, build computers, and (cont.) sions. The data they produced become masters of digital image Reviews transformed the design of our processing. Human computers nation’s future satellites, space like Sue Finley, NASA’s long- sition at JPL. Janez entered shuttles, and planetary probes. est serving woman (sixty-one an integrated workspace mak- Digital computers were still in years at JPL and still counting), ing calculations for the inertial their infancy in the 1960s and reinvented themselves becom- missile guidance system a- most engineers regarded them ing some of our nation’s first longside JPL’s other human with suspicion, preferring to rely and most talented computer computers in Building 122. upon the number-crunching a- programmers. Along the way, Janez, indeed, was a good bilities of the female computers they rewrote the rules for hire. Her proficiency in math- whose skill they recognized and women working in aeronautics ematics so impressed Macie appreciated when it came to big- and engineering by taking lead that she selected Janez as one data reduction. The women at roles in the design and of only two women sent to JPL worked tirelessly finding management of various NASA IBM for training on the com- trends in the calculations they projects ranging from comet pany’s first commercial scien- produced for engineers who research to deep space explo- tific computer, the behemoth needed to know things like the ration. In an era when the num- 701. maximum possible weight of a ber of women earning bache- spacecraft given a certain lor’s degrees in computer sci- trajectory. Helen Ling, who ence has declined sharply from succeeded Macie Roberts as 37 percent in 1984 to 18 percent head of JPL’s computing divi- in 2016, Nathalia Holt’s Rise of sion in the early 60s, succinctly the Rocket Girls not only fills an summed up the relationship be- obvious gap in the history of tween engineers and computers women in science, but also when she said “[e]ngineers serves as a timely reminder that make up the problems and we women once dominated a re- solve them” (166). In the one- search field now largely consid- As the 1950s gave way to and-done world of space ered unappealing to them. the 1960s, the Space Race launches, there was no room for (For further insight into Rise heated up and JPL’s ongoing error. Everyone had to get it of the Rocket Girls, see the involvement with rocket- right the first time and no interview of author Nathalia launched satellites cemented computer proved faster or more Holt on page 14 of this issue.) their interdependent relation- reliable than Helen and her ship with the NASA. The “girls.” human computers proved es- The increasing efficiency of sential personnel in America’s IBM computers in the 1970s, early spaceflight forays in- however, soon required human cluding the success of Ex- computers to develop new skill plorer 1, America’s first satel- sets in order to avoid the lay- lite and our answer to Sputnik. offs arising form an obsoles- The rocket girls worked hand cence that had all but eliminated in hand with male engineers JPL’s cadre of switchboard to launch a series of probes operators. With Helen’s encour- exploring the Moon (the agement, women in the com- Ranger series) as well as puting division enrolled in com- Venus and Mars (the Mariner puter science courses at Caltech, 21

Book and computers. Her close rela- Computing Unit, which was tionship to black NASA em- reserved for white women, and (cont.) ployees granted her unprec- the West Computing Unit, for Reviews edented insight into an other- black women. Vaughan quickly wise hidden story. In the intro- climbed the ranks of the West duction of Hidden Figures, Computing Unit, earning a Shetterly proclaims that she promotion to head of the West wants “to prove their existence computers. After the war, many and their talent in a way that computers received pink slips meant they would never again that relieved them of their war be lost to history” (xvii). jobs, but the women of the West Shetterly organizes Hidden Computing Unit found a way to Figures into two major sections. stay. They proved that “female First, she describes how Doro- research mathematicians were thy Vaughan, Katherine John- not just a wartime measure but a son, and Mary Jackson made powerful force that was about to their way to Langley. In 1943, help propel American aero- Margot Lee Shetterly. Hidden the United States government nautics beyond its previous Figures: The American appealed to people for help in limits” (76). Dream and the Untold Story the war effort. That same year, One of Shetterly’s major of the Black Women Mathe- President Roosevelt had deseg- arguments is that Langley pro- maticians Who Helped Win regated the defense industry, vided black women with a sense the Space Race. New York: which allowed African Amer- of equality in a highly seg- Harper Collins, 2016. 346 pp. ican women to apply for jobs at regated and unequal world. ISBN 978-0-06-236359-6. Langley and other labs across Once they left the West $27.99. the country (6). Vaughan, Computing Unit, however, it Johnson, and Jackson had all proved much more difficult for Whitney Leeson and grown up in rural Southern black women to traverse the fine M’Elise Salomon towns, graduated from histor- line between the equality of Roanoke College ically black colleges, excelled in their computing unit, the math and science, and taught in perceived progressivism of Margot Lee Shetterly seeks segregated schools. Heeding Langley, and the overtly seg- to revise America’s historical America’s call for help, regated world around them. narrative by telling the stories Vaughan, Johnson, Jackson, as Each woman dealt with these of Dorothy Vaughan, Kath- well as many other women, hardships in her own way. erine Johnson, and Mary made their way to Hampton to When Mary Jackson was work- Jackson – three of the African participate in the “Double V.” ing on a project in the East American women who They were waging two wars: Computing Unit and had to use worked in the West Com- one against the Axis Powers and the restroom, white women puting Unit of the Langley the other against racism at home laughed at the absurdity that Memorial Research Center. (32). they would ever need to know Not only were these three Langley desperately needed where her bathroom was. In a women instrumental in win- computers – people who could split second, Jackson had gone ning the Space Race, but they crunch the numbers and check from a computer of equal also defied gender and racial engineers’ calculations. Once standing to “a black girl whose boundaries. Shetterly grew up female mathematicians arrived piss was not good enough for in Hampton, Virginia, sur- at Langley, they were promptly the white pot” (108-9). Even rounded by African American sorted into one of two though Katherine Johnson was engineers, mathematicians, computing groups: the East acutely aware of the segregation INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

Book point: why have we forgotten sources and rich, oral interviews about the Rocket Girls of the could have easily created an (cont.) West Area Computing Unit? overwhelming and jumbled Reviews She claims that computing had storyline. Yet, Shetterly has transformed from an all-female produced a popular history that at Langley, once she arrived at occupation to a top-tier division is both educational and en- work, she viewed herself as an with expensive technology and gaging. equal and refused to feel the large operating budgets. Com- Hidden Figures offers readers weight of injustice thrust upon puting was no longer considered a personalized take on the her own shoulders (135). a suitable career for women; history of women in science. While the first portion of rather, it became viewed as a Shetterly masterfully weaves to- Hidden Figures focuses on launching pad of sorts for men gether a narrative that describes how Vaughan, Jackson, and looking to become engineers. the backgrounds of Katherine Johnson made their way to Furthermore, NASA’s public Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Langley, the last half of the face was unabashedly white, so Mary Jackson; articulates their book demonstrates how the the African American engineers, struggle to navigate overt acts of three women used their poise, scientists, and mathematicians at segregation, racism, and sexism; intelligence, and progressive Langley “lived in its shadows, and, validates their individual thinking to pave the way for even within the black com- and collective triumphs. future women in science. munity” (242). Shetterly argues “unlike the In Hidden Figures, Shetterly women who started in West aims to educate America’s Computing after years of wider reading public. She not teaching, the new generation only wants to recover a lost was coming to research early narrative, but she also seeks to in their careers – early enough prove that Vaughan, Johnson, that they’d have time to Jackson, and the women of the stretch out and see where their West Computing Unit were talent might take them.” instrumental to U.S. success in (231). When NASA emerged the Space Race and are, in May of 1958 and united therefore, an invaluable addition several aeronautics labs under to our nation’s story. For proof one federal domain, the West of these assertions, Shetterly Area Computing Unit dis- draws from an incredibly solved, which effectively end- diverse pool of primary and ed segregation at Langley. secondary sources. She con- The computers then found ducted more than thirty more specialized work within interviews with surviving specific engineering groups. Rocket Girls, their friends, and Shetterly asserts that African families, which she contex- American women demanded tualizes with archival materials at seat at the table – they gathered from Langley, NAACP climbed the ranks, earned records from towns across Shetterly’s book has been promotions, became engi- Virginia and West Virginia, made into a film due to be neers, and acted as beacons of articles from Air Scoop, released in December 2016. equality at Langley and within secondary literature on women Image courtesy of Fox 2000 their own communities. in science, and even weather re- Pictures. Margot Lee Shetterly’s ports from 1943. The com- work addresses an important bination of abundant secondary 23 Charleston. Her article is titled “Women, Childbirth Customs, ember and Authority in Ireland, 1850- M 1930.” Delay’s article explores childbirth in modern Irish ews history, with a focus on popular N belief (folklore and oral traditions, attitudes, and under- standings of birth) and religious rituals. Through an analysis of oral histories, diaries, memoirs, autobiographies, and folklore narratives, it illuminates wom- en’s experiences, with a par- ticular focus on poor rural and working-class urban women. knowledge to struggle for their Local customs such as fairy equal rights on the national and belief and centralized Church Sara Kimble transnational level. The chap- rituals including the churching of ters address the interconnec- women highlight the ways in Congratulations to Sara tedness of the history of femi- which ordinary women faced Kimble on the publication of nism, legislative reforms, and layers of regulation by both their her co-edited book with women’s citizenship, and build local communities and the Marion Rowekamp entitled a foundation for a comparative Catholic Church. Tensions be- New Perspectives on Euro- vision of women’s legal history tween local communities’ super- pean Women’s Legal History in modern Europe. vision of reproduction, the (Routledge, 2017). This book Catholic Church’s views of integrates women’s history childbirth and its surrounding and legal studies within the rituals, and the ways in which broader context of modern women themselves viewed preg- European history in the late nancy and birth provide a 19th and 20th centuries. Sixteen window into changing authority contributions from fourteen structures in modern Irish history countries explore the ways in as well as women’s abilities to which the law contributes to negotiate these changes. The ex- the social construction of amination reveals that some gender. They analyze ques- women challenged the dom- tions of family law and inance of patriarchal and Church international law and highlight authorities, hoping to secure a the politics of gender in the comfortable place for themselves legal professions in a variety and retain autonomy in modern of historical, social, and Ireland. national settings. Focusing on The newly established Gold different legal cultures, they Award is named for longtime show us the similarities and Cara Delay member, activist, and scholar, differences in the ways the law Carol Gold whose life and work has shaped the contours of The CCWH is pleased to an- exemplify the mission of the women and men’s lives in po- nounce that the first recipient of CCWH – to promote women’s werful ways. They also show the Gold Award goes to Dr. history and to support women in how women have used legal Cara Delay of the College of the historical profession. INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH

Predoctoral Fellowships Announcements in Women’s History at the New-York Historical “Transnationalisms, Society Transgressions, Translations” Applications are now open for the Andrew W. Mellon A reminder that the 12th Foundation Predoctoral Fel- Conference of the International lowships in Women’s History. Federation for Research on The two recipients of the Women’s History/ Federation The CCWH Membership Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Internationale Pour la Recher- Renewal Predoctoral Fellowship in che en Histoire des Femmes Women’s History should have a (IFRWH/FIRHF) will be held Please renew your membership strong interest in the fields of August 12-15, 2018 at the for 2017 and consider donating women’s history and public University of California, Santa to the CCWH awards. We are history. They must be currently Barbara, the home of the current especially asking for donations enrolled students in good president, Eileen Boris. This to keep the Catherine Prelinger standing in a relevant PhD will be the first time that this Award active in the coming program in the humanities. The international gathering of histo- years. Predoctoral Fellows will be in rians of women and gender will The year is drawing to a close, residence part time at the New- assemble in the United States. and our Membership Coordi- York Historical Society’s new The theme, “Transnational- nator, Ilaria Scaglia, has posed a Center for Women’s History, isms, Transgressions, Transla- challenge to all current CCWH opening in March of 2017. The tions: Conversations and Con- members: bring in a new mem- positions run for one academic troversies,” probes the meanings ber by December 31st! year, between September 1, of boundaries and frameworks, Talk to students and col- 2017 and June 29, 2018, with a narratives and epistemologies, leagues and tell them about the stipend of $15,000 per year. analytic terms and foundational benefits of being part of our This position is not full time categories, global, national, and organization. We are aiming to and will not receive full local understandings, interact- go over 500 members in 2017. If benefits. tions and power relations across 1/3 of you were to bring in The application deadline is time and space. We are open to somebody new, we would be January 6, 2017. proposals for complete panels well over that target! For further information con- (chair, commentator, three If you make a successful tact: Joanna Scutts, Andrew W. papers), as well as individual recruit, email us. Just put Mellon Foundation Postdoc- papers, roundtables, conversa- "successful recruit" in the subject toral Fellow in Women’s tions, workshops, and non- line of your email and include History, Center for Women’s traditional forms of presenta- both your name and the new History, New-York Historical tion. member's in the body of the Society, 170 Central Park West, The submission link is now email. We will post them in our New York, NY 10024. The live. Proposals will be accepted next newsletter. We will also contact email is: fellow- until March 15, 2017. For more honor the CCWH member who [email protected]. information please visit: http:// recruited the most people. It is For further information see: www.femst.ucsb.edu/ifrwh/call. essential for us to grow and for http://www.nyhistory.org/librar For inquiries email: ifrwh18 as many women in history to y/fellowships. @gmail.com. receive support. Let's make it happen! 25

Announcements Call for

Submissions Rachel Fuchs Memorial Award 2017 Dean’s Fellowship Cornell University The Coordinating Council for Women in History have decided Cornell University is accepting to honor the memory of our applications for the 2017 Dean’s recently departed Rachel Fuchs Fellowship in the History of with an award that recognizes Home Economics. We invite and applauds service to the faculty members, research profession, including mentoring. scholars, and advanced grad- The Rachel Ginnis Fuchs uate students (must be eligible Memorial Award of $500 will be Rachel Fuchs to work in the United States) given annually to celebrate an with demonstrated background individual whose service is most and experience in historical representative of Rachel’s own. The CCWH is asking you studies to apply for this post- The breadth of Rachel’s ser- and/or your organization to graduate opportunity. The fel- vice to her chosen profession is donate any amount to help lowship recipient will receive an truly awe-inspiring. Rachel’s endow this memorial award that award of $6,500 for a summer abundant scholarship is widely honors our friend and colleague, or sabbatical residency of ap- read and she was and is Rachel Fuchs. Contributions proximately six weeks to use the acknowledged as a leader in her from $100 to $10,000 would be unique resources available from field of French History. Yet, most appreciated. Donations may the College of Human Ecology Rachel was so much more to her be made on our secure online and the Cornell University Li- students, her peers, and her Awards Donation Form or by brary System in pursuit of schol- colleagues at many different check made payable to the arly research in the history of institutions and in numerous CCWH and sent to: Pam Home Economics and its impact organizations. Rachel was deep- Stewart, College of Integrative on American society. Relevant ly committed to women’s rights, Sciences and Arts, Arizona State historical subject areas may women’s history, and to sup- University, 455 N. 3rd St., Suite include, but are not limited to: porting women in the historical 380, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1601. the role of women in the family profession. Rachel worked dili- The Coordinating Council for and society, the history of gently to serve the historical Women in History is a 501(c)(3) women in higher education, the profession as a mentor, a role nonprofit organization. All do- history of food, nutrition, hous- model, an activist, and as a nations to the Rachel Fuchs ing, consumer economics, the friend. Rachel served as Presi- Memorial Award are tax- family, child development, de- dent of the Pacific Coast Branch deductible. sign, clothing and textiles of the American Historical among other key topics in Association, as President of the American social history. The French Historical Society, and deadline for receipt of all most recently, as Co-President of application mate-rials is Friday, the Coordinating Council for March 3 2017. For additional Women in History, 2013-2016. information, see: http://www. human.cornell.edu/fellowship/. INSIGHTS: NOTES FROM THE CCWH CCWH Elections

Election season is upon us. The current CCWH Executive Director’s term ends in January 2017. The Executive Director serves for a term of three (3) years pursuant to Article IV, Section 5 of the CCWH’s Bylaws. The current Executive Director, Sandra Trudgen Dawson, has again offered herself as a candidate for the position. The position is described as follows: “The Executive Director shall issue notices of all board and members’ meetings and shall attend and keep the minutes of the same; shall have oversight of the organization’s finances and membership activities; shall keep or archive the records and papers of the organization; shall have the authority to sign written contracts on behalf of the organization; shall be responsible for communication among board members; and, shall perform all such other duties as are incident to the office (Article IV, Section 4). Any current member of the CCWH may vote for Executive Director. Balloting via email will begin on December 1, 2016 and will run through December 15, 2016. Emails should contain the words “CCWH Executive Director Election” in the subject line. In the body of the email you may type the name of the current candidate, Sandra Trudgen Dawson, or any write-in candidate who is a current member of the CCWH. Ballots are to be emailed to: Mary Ann Villarreal, CCWH Co- President, [email protected]. Any questions should be address to Mary Ann Villarreal.

CCWH Board Members

Mary Ann Villarreal Kim Todt Nupur Chaudhuri Co-President Newsletter Editor Fundraising Coordinator [email protected] Barbara Molony Stephanie Moore Co-President Marshanda Smith Prelinger Award Chair Website Coordinator [email protected] Sandra Trudgen Dawson [email protected] Executive Director Patricia Schechter [email protected] Erin N. Bush Ida B. Wells Award Chair Website Coordinator [email protected] Pamela Stewart [email protected] Treasurer Nicole Pacino [email protected] Whitney Leeson CCWH/Berks Award Chair Book Review and Media Editor CCWHBerksAward Ilaria Scaglia @theccwh.org Membership Coordinator Andrea Milne [email protected] Graduate Representative Brandi Brimmer Napur Chaudhuri First Sunu Kodumthara Erin McCullugh Article Award Chair Outreach Coordinator Graduate Representative [email protected] [email protected] Whitney Leeson Sarah Case Carol Gold Article Award Public History Coordinator [email protected] 27

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Winter 2016: Vol. 47, Issue 4

Insights: Notes from the CCWH is published four times a year. Our publication dates are Spring (March 1st), Summer (June 1st), Fall (September 1st), and Winter (December 1st).

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