Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps in a classroom after their march drill. Iowa, 1942
“My mom worked on coding in the Women’s Army…or as she corrected me, the Army.”
He chuckled at the memory.
Me: Oh that’s so exciting! Did you save anything of hers from that time?
Him: I saved an interesting book of Japanese writing. You know, she needed to recognize the figures.
I was crestfallen. A print publication related to her work requirements is interesting, but… I had so hoped for postcards, diaries, letters, photos. The things documenting the woman.
Let me be clear. It is time for us to document women’s lived experiences.
SAVE EVIDENCE OF WOMEN’S LIVES.
Proudly gather proof of women’s lives: your own, your elders, your peers.
Not sure what can be saved? Get your list of what to include and what to toss:
https://bit.ly/WhatGoesInYour_Archive
I spent 18 years as “archivist and senior research scholar” at an academic science library, actively trying to add women to the historical record and looking for the women who were already included almost accidentally. I have degrees in women’s history and cultural theory — the latter means that I see the cultural value of everyday practices such as food, clothing, hobbies, and domestic arrangements. Non-famous people matter.