The Western North Carolina Historical Assocation (WNCHA) will recognize Women’s History Month in March with two virtual events held on Zoom. “For Women’s History Month, we especially want to examine new and ongoing research into the lives of WNC women,” says Trevor Freeman, public programs director for the WNCHA. “Both programs involve somewhat overlooked history, as well as the agency and activism of both urban and rural women of different cultures, illustrating a more complete picture of our past.”
Cherokee woman voting. Photo courtesy of Museum of the Cherokee Indian Archives
On Thursday, March 10, from 6—7 p.m., Dr. Susan Abram will present about her research into Cherokee women from the time of removal through roughly the 1970s. “Most people are not very familiar with the narrative of just how the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians avoided forced removal and the roles of Cherokee women in their success,” says Abram, who is a professor in the History Department at Western Carolina University. “I will share some of my research into some of these remarkable Cherokee women’s lives.”
On Thursday, March 24, from 6—7 p.m., Catherine Kutshall will present West End Women: Liquor, Labor, and Love in New Deal Urban Appalachia. Kutshall is the collections manager at Buncombe County Special Collections. “I believe it is incredibly important that we share the narratives of people who are so often scattered to the margins or ignored altogether,” she says. “In this case, poor women who worked creatively and diligently to provide for their families in a time of deep economic hardship, labor struggle and rapid change in their community. The stories of poor women don’t often surface, but they are rich and complex sagas of struggle, survival and deep love for their families and communities.”
Tickets are $5 for WNCHA members and $10 for general admission. There are no-cost, community-funded tickets available as well. Learn more and register at WNCHistory.org. Registrants will receive a Zoom link for viewing.
