Southeastern celebrates Women's History Month
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
by: Rene Abadie
HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana University Department of History and Political
Science will coordinate Women’s History Month throughout March with a series of free
lectures and presentations.
“As in the past, we will present a variety of interesting and intriguing topics
through lectures, films and other presentations that focus on an interdisciplinary
approach to women’s history,” said William Robison, head of the Department of History
and Political Science. “We are pleased that colleagues with the Sims Memorial Library
and the Department of Languages and Communication are joining us in providing a diverse
program throughout the month.”
Most of the programs will be held on campus or at area Tangipahoa Parish library
branches. A special “Lafayette Lagniappe” is scheduled at the end of the month in
Lafayette.
The schedule for Women’s History Month includes:
March 9, 2 p.m., Student Union Theatre, Professor of History and Political Science
Margaret Gonzalez-Perez presents “Hidden Women.” A specialist in the area of female
terrorism, she will look at women of other countries who live as men, not out of sexual
preference but because women in these societies suffer economic, political and societal
discrimination.
March 14, 5 p.m., Tangipahoa Parish Library, 380 N. Fifth St. in Ponchatoula,
“Julie and Julia.” Southeastern graduate Karen Williams of the LSU Department of English
will host a viewing of the movie “Julie and Julia” and discuss its significance to
women’s history. The 2009 historical comedy-drama illuminates the history of post-World
War II women as it depicts the life of famed author and chef Julia Child and modern
New York office worker Julie Powell, who sets out to cook all of Child’s 254 recipes
from “The Art of French Cooking.”
March 16, 12:30 p.m., Sims Memorial Library, Library Director Eric Johnson offers
another lecture in a series of presentations in the library’s Latino-American History
Series. “Latinas on Broadway” will review Latina stars who have made important contributions
to America Theatre and will look at the collective impact they have had in both drama
and musical theater. Videos will be featured along with excerpts from original cast
records of shows.
March 16, 6:30 p.m., Tangipahoa Parish Library, 314 E. Thomas St. in Hammond,
Robison will discuss “Women in Civil War Films.” The presentation will include discussion
of film clips from the Silent Era to the present, ranging from the early sound films
“Only the Brave” and “Gone with the Wind” to more modern films such as “The Conspirator”
and “Lincoln.”
March 21, 12:30 p.m., Student Union Theatre, independent musician and photographer
Natasha Sanchez of New Orleans will present “Louisiana: The State of My World,” an
adventurous tour of the state through songs, stories and photographs covering her
journeys from Algiers to Zwolle and parts in between.
March 21, 5 p.m., Tangipahoa Parish Library, 204 NE Central Avenue, Amite. The
film “Suffragette” will be presented in its entirety followed by a discussion led
by Robison. The 2015 drama sets a fictional story within the pre-world War I campaign
for women’s suffrage in Great Britain.
March 23, 12:30 p.m., Student Union Theatre. Professor Carol Madere of the Department
of Languages and Communication will present “How Depictions of Careers for Women Have
Evolved on Television.” She will explore how representations of women on television
have progressed from the wise matriarch of “The Donna Reed Show” to the conflicted
FBI-agent-in- training of “Quantico” and consider whether reality TV shows like “The
Bachelor” are setting women back.
March 23, 7 p.m., Lafayette Lagniappe: South Regional Library, 6101 Johnston
St. in Lafayette. Professor Robison presents “Mary Magdalene, the Da Vinci Code, and
History.” The lecture will compare the scriptural Mary Magdalene and her many artistic,
fiction, and mythological manifestations.
For additional information about Southeastern’s Women’s History Month, contact
the Department of History and Political Science at 985-549-2413 or wrobison@southeastern.edu.
