CONTACT:
Sara Robertson, Unladylike2020,  ​[email protected]
Jennifer Herrera, National Women's History Museum,  press@womenshistory.org

WASHINGTON, DC— The National Women's History Museum is proud to join the producers of the hit women’s history documentary series, ​Unladylike2020​, ​for a virtual summit with PBS and national education partners on Saturday, February 13, 2021 titled, ​Where Are the Women?​.

The event will feature a poetry recitation and land acknowledgment by the U.S. Poet Laureate ​Joy Harjo​, and a keynote by renowned cultural historian and Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University, Martha S. Jones​, author of​ Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. ​The virtual conference will also feature video testimonials from diverse women thought leaders, including: ​Marley Dias​, founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks; ​Isa Noyola​, Deputy Director at Mijente, the fastest growing English language social-network for the Latinx community; ​Stephanie Wager​, President, National Council of the Social Studies; and ​Teresa C. Younger,​ President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women.

The summit, ​open to journalists​, will include a dynamic panel discussion and live chat audience Q&A with social studies teachers, historians, textbook authors, curriculum policy leaders, and youth advocates, to examine the factors that have limited the presence of women in textbooks, educational standards, and curriculum for grades K-12, as well as efforts to ensure that the role of women as history-makers and agents of change is historically accurate and equitable, and is taught in U. S. classrooms. As part of the event, ​PBS Digital Innovator All-Star ​high school teachers will demonstrate, and answer audience questions about ​Unladylike2020​ lesson plans and curriculum they created and have implemented, that represent the accomplishments of women in history and are​ tailor-made for virtual, in-person, and/or hybrid learning​. The ​Unladylike2020​ e​ ducational resource collection can be accessed at PBS LearningMedia​.

Winners of the My Hero Project’s 2020 Women Transforming Media Award, ​Unladylike2020​ Executive Producers ​Sandra Rattley​ and ​Charlotte Mangin​ were inspired to stage this national conversation about how women’s history is taught after reading a National Women’s History Museum research report that analyzed K- 12 social studies standards for the 50 states and Washington, D.C. ​The ​Where Are the Women?​ report found that, out of 737 historical figures taught in the standard curriculum, just 178, or 24%, are women, including several fictional characters. 98 of the women appear in only 1 state standard, while only 15 are named in more than 10 states.
 

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