Tag Archives: women’s organizations

Ida B. Wells–A Giant among Women

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Lynn

Here is a short list of Ida B. Wells’s accomplishments: school teacher, journalist, newspaper owner, anti-lynching crusader, mother of four, civil rights leader, and black women’s suffrage advocate.  She filled her life (1862-1931) with more achievements than tens of other … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, General | Tagged , | 1 Comment

It’s a Handbag!

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Lynn

Doesn’t this 1950s snapshot call out for a story?  The happy woman holding the handbag is obviously the star of the event, since she is the only one wearing a corsage.  But what kind of occasion is it? A retirement … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Bipartisan Fashion, 1977

Posted on January 18, 2020 by Lynn

Given today’s political contentiousness, it is reassuring to remember a moment in American history when Democrats and Republicans stood together to advocate for women’s rights.  In 1977, the federal government sponsored a National Women’s Conference to discuss the status of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1970s | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

African American Women’s Club, 1952

Posted on November 8, 2019 by Lynn

What a wealth of different clothing styles in this photograph of mother’s support group for the African American sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.  The woman standing on the far left in the front row looks as if she had no interest … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Rookwoods, 1907

Posted on June 14, 2019 by Lynn

Sometimes you find astonishing information on the back of old snapshots.  This one turned out to be a treasure.  It reads: “1907–Miss Helen Culver and Miss French at their home Rookwoods, Lake Forest, Ill.  Back entrance.”  Imagine my delight when … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Mother’s Day Protests

Posted on May 12, 2019 by Lynn

When you search for images of Mother’s Day on line, you expect to find sweet pictures of family meals, flowers, and breakfast in bed.  However, I was surprised to discover that protests are an important subgenre. On this special day, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010s, General | Tagged , | 4 Comments

A Chinese Women’s Club Celebration, 1951

Posted on April 23, 2019 by Lynn

These Chinese-American women are celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival according to the Los Angeles Times. If you look carefully (or go to the original site and enlarge the photo) you can see a dragon boat center piece on the table. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Ebell Club of Los Angeles, 1927

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Lynn

The Ebell Club of Los Angeles, founded in 1894 and still going strong, was part of a network of women’s institutions devoted to women’s education and philanthropy. As we can see in this photo, the members were mainly the well … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s, General | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

The Order of “Q,” 1965

Posted on December 8, 2018 by Lynn

Before we begin speculation about this puzzling photo, let’s take a look at the clothes.  The year is 1965. The women look to be in their late forties to early sixties.  Three have taken to the sheath dress style of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

The Styles of 1914

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Lynn

In the world of high fashion impracticality, the stylish silhouettes of 1914 look especially odd to contemporary eyes.  They included a long tunic that billowed around the hips with a very narrow skirt at the bottom. On her blog Witness … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910s | Tagged , | 1 Comment