2017 Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, Genders and Sexualities

June 01 - 04, 2017

This roundtable brings scholars and teachers to discuss ways in which US history can be studied and taught through the lens of women lives and women’s biographies.  The participants have written biographies of Elizabeth –Betsy - Bonaparte, Catherine Beecher, Angela Davis, Julia Lathrop, and Dorothea Lange. Each one of these women’s lives is not just about one individual, but of the era in which she lived, the movement or events in which she participated, the experiences she shared with her family, loved ones, friends, colleagues and comrades.  Studies have shown that biography is one of the more effective and enjoyable way that students learn about history.  Furthermore the use of women’s biographies in the history/social studies curriculum, the use of sex-equitable materials, and offering women’s and gender studies and women’s history courses can only have positive effects on students’ attitude towards gender roles, equity and personal empowerment. Including more women’s history in the curriculum will assist students in developing appreciation of gender and other forms of diversity. Adding gender into the social studies and history curriculum ‘complicates’ the traditional history narrative, it alters and enriches the teaching of history. Participating teachers will speak about how they use women's biographies in the K-12 classroom.