Women’s History Month program at the Evanston History Center to focus on interpreting LGBT history at museums and historic sites
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals and families are increasingly visible in popular culture and local communities; their struggles for equality appear regularly in news media. While this is a relatively new situation, same-sex love and desire has a long-standing history and can provide historical context for current events.
Building from her recently published book, Interpreting LGBT History at Museums and Historic Sites, author Susan Ferentinos will discuss the ways historians approach the study of same-sex relationships; the challenges to uncovering this past; and the efforts of museums, historic sites, and community groups to preserve this history and present it to the wider public. Cosponsored by the Evanston Women’s History Project and the National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites (NCWHS), this program is designed not only for those connected to a museum or site, but also for anyone who is concerned with issues of inclusion and diversity in our interpretation of the past.
Susan Ferentinos is a public history researcher, writer, and consultant based in Bloomington, Indiana, where she specializes in historical project management and the use of the past to create community. Dr. Ferentinos holds a Ph.D. in U.S. history with a focus on the history of gender and sexuality and a Master of Library Science with a concentration in special collections, both from Indiana University. She is also a former NCWHS board member. The talk will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. Central (6:30 reception) at the Evanston History Center, 225 Greenwood Street, Evanston, Illinois. The cost is $10; free for NCWHS members. Reservations are encouraged. To make a reservation, please contact the Evanston History Center at (847) 475-3410 or email NCWHS at membership@ncwhs.org.