The New York City Municipal Archives presents Women Make History: A March Through the Archives, featuring historical documents, photographs and objects that demonstrate how women in, and out of, City government led successful efforts for change in four important issues: Pay Equity,  Reproductive Health, Ending Violence Against Women, and Equal Opportunity.  The exhibit uncovers the real efforts that led to change in New York City, and hopes to spark conversations and inspire action.

The selections are drawn from among the 200,000 cubic feet of original records that the Department of Records and Information Services (DoRIS) manages in the City archives.  The items on display include Lady Deborah Moody’s land ownership patent dating from 1645.  It is one of the oldest documents in the Municipal Archives, and may be the first record of a woman owning property in colonial America.  A series of haunting photographs of rooms where women perished due to illegal abortions highlights the policy changes that were needed to give women safe access to reproductive health.  A series of original documents from Mayor LaGuardia’s files show the first ever report on Sex Crimes as well as letters documenting the controversial program the mayor instituted to curb sex offenders.

Notable “first” women are featured throughout the exhibit—Emily Warren Roebling, who stepped in and orchestrated the building of the Brooklyn Bridge when her husband, Chief Engineer Washington Roebling, fell ill with “the bends” in 1870, Judge Constance Baker Motley, who became the first black woman appointed to the federal bench in 1966, and the first to argue before the United States Supreme Court, winning 9 out of her 10 cases, and educator and civil rights leader Antonia Pantoja who founded ASPIRA, a non-profit organization for Latino youth focused on promoting a positive self-image, commitment to community and education.

Women Make History: A March Through the Archives marks the beginning  of a five-year Women’s Suffrage Centennial celebration initiated by the DoRIS to elevate and fuel New York City’s female activists and inspire activism today through links to women’s history.

Location:
31 Chambers Street, Lobby
New York, NY 10007

For more information visit:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/events/events.shtml