W.Va. Feminist Activist Collection seeking information
An ongoing effort to identify activists in West Virginia’s women’s rights movement is the focus of the Feminist Activist Collection in the West Virginia Regional History Center of the West Virginia University Libraries.
Lori Hostuttler, interim director of the center, said, “We are working to commemorate and preserve information and items related to the historic efforts of those innovative individuals.”
Items and documents reflecting the activities of these feminist activists will be added to the archives, which will help researchers, students and others learn about the women’s movement in the state.
“We hope that many will think about their own community or county and who was interested in the furtherance of women’s rights over the past 60 years or so. Was it their grandmother, teachers, colleagues or even themselves?” Hostuttler said.
The diaries, letters, photos, reports, notes, protest event information, etc., are needed to build the picture of how women progressed over the decades.
“Another component of the archives is the oral histories of feminist activists who are willing to be interviewed and provide personal perspectives,” Hostuttler said.
A video on the purposes and concepts of the overall program is available at https://youtube.com/watch?v=yXPUNgi3zUA.
“I welcome any questions about the Feminist Activist Collection at LoHostuttler@mail.wvu.edu or 304–293-1116,” she said. “We don’t want to lose their stories.”
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