Phi Alpha Theta, the History Honors Society, is sponsoring a film festival to celebrate Women’s History Month.
Phi Alpha Theta will be hosting three separate presentations.
On March 19, “Miss Representation,” a documentary about society’s portrayal of women, will be shown. This will also include a discussion that will be led by Merry Brown, who is an Instructor of Philosophy.
On March 21, the featured documentary will be “Awakening,” the first part of a three-part series entitled “Makers: Women Who Make America.” The film focuses on the beginning of the women’s rights movement.
Joy Rogers, who is the executive director of the domestic crisis hotline known as Northwest Safeline, will be presenting a lecture on domestic violence on March 26, in conjunction with the film “Pork Chop Day.” “Pork Chop Day” is a documentary about Debbie Knapp, the first women in the state of Tennessee to be paroled from a life sentence, which she received for shooting and killing her abusive husband.
All events will be held at 7 p.m. in Brehm 258.
Started as a week-long celebration in Sonoma, Calif. in 1978, March was eventually designated Women’s History Month in 1987.
“There’s a declaration every March, signed by the president,” said Dr. Donna Cooper Graves, Associate Professor of History and faculty advisor for Phi Alpha Theta.
This is the second year that Phi Alpha Theta has hosted an event for Women’s History Month. Last year the organization sponsored a documentary on birth control. This year the organization wants to expand their celebration.
“We’re hoping to have more people and to have more interest. And to keep growing, really,” Graves said.
Phi Alpha Theta’s goal is to spread awareness of Women’s History Month.
“We’ve really been doing this because we don’t think there’s enough promoting of Women’s History Month, especially the history aspect of it. … There needs to be more celebration of Women’s History,” Graves said.
