This presentation was a part of the December 2025 Research and Interpretation Committee meeting for the National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites. The Collaborative is a non-profit that advocates for historic sites that center the preservation and interpretation of the important role of women and gender non-conforming individuals as core to the American story. If you’re interested in supporting the work of the Collaborative, consider donating here: https://ncwhs.wildapricot.org/donate
Title: The Art of Noncompliance: Lessons Learned from Margaret Matsui Phillips and Hansel Mieth at LIFE, 1941-1943
Speaker: Dr. Sarah Pawlicki, American Conservation Experience-Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow
Description: Margaret Matsui Phillips, Assistant Photo Editor, and Hansel Mieth, Photographer, worked at LIFE. LIFE was different from its competitors because of their use of photojournalism driving their stories. Learn more about how the these women and publication were intertwined from 1941-1943 by watching this presentation by Dr. Pawlicki. Sarah Pawlicki is an American Conservation Experience-Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow working to highlight women’s histories across the United States. Sarah’s research has appeared in publications including Early American Studies, Parks Stewardship Forum, and Insurrect!.