By Scarlett Birge, student news writer, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – “Women’s History Month is about showing women’s agency,” said Dr. Wendy Wood, professor of history, during her seminar on March 14 recognizing Women’s History Month as a part of the First Generation Scholars Program lecture series.
Wood said Women’s History Month was created by Congress in 1981, starting at first as only a one-week recognition before it was expanded into a whole month. She said the importance of recognizing women’s history is that it works to more accurately portray and highlight women who are often misrepresented.
“Misrepresentation of women in history is very common,” Wood said.
Many people believe women do not have a history because women are mainly overlooked and their history is misreported Wood said.
“When you look at history from a woman’s perspective, it takes on a whole new meaning,” Wood said.
Wood recognized Pocahontas as an important woman whose history has been vastly misrepresented. She said the widely known version of Pocahontas’ history, which comes from pop culture media, erases her agency and her real identity.
“Pocahontas was a victim. She was forcibly removed from her culture, forced to marry John Rolfe and yet we present her as being ashamed of who she is,” Wood said.
“When you look at the women that aren’t in history books or aren’t well known, it narrows what we know,” Wood said. “The purpose of women’s history is to expand that.”
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 12,000 students offering over 100 programs of study including doctoral, masters, bachelors, associate and certification programs. The website for complete information is www.campbellsville.edu.