Join us for a talk that delves into the history of the women who founded King Manor, their world, and the impact work like theirs still has on “pink collar” jobs today. We will explore how material culture aligns with issues of early feminism, preservation, domestic practices, race, and class.
The Queens of King Manor exhibition takes a critical look at the history and legacy of women in historic preservation using the King Manor museum's founding as a case study. This early 19th-century home to antislavery Founding Father Rufus King celebrates its 120th anniversary as a public museum at the same time as the nation looks back at the passing of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote and was ratified on August 18th, 1920 --while acknowledging that these rights did not include all women. The confluence of these two historic anniversaries and recent social activism movements like #metoo or activism against voter suppression provides an incredibly unique opportunity to reach audiences and use history to make a difference today.