During March, which is nationally designated as Women's History Month, the lives and contributions of women from the past are honored as female-led discussions persist on gender equality, economic equity and intersectionality.
These ten local events—held in-person or virtually—will examine Cincinnati’s local female-driven history as well as discuss present circumstances surrounding the area.
Cincinnati Art Museum’s Virtual Celebration of Women Artists for Families
The Cincinnati Art Museum will host a virtual event designed for families to learn more about women who “make amazing art, music and have changed history.” The event will feature several activities throughout the day, including scavenger hunts, storytelling and do-it-yourself art projects. The event is free, and more information will be posted on the museum’s event page as the date approaches. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., March 6.
Cincinnati Museum Center’s “Unfinished Revolution” Exhibit and “Women in Science” Lecture
Cincinnati Museum will host a lecture on female scientists, including how their work has forwarded scientific fields and continue to impact us. The discussion will highlight specific female innovators’ lives and work. While you’re at the museum, you can stop by Union Terminal to see the special exhibit, An Unfinished Revolution: Women and the Vote. The exhibit provides an in-depth analysis into the history behind the women’s suffrage movement that culminated in the ratification of the 19th amendment and still persists to this today. The exhibit features interactive activities and engaging graphics for visitors to witness. General museum admission prices apply. 11 a.m., March 8, Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Avenue, Queensgate.
Multiple keynote speakers have been invited to participate in a panel about the past and present of Black feminism in America. The virtual event is hosted by The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and is free to the public. The panel will discuss the women’s suffrage coalition as well as modern feminism movements through the lens of Black women. According to event organizers, the guest speakers will speak about the history of feminism in America while simultaneously highlighting the enduring importance of intersectionality in these movements. Panelists include chairperson and professor Djanna Hill (William Paterson University), associate professor Treva Lindsey (Ohio State University) and associate professor and assistant department head Dr. Carolette Norwood (University of Cincinnati). Registration is required for this webinar. 6-7 p.m., March 11.
Rookwood’s In-Person Tours of Women-Centric Business History
Rookwood Pottery has planned multiple in-person events to celebrate the female entrepreneurs and artists that have shaped the business’s 140-year heritage. Throughout this month, Rookwood will invite attendees into its flagship studio to hear a local historian and female artist speak about the different eras of art and how multiple local women have contributed. On March 12, Rookwood Historian George Hibben will speak about company founder Maria Longworth Storer and the “Japanese Aesthetic” in Rookwood. On March 19, the talk will focus on artists Elizabeth Barrett and Sara Sax and the Art Deco era. On March 26, Rookwood presenters will demonstrate an overview of female artists in the past and present that have impacted Rookwood pottery. Tours are limited to 10 people, and tickets cost $10. Attendees are expected to follow COVID-19 guidelines such as mandatory facial coverings and social distancing. 10:30 a.m. or 1 p.m., March 12-26, Rookwood, 1920 Race Street, Over-the-Rhine.
Over-the-Rhine Museum’s Virtual Tour: Women of OTR
Originally conceived in 2020, this virtual tour provides a detailed retrospective into how women have impacted the development of Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine. The tour is divided into three acts, each one led by a different speaker, and shares multiple stories of local women throughout history. Fourth-generation Cincinnatian Barbara Behler presents “The Story of Sister Gabriel.” Over-the-Rhine community activist Bonnie Neumeier leads “The Peaslee Story, 35 Years of Making a Way Forward - Women are the Backbone.” Mixologist Molly Wellman concludes the tour with “Poor Mrs. Brokamp.” The tour is approximately two hours in full and can be watched in multiple parts. To access the presentations and read more about the tour’s conception, visit OTR Museum’s webpage.
UC Women’s Center: Black Feminist Symposium
This is University of Cincinnati's s fifth-annual Black feminist symposium, and this year’s theme is “Radical Rest - Intersectionality, Healing, & Love for Black Womxn.” Earlier in February, the symposium featured weekly events surrounding Black women’s struggles and triumphs in various industries and spaces. The symposium conclude with two events, keynote speaker Manon Voice and a self-care retreat. On March 3, Manon Voice—poet, writer, educator and social justice advocate— was featured in a two-hour lecture. On March 12, Cincinnati residents can partake in virtual meditation and journaling sessions via Zoom. Live music will be played by musician Aziza Love. The first 35 local Cincinnati registrants will be eligible to pick up a free retreat self-care box. The webinar for the retreat can be accessed here. Keynote Speaker: 5-7 p.m., March 3. Retreat: 9:30 a.m.-1p.m., March 12.
Lloyd Library and Museum’s “Natural Wonders: Pioneering Female Scientists Of Cincinnati”
Elissa Yancey, 2020 Curtis Gates Lloyd Fellow, will lead a virtual lecture on E. Lucy and Annette Braun, Cincinnati-bred scientists who contributed groundbreaking work to flora and insect research in the twentieth century. According to Yancey, their work continues to impact our modern understanding of the human population’s impact on climate change. In this discussion, Yancey will speak about the Braun sisters’ life stories, public writings and scientific research. The lecture will be delivered via Zoom, and registration is required. 7-8 p.m., March 18.
The Children Theater’s “Harriet Tubman: Straight Up Outta’ The Underground”
This production honors and highlights the life of an essential female figure in American history. Described as a “one-woman interactive storytelling experience,” the audience will follow Harriet Tubman (Brandi Langford-Sherrill) as she gains her own freedom and risks it to save over 300 imprisoned African-Americans throughout the mid-1800s. The production also has a “pick-a-path” feature that allows the audience to make different choices along the way. The production is currently available for digital streaming until June 30. It is appropriate for children aged 8 and older.
Samantha Power, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former United States Ambassador to the United Nations, will speak about her New York Times-bestselling memoir, The Education of an Idealist, which covers a range of global issues and how each individual can make an impact. Power will discuss her own personal balance of work and family as well as geopolitics’ role in fighting for social justice for all people. Tickets range from $10 to $30, and the discussion will be broadcasted over Zoom. 7-8 p.m., March 18.
The University of Cincinnati Women's Center will host a virtual screening of the 2014 documentary, "American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs." Boggs was a Chinese-American activist, philosopher and writer who contributed over 75 years of work in labor rights, civil rights and Black power movements. The documentary was released a year prior to her death in 2015 and offers a multi-faceted portrait of the female leader. The Zoom webinar can be accessed here. 5-6:30 p.m., March 22.