West Virginia History: A Journal of Regional Studies

West Virginia women have always played an active role in the state's history, and the exhibit Women Making History: Showcasing the West Virginia Feminist Activist Collectiongives these women their moment in the spotlight. A joint endeavor by history department students and faculty as well as members of the West Virginia and Regional History Center staff, the exhibit puts on display selections from the West Virginia Feminist Activist Collection.

Women Making Historyis housed at the West Virginia and Regional History Center and was officially opened on October 16, 2023. The exhibit's design makes excellent use of the space provided; lining the two hallways that serve as entry points into the WVRHC are panels and artifacts relating to feminist activism in the state of West Virginia. The exhibit is composed of five sections, each examining a different aspect of feminist activity in the state, from the early work of the Morgantown chapter of the National Organization of Women to the role of women miners in the fight for family work leave.

Each section of the exhibit tells a story, a piece of the puzzle of women's activism in West Virginia. Each of these sections could stand on its own, with visitors leaving the exhibit with an enhanced understanding of that facet of West Virginia women's history. It is only when all of these pieces of the story are taken together, however, that visitors will truly gain a cohesive understanding of all of the ways that West Virginia women have made history. Each section flows smoothly into the next, broadening the picture of women's activism in the state in the latter half of the twentieth century. Woven together, these separate stories form a narrative of the lives and histories of West Virginia women, stories that have traditionally been left out of the narrative of the state's history. [End Page 169]

A major focus of this exhibit is women in nontraditional jobs; specifically, the exhibit devotes a large amount of space to women in coal mining. Coal mining is a major aspect of West Virginia history, and this exhibit showcases the roles women have played in this important industry. Kipp Dawson, civil rights activist and retired coal miner, was involved in the curation of the exhibit; a profile of her titled "Portrait of a Woman Miner" features prominently in one of several display cases. The inclusion of Dawson's input gives this section of the exhibit a particular strength; her personal experience in mining adds ethos to the exhibit's discussion of women's work in this traditionally male space.

A uniquely engaging aspect of this exhibit is its re-creation of one of the "sister spaces" for which the feminist group the Artemis Sisters came to be known. Visitors are invited to pause on this space and reflect on feminist community building. Encouraged to sit and read the feminist literature provided while surrounded by photographs and printed ephemera of the Artemis Sisters, visitors can see themselves in this expertly re-created "sister space" and begin to understand the space's importance in feminist community building.

Women Making Historyshowcases the various ways that West Virginia women make their own history, focusing specifically, as the official poster notes, on women making a living, making change, making art, and making community. Each piece of the exhibit stands on its own but is best understood in the context of each of the others, coming together to paint a picture of feminist activism in West Virginia in the twentieth century and beyond. [End Page 170]