Extra and Ordinary: Overlooked Stories of Extraordinary Women
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The stories of our past are powerful tools. They can be reminders of our successes and cautions of our failures. Entirely too often our history has been written by and for the praise of white men, marginalizing women and people of color. Extra and Ordinary: Overlooked Stories of Extraordinary Women is a Traveling Trunk narrated by a fictional archivist tasked with researching for a new exhibit. Learners will have the chance to look at the archivist's research - recreated letters, pictures, and objects from the Smithsonian collection - about twenty women living from 1785-2013 in the United States. Some of their stories are extraordinary while others celebrate the strength of the everyday. This trunk gives learners the opportunity to consider why history remembers certain people and overlooks others. Learners will be asked to chose the histories that resonant most with them and mock up their own exhibit. Through this trunk, learners will take into account the role of museums, archives, and exhibits in telling national stories and evaluate the impact of seeing a variety of stories in our nation's museums. Grades: 8-12 Note: This trunk relies on users being able to scan QR codes and watch videos. We recommend your group has at least 4 wifi or cellular enabled smart devices to engage in this program. |
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| b. 1785 - d. 1865 source & copyright |
b. 1853 - d. 1933 source & copyright |
b. 1888 - d. 1969 source & copyright |
b. 1910 - d. 2009 source & copyright |
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| b. 1832 - d. 1919 source & copyright |
b. 1868 - d. 1954 source & copyright |
b. 1892 - d. 1983 source & copyright |
b. 1912 - d. 1972 source & copyright |
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| b. 1838 - d. 1917 source & copyright |
b. 1876 - d. 1938 source & copyright |
b. 1904 - d. 1960 source & copyright |
b. 1916 - d. 1982 source & copyright |
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| b. 1840 - after 1863 source & copyright |
b. 1844 - d. 1907 source & copyright |
b. 1905 - d. 1961 source & copyright |
b. 1919 - d. 2013 source & copyright |
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| b. 1842 - d. 1911 source & copyright |
b. 1885 - d. 1976 source & copyright |
b. 1906 - d. 1980 source & copyright |
b. 1924 - d. 2001 source & copyright |
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*This project has taken self-identification and pronouns into account while grappling with such a fluid subject matter. Each featured person is referred to by their personally preferred pronouns as our research best indicated. We recognize public and private opinions have changed over time on this matter and some individuals may have never felt safe or comfortable to identify their true selves. We are committed to telling each story accurately and if there are oversights in our material, please bring them to our attention.
The Extra and Ordinary Traveling Trunk features music from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Special thanks to the American Women's History Initiative, and Office of the Undersecretary for Education who funded the building of this program, and to Rosita Gonzalez, our voice actor.
