Women's History Month

In honor of Women's History Month, Michigan Memories is highlighting some of the photographs from the rich collections of our state's cultural institutions. For updates please visit our Facebook page.

Caroline Bartlett Crane with daughter in dining room of Everyman's House

Possible research questions:

Who was Caroline Bartlett Crane?
What was the Everyman's House, and what made its design different from other houses?

Year: 1924?

Source: Source: The Caroline Bartlett Crane Collection, Everyman's House at Western Michigan University Libraries: https://cdm16259.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4022coll10/id/40

University of Michigan Women's fencing club or class

Possible research questions:

How has the University of Michigan's women's fencing club changed since the 1920s? Where would you look to find out?
How else has women's sports changed since the early 1900s?

Year: 1925

Source: Women's Athletic Association records, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhl/x-hs12559/hs12559

Three generations of Native American (Ojibway) women, Nahma, MI

Possible research question:

What are some of the connections between the Ojibwe people and the area of Nahma, Michigan?

Year: ca. 1875

Source: Andrew Wheaton photograph collection, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhl/x-hs7849/hs7849

Meeting of the National Housewives League in Detroit

Possible research question:

What was the National Housewives League and why was it formed?

Year: 1949

Source: National Housewives' League of America Records at the Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhl/x-hs4639/hs4639

For more about the Detroit Housewives League, see our lesson plan: https://michmemories.org/exhibits/detroithousewivesleague

Working on an engine in the Engineering Lab

Possible research questions:

Are you surprised to see a photograph of women working on an engine in 1946? Why are only women shown in this photograph?
Do you think this photo was posed or staged? Why or why not?

Year: 1946

Source: Wayne State University Student Life at the Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University: https://digital.library.wayne.edu/item/wayne:StudentLife36601

Workers in the Velvec Factory

Possible research question:

What generalizations could be made about the workers in the Velvec factory in 1942?

Year: 1942

Source: The Detroit News Photograph Collection, The Virtual Motor City Collection at the Walter P Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University: https://digital.library.wayne.edu/item/wayne:vmc29451_5

Worker packing parachute into cylinder

Possible research question:

What changes relating to women in the workplace took place during the 1940s?

Year: 1945

Source: The Ward Morgan Collection at the Western Michigan University Libraries: https://luna.library.wmich.edu/luna/servlet/detail/WMUwmu~29~29~1106540~103055

Barber at work

Possible research question:

In the United States, how prevalent were female barbers during the 1940s and 1950s?

Year: 1946

Light Blue Denim Coveralls

Description: Woman's light blue denim coveralls with button drop seat, front button waistband, short sleeves with slightly gathered shoulders. The coveralls have a convertible collar, front button closure, two patch pockets on the front bodice, and one patch pocket on the right back hip. Worn by the donor's mother at McCord Radiator from 1943 to 1945. Worn with hat

Possible research questions:

Why might coveralls and a hat be important when working in a factory?
What were workers at McCord Radiator making during World War II?

Year: 1943-1945

Source: Digital Dress Collection, Detroit Historical Society Historic Costume Collection: https://digital.library.wayne.edu/item/wayne:ES01_1989.070.002

Students sitting on the lawn in front of Haven Hall

Possible research questions:

Why did the University of Michigan find this photograph worth taking in 1957?
What percentage of university students were Asian or Asian-American in the 1950s?

Year; 1957

Source: University of Michigan News and Information Services, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhl/x-bl023977/bl023977

Crowd watching speech by Pres. John Kennedy in Flint

Possible research questions:

What can you see in this picture that is a clue about what is happening at this event?
Why are some people sitting in front of the fence while other people stand behind it?
What do you see in the photo’s description that helps you understand?

Year: 1962

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) March, Cobo Hall

Possible research questions:

Why do you think these marchers are holding the long banner you see here?
Why did they choose these words?
What do they want?

Year: 1980

Votes for Women float

Possible research questions:

Why might a parade be a good place to make a political statement? What do the women and the float look like? Why do you think they made these choices?
What do you see in this photo that can help you figure out when it was taken?

Year: ca. 1910

Source: Elizabeth L. Belen papers, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhl/x-bl000219/bl000219

Tuition receipt for the Detroit Ladies' Academy

Possible research questions:

What types of subjects do you think are taught at the Detroit Ladies’ Academy? Why were these selected?
What types of students went to this school? What was their age and background?

Year: 1854

Source: Detroit Ladies' Academy Schools, Detroit Historical Society: https://detroithistorical.pastperfectonline.com/archive/604484DF-7DC3-4A04-97D1-517369952490

GVSU Women's Festival

Possible research questions:

What were some of the health issues considered at the festival? How do they compare to the kinds of health issues discussed today?
What can you learn about a historical event from studying its program years later?

Year: 1998

Source: Women's Studies Program, “GVSU Women's Festival 1998: Healthy Views on Women,” Digital Collections, accessed March 11, 2022, https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/document/43365 For a direct link to the program, please click here.

Program for "Women in Uniform"

Possible research question:

What kinds of jobs did women in uniform have during World War II?

Year: 1945

Source: Housewives League of Detroit Collection. Courtesy of the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library: https://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A230569

Note: The page linked above includes the full program.

For more about the Detroit Housewives League, see our lesson plan: https://michmemories.org/exhibits/detroithousewivesleague

Detroit's Tenth Annual International Women's Day Celebration

Possible research question:

What is the history of International Women’s Day?

Year: 1996

Source: Pinback Buttons, Joseph A. Labadie Collection, University of Michigan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lbc1ic/x-lbc.0769/lbc0769.tif

Lineup to buy hose

Possible research questions:

Why would a waiting line for an item like hose be so long in 1946?
What other kinds of items were in short supply after World War II? How long did that last?

Year: 1946

Easter Hats

Possible research question:

When were Easter hats or bonnets most popular in America? What helped to make them popular?

Year: 1945