Virtual Summit to Investigate the Underrepresentation of Women in U.S. History and Social Studies Curriculum

For Immediate Release

CONTACT:
Sara Robertson, Unladylike2020, 
[email protected]
Jennifer Herrera, National Women's History Museum,  press@womenshistory.org


WASHINGTON, DC— The National Women's History Museum is proud to join the producers of the hit women’s history documentary series, Unladylike2020, ​for a virtual summit with PBS and national education partners on Saturday, February 13, 2021 titled, Where Are the Women?.

The event will feature a poetry recitation and land acknowledgment by the U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, and a keynote by renowned cultural historian and Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University, Martha S. Jones, author ofVanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. The virtual conference will also feature video testimonials from diverse women thought leaders, including: Marley Dias, founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks; Isa Noyola, Deputy Director at Mijente, the fastest growing English language social-network for the Latinx community; Stephanie Wager, President, National Council of the Social Studies; and Teresa C. Younger,President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women.

The summit, open to journalists, will include a dynamic panel discussion and live chat audience Q&A with social studies teachers, historians, textbook authors, curriculum policy leaders, and youth advocates, to examine the factors that have limited the presence of women in textbooks, educational standards, and curriculum for grades K-12, as well as efforts to ensure that the role of women as history-makers and agents of change is historically accurate and equitable, and is taught in U. S. classrooms. As part of the event, PBS Digital Innovator All-Star high school teachers will demonstrate, and answer audience questions about Unladylike2020lesson plans and curriculum they created and have implemented, that represent the accomplishments of women in history and aretailor-made for virtual, in-person, and/or hybrid learning. The Unladylike2020educational resource collection can be accessed at PBS LearningMedia.

Winners of the My Hero Project’s 2020 Women Transforming Media Award, Unladylike2020Executive Producers Sandra Rattleyand Charlotte Manginwere inspired to stage this national conversation about how women’s history is taught after reading a National Women’s History Museum research report that analyzed K- 12 social studies standards for the 50 states and Washington, D.C. The Where Are the Women?report found that, out of 737 historical figures taught in the standard curriculum, just 178, or 24%, are women, including several fictional characters. 98 of the women appear in only 1 state standard, while only 15 are named in more than 10 states.
 

WHO:

Interview opportunities are available beginningFebruary 1, 2021 with:

Unladylike2020Executive Producers Sandra Rattleyand Charlotte Mangin
Martha S. Jones
, Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University (keynote)
Lori Ann Terjesen, Director of Education, National Women’s History Museum (presenter)

Treva B. Lindsey, Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies, Ohio State University (panel moderator)
Alexander Cuenca, Assistant Professor of Curriculum & Instruction at Indiana University, and Board Member of the National Council for the Social Studies
Katelin Zhou, undergraduate at Stanford University and co-founder of the Diversify Our Narrative campaign to increase representation in high school curricula.


WHEN:

Saturday, February 13, 2021 from 1:00pm-2:00pm EST (10:00am-12:00pm PST)


WHERE:

YouTube Live at youtube.com/americanmasters/


The Where Are the Women?Summit is presented by Unladylike2020in partnership with:

American Masters
WNET Kids Media & Education
National Women’s History Museum
National Council for the Social Studies
National Council for History Education
National Women’s Hall of Fame
National Women’s History Alliance

with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and in collaboration with PBS LearningMedia.

Unladylike2020,​ ​an innovative multimedia series consisting of a one-hour special broadcast on PBS, 26 ten-to-twelve minute digital shorts, a suite of educational curriculum and resources, and a nationwide campaign of community events, premiered in honor of the 2020 centennial of women's suffrage on the PBS award-winning biography program American Masters,attracting close to 5 million viewers to date.

For more information:

Unladylike2020.com
pbs.org/unladylike2020
youtube.com/AmericanMastersPBS

@unladylike2020 #WhereAreTheWomenSummit #Unladylike2020PBS
 

About the National Women's History Museum
Founded in 1996, the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) is an innovative museum dedicated to uncovering, interpreting, and celebrating women’s diverse contributions to society. A renowned leader in women’s history education, the Museum brings to life the countless untold stories of women throughout history, and serves as a space for all to inspire, experience, collaborate, and amplify women’s impact—past, present, and future. We strive to fundamentally change the way women and girls see their potential and power.

The NWHM fills in major omissions of women in history books and K-12 education, providing scholarly content and educational programming for teachers, students, and parents. We reach more than four million visitors each year through our online content and education programming and, in March 2023, mounted our first physical exhibit at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in downtown Washington, DC, We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC. The Museum is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)3. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and visit us at womenshistory.org.