In celebration of Women’s History Month, Richland Community College will be highlighting a series of events for its students, faculty and staff. All events are FREE and open to the public. We will be adding events throughout the month so please visit this page often for more information.
Online Events
Celebrating Women in Music: From Jazz to Soul
March 23, 2021
12:30pm – 1pm
A musical journey from the era when the “First Lady Of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald graced the stage to when the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin ruled the airways. In addition to Ella and Aretha, this showcase pays tribute to Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Etta James, Martha & The Vandellas, Roberta Flack, and Patti LaBelle. Check back for the link to this live event.
Women’s History Film Suggestions
The Codebreaker
Based on the book The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies, The Codebreaker reveals the fascinating story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, the groundbreaking cryptanalyst whose painstaking work to decode thousands of messages for the U.S. government would send infamous gangsters to prison in the 1930s and bring down a massive, near-invisible Nazi spy ring in WWII.
The Vote
One hundred years after the passage of the 19th Amendment, The Vote tells the dramatic culmination story of the hard-fought campaign waged by American women for the right to vote — a transformative cultural and political movement that resulted in the largest expansion of voting rights in U.S. history.
Rachel Carson
When Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was published in 1962, the book became a phenomenon. A passionate and eloquent warning about the long-term dangers of pesticides, the book unleashed an extraordinary national debate and was greeted by vigorous attacks from the chemical industry. But it would also inspire President John F. Kennedy to launch the first-ever investigation into the public health effects of pesticides — an investigation that would eventually result in new laws governing the regulation of these deadly agents.
Annie Oakley
She was the toast of Victorian London, New York, and Paris. She was “adopted” by Indian chief Sitting Bull, charmed the Prince of Prussia, and entertained the likes of Oscar Wilde and Queen Victoria. Annie Oakley excelled in a man’s world by doing what she loved, and won fame and fortune as the little lady from Ohio who never missed a shot.
Fly Girls
In the midst of World War II, the call went out: women with flight experience were needed to fly for the military. All over the country, young women postponed their weddings, put their educations on hold, and quit their jobs to respond. From 1942 to 1944, more than 1,000 women were trained to ferry aircraft, test planes, instruct male pilots, even tow targets for anti-aircraft artillery practice. Despite serving with grit and determination, women pilots often encountered disbelief and resentment. Thirty-eight would give their lives.
Around the World in 72 Day
On January 25, 1890, the world waited for a young reporter named Nellie Bly to arrive back home. For 72 days, as she jumped cargo ships, trains, tugboats, and rickshaws, newspaper readers had been following her progress in one of the most highly publicized journeys of all time. Never before had anyone — man or woman — circled the globe with such speed, outdoing the “record” of eighty days set by Jules Verne’s popular fictional character, the legendary Phileas T. Fogg. The journey would make her famous.
Amelia Earhart
The first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, Amelia Earhart was one of America’s first celebrities. After only a few years as a pilot she became the best-known female flier in America, not only for her daring and determination, but also for her striking looks and outspoken personality. Amelia even had an uncanny resemblance to Charles Lindbergh — the most famous man in America at the time — that publicists seized upon, nicknaming her “Lady Lindy.” Three weeks short of her 40th birthday, Earhart disappeared over the Pacific Ocean, and her story became legend.
Check out these FREE Smithsonian Online Events
Virtual Women Filmmakers Festival: Lessons from Environmental Histories with Cecilia Vicuña
Wednesday, March 3 at 5:30pm
Click Here to Register
Youth in Action: Conversations about Our Future series (Native Women Making Change)
Thursday, March 18
Click here for More Information
Richland Community College’s Women’s History Spotify Playlist
Visit our playlist and listen to important and influential women across many genres and the art