Project proposal for Fall 2023 Introduction to Public History Seminar.
Questions:
As I look closely into my project and how important Fannie Barrier Williams was to different movements of the late 19th and 20th century, many questions arise from the project. What did it mean for women to fight for their rights? What purpose did different women have? When focusing specifically on Fannie Barrier Williams, what part did “colored girls,” as she called them, have in the fight for women’s right and how important was it on the impact of women history. My project will focus on creating an educational tool for users that is user friendly and accessible to not only educational people, but also anyone that might have an interest in history.
Abstract:
The project will be focusing specifically on women history the impact of “colored” women in United States history and how important Fannie Barrier Williams was to their movement. It will also tie into key points and figures such as Western NY suffragists such as Mary Burnett Talbert and Hester Whitehurst Jeffrey. The project will also focus on the use of the essay Williams wrote about African American women’s clubs in Chicago and tie them into the ones in Western New York. Rights for women and the fight for women has been a long struggle since the beginning of time. Looking into who Fannie Barrier Williams was it’s important to understand the background of her and what made her the important figure she soon would become throughout history. The essence of this project is focusing on the history of women, “colored” women, and how Fannie Barrier Williams helped be a part of that movement. While looking at this, it’s also important to include the importance of African American women’s clubs and how they reflected the women’s rights movement.
Narrative:
A Look at Women’s History from The Perspective of a Colored Girl
Looking at the specifics of the project, the key question of my project explores how important Fannie Barrier Williams was to women’s history and for the “colored” females fighting for their rights. While looking at the project it will incorporate many different variations of women’s history. As we must think about the impact of “colored” women and their fight, a theme thinking about how the movement started will have its own focus.
Women such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and where their fight started. The impact of the Seneca Falls Convention and what it meant for women then. It’s important to then realize that as this fight for women’s rights was going on more publicly, it’s then in turn to focus on “colored” females and what they were doing which might not have been as seen as publicly. How did Fannie Barrier Williams help push for those rights? Then to think about how as many of these founding members of the women’s right movements had died, Williams was alive for the 19th amendment and what did that mean for her and for the “colored” females that were fighting alongside her. For the project people will be able to utilize a background of Fannie Barrier Williams and Women’s history. As well as the two different timelines that showcase William’s life as well as Women’s history. Workplan: The plan would be start off with the discussion of William’s essay, what the essay meant and how important the writing was for those living in Chicago and those clubs, it would tie into Western, NY and how those clubs were making a statement. If funded, the project would then look more into her other essays discussing women’s rights and how it can be incorporated into various places Williams lived.
This project is to be comprised of a whole unit on women’s history in a public setting for anyone to access. The intended audience can anyone that has access to public education or anyone who in general would like more information on African American’s impact on the Women’s Right’s Movement. The use of the project is to get a digital timeline and PowerPoint to get the public more into understanding the behind the scenes of the Women’s Rights Movement and how the “colored” were fighting just as much as a “white” woman. In Williams essay, her discussion of how important the “colored” girl was fighting with the use of clubs, determination, and will-power should be shown in a digital exhibit to enlighten and inform the public.
Literature Review:
While using this as my project, women’s history and the “colored” women’s history has a lot of literature that will help my viewers, educational and public understand my project and what I am aiming for them to understand. For starters, to gain a better understanding of Fannie Barrier I’ve used a website that gears towards suffrage, women, and Western New York Suffragists. Another article that was published in 2016 also gave way to helping me understand Williams from a literature viewpoint and Brittney Cooper’s book Beyond Respectability. I’ve also investigated “colored” female articles that help grasp what it was like during that time, and to help the audience understand what I am speaking about. Articles such as what it was like for “colored” clubs and the formation of them, which Williams helped me a part of. Also using literature on women’s history and its formation and foundation. As my project is taking place in an public setting but accessible for educational users, the funding would solely be based on the users themselves having access to the material. I would want the people to be able to access the timelines for free and be able to use them at their own wishes. If looking to the future and adding a PowerPoint and possible website, those again would be funded by myself being able to upload and use the materials but would be free for users. As I look closely into the project as a whole and thinking of concerns or issues, I think about the age range of the public and making sure that the material that is being presented to them is age appropriate and has language that is fitting for their needs. As this can be used for a classroom it’s important to think about the material that is being put in and what can be best suited for the public which includes elementary school-aged children. I think about making sure it’s fun, but informative for people. I want to be able to present material that is fun to look at, the timelines have been made sure to include text that is well suited and fun for all, while also including pictures.
