The Industrial Revolution brought many and lasting changes to the labor force. We moved from a mostly agricultural society to one dominated by mechanization. Men, women, and children as young as five worked long hours in often dangerous conditions. It wasn’t unusual for people to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week for [...]
Frances Perkins – “I am extraordinarily the product of my grandmother” Frances Perkins was born Fanny Coralie Perkins. She was born on April 10, 1880, in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents were born in Maine and although the family eventually settled in Worcester, their roots were firmly planted in Newcastle, Maine. Fanny spent her childhood summers [...]
Gertrude Bell - 20th-Century Middle East Influencer Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell was born on July 14, 1868, in Washington New Hall, County Durham, England. Her father was the industrialist, Sir Thomas Hugh Bell. Her grandfather was Sir Isaac Lowthian Bell, a Parliamentarian who worked with Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. She was destined to lead an [...]
The Rookery is one of the most historically significant buildings in Chicago. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1972. This architectural masterpiece was designed by Burnham and Root. It was completed in 1888, during the building boom following the Great Chicago Fire. [...]
Updated June 17, 2019 and August 8, 2021 No detail of the Votes for Women movement was overlooked! Women’s suffrage colors were selected to represent the values and goals of their hard work. The two most well-known suffrage movements, that of the United States and that of England were united in many ways but adopted [...]
10 Suffrage Celebrations 2017 The Edwardian era officially lasted from 1901-1910, encompassing the rule of British King Edward VII. The blurry line that melds one era into another reaches back into the last decade of the 1800s and moves forward perhaps, until the end of World War 1. There is much to explore about this [...]
We’re always looking for interesting stories about the women and fashions of the historic eras that inspire our designs. Today we look at the life of Madam C.J. Walker, a female entrepreneur and someone whose name lives on in hair care to this day. Oh, and she was among the first women in the United [...]
Annette Kellerman was an international star in her lifetime. She dared to publicly do many things that few women had ever done before, and certainly not with the same shock and amazement that she caused. And as bold and risque as her actions were, she did it all for her commitment to women’s physical health. [...]
Jane Peterson was a centennial baby. She was born on November 28, 1876, in Elgin, Illinois. Her parents were an Elgin Watch Company employee and a homemaker. They named her Jennie Christine. Little did they know that their baby would grow up to be considered one of the most prolific and brilliant impressionist painters of [...]