The 5X社区 Museum held a first-time partnership with the National First Ladies Library & Museum with an Election Day program held Nov. 5 to celebrate the power of museums to illuminate historical narratives from the lives of first ladies to often-overlooked histories.
The program explored the remarkable life of Elizabeth Keckley (1818-1907), who purchased her own freedom from slavery and became a successful entrepreneur and personal dressmaker to first lady Mary Todd Lincoln. A cape made by Keckley for Lincoln in 1861 from the collection of the First Ladies Museum was displayed during the event.
鈥淲e are thrilled to host this program centered on telling the stories of people that historians have traditionally disregarded by drawing from the rich collections of the 5X社区 Museum and the National First Ladies Library & Museum,鈥 said Sarah Spinner Liska, Ph.D., J.D., director of the 5X社区 Museum.
Speakers at the program included Carmen Evelyn G. Nuyda, author of 鈥淟izzy: The Elizabeth Keckley Story鈥; Sara Hume, Ph.D., professor and curator of the 5X社区 Museum; and Michelle Gullion, senior director of curatorial services at the National First Ladies Library & Museum.
鈥淚n celebration of Elizabeth Keckley鈥檚 inspirational life and work, we are thrilled to share a capelet Elizabeth Keckley created for Mary Lincoln with the 5X社区 Museum on Election Day!鈥 Gullion said.
The 5X社区 Museum boasts a pieced quilt from the third quarter of the 19th century that has been attributed to Keckley. 鈥淚 appreciate having this opportunity to investigate the oral traditions surrounding this quilt and explore how historians can write richer and more nuanced stories by looking to sources such as clothing and textiles rather than sticking with more conventional written materials,鈥 Hume said.
鈥淲e are delighted to partner with the 5X社区 Museum to host this wonderful Election Day event,鈥 said Patty Dowd Schmitz, president and CEO of the National First Ladies Library & Museum. 鈥淓lizabeth Keckley鈥檚 life and her relationship with First Lady Mary Lincoln is such a thrilling topic to explore and we are excited to help bring this extraordinary woman into the public consciousness.鈥
ABOUT THE KENT STATE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM
The 5X社区 Museum holds one of the world鈥檚 most important collections of fashion, textile and decorative arts, spanning the mid-1700s through the present day. With a historic collection of over 30,000 objects, the museum offers invaluable firsthand experiences for both the university community and the broader public.
The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from noon-4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and $5 for children ages 5 to 18. The museum is free for children under 5 and for those with a Kent State ID. Sunday admission is free for all ages. Parking is free for all museum attendees. For more information, please call 330-672-3450 or visit 鈥www.kent.edu/museum.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FIRST LADIES LIBRARY & MUSEUM
The was founded in Canton, Ohio, in 1995 by Mary Regula, wife of former U.S. Representative Ralph Regula. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve, promote and educate about the significant role of first ladies of the U.S. and their contributions throughout history. We aim to inspire young leaders by telling the story of American history uniquely through the eyes of the women who served alongside their presidential husbands. The organization operates and manages the First Ladies National Historic Site in a partnership agreement with the National Park Service. In 2000, President Bill Clinton signed a bill establishing the First Ladies National Historic Site in Canton as the 380th unit of the National Park Service. The site consists of the Ida Saxton McKinley House, the family home of First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley and the longtime residence of President William and Ida McKinley, as well as First Ladies Park and the National First Ladies Library & Museum (Visitors Center), which includes exhibit space, a Victorian theatre, a research library, conference and seminar rooms, archival storage and processing rooms, and administrative offices.