History books often highlight prominent historical figures, yet ordinary individuals can also make an extraordinary impact that shapes the course of history. Dr. Kyle Ciani’s HIS 262: History of Women in the United States class is centered around this premise.
Participants research the lives of women who participated in the 1977 National Women’s Conference (NWC) in Houston, Texas.
“Many of the students were unfamiliar with how historians work and research, so this project provided them with an entry into our world,” Ciani said. “It also demonstrated to them the possibility of producing a product beyond an exam, making it a practical experience for them.”
Students are divided into groups, each assigned a conference delegate from Illinois to research and compose mini biographies for. Senior history major Lilly Ridinger and senior political science and legal studies double major Jimmy Holmes were two of the students in Ciani’s class last spring.
“We were researching everyday women, many of whom are moms and wives living normal lives similar to ours. Despite this, they were able to participate in something monumental,” Ridinger said. “Being able to focus and research specific people, humanized the research process.”
Subsequently, these biographies undergo a peer review process before being featured on the Sharing Stories 1977 website—an initiative committed to raising awareness about the NWC and the women involved in it.
“We used the convention documents for the bulk of our research, but we had to get creative and explore sources beyond those documents to gather information about the attendees,” Holmes said.
According to Ciani, there was a moment of frustration for the students, when they initially couldn’t find any information about the women.
“Students learned very quickly that you aren’t going to find much about these women from a quick Google search. Many of these women are from small towns, and they aren’t in the limelight,” Ciani said. “Instead of using the national newspapers, we had to use Newspapers.com and look at village newspapers to find out more. Maybe there’s an obituary or a marriage or engagement announcement that can lead to something.”
Assisted by the encouragement of their group peers and the cooperative dynamic of the project, many students expressed a sense of fulfillment upon discovering significant information as a collective. Ciani said applause would break out in the class when a member uncovered noteworthy findings.
“The classroom environment was a super supportive one. Working with a group of students to do something that would have more of an impact than an individual assignment was very gratifying,” Ridinger said.
Ciani serves as a member of the project’s External Steering Committee for the Sharing Stories 1977 site, which aims to raise awareness about the NWC. She noted that the NWC remains relatively unknown to many, as it is often omitted from history classes, despite its profound impact on various aspects of historical development.
“Women’s history is often pushed to the side, which is why this project was so refreshing,” Ridinger said. “There are so many impactful things that women did, and continue to do, that affect our lives today.”
