Restoration of Women at Kenyon

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    Without knowing it, my group and I were tasked with restoring the presence of women in Kenyon's history. This came from the realization that this case was the first to focus solely on women at Kenyon, leading to their long-overdue recognition. Consequently, we brought people and events back into the light that may have been overlooked or forgotten when it comes to Kenyon's history. Hence, our case is heavily influenced by the early years of Kenyon's co-ed transformation. And this period in particular can be easily forgotten as the influence and success of women at the school today makes it seem as if it were always that way.

    Just as my group had done with the creation of the case for women at Kenyon, Oprah did the same for Black women in the civil rights movement. By bringing up Recy Taylor's name and sacrifice at the Golden Globes, she shined a light on Black women that had long been shut off. Too often, it's men in the civil rights movement that are praised, causing the influence of Black women to fade into the background. Thus, this simple act of recognition by Oprah in this public setting gives them their long overdue credit, a significant part of restoration. You see, in order to 'restore' anything, something has to be missing. And when it comes to history, restoration stems from filling in the missing pieces of history and, in this case, recognizing key figures and events that usually go unseen.

    By restoring these pieces of history, we contribute to telling a more complete story. Bringing forth forgotten and overlooked memories adds depth to the narrative, revealing the people and events that were essential in shaping Kenyon's history. For example, Chalmers library now recognizes the work of Roberta Teale Swartz Chalmers in addition to her husband. By doing so, the college sees how she was also important for the school's growth, so much so in fact that she deserved to be recognized. Ultimately, restoring history is an important task as uncovering important, distant memories allows us to appreciate their legacy while enriching our understanding of the past. 

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