Dr. Susan Hartmann will deliver a speech at ETSU on Tuesday, Oct. 3, entitled “Who Were the Feminists and How Did They Change America?”
Hartmann is a professor of history at Ohio State University, and a well-known author and historian.
She is an expert on the feminist movement and has lectured on American history in countries such as Australia, France, Germany, Greece, Japan and Nepal. Her visit is sponsored by the history department.
This free speech will be given at 7 p.m. in the East Tennessee Room, third floor of the D.P. Culp University Center. All students are welcome and light refreshments will be served.
Hartmann co-authored one of the books used in an ETSU history course, “The American Promise: A History of the United States,” third edition, 2005.
According to the OSU Department of History Web site, “Her current research deals with gender and the reshaping of U.S. politics and policy after World War II.”
“She is the perfect person to talk on this topic,” said Dr. Colin Baxter, chair of the ETSU history department.
“Clearly she is one of the outstanding American historians on American history and women in American history,” he said. “We’re very proud to have her come here.”
Samantha James, a freshman, said, “I love history and to see a leading authority in that field would be cool.”
Alex Fields, 18, a biology major, said, “That’s right after my biology class so I’ll probably attend.
“I respect and agree with feminism in general but I think certain sects have lost touch with the basic goal of equality and have begun to see men as actually inferior and not just equals, which is hypocritical for obvious reasons,” he said.
Regardless of how students feel about the topic of feminism, few know the extent to what the feminist movement did for America. Hartmann’s speech is an opportunity to learn about the topic.
“Feminism and the feminist movement has accomplished a great deal in the American history,” Baxter said.
“Students need to know who the feminists were, how they’ve changed America,” he said.
“Besides, of course, women having the right to vote, and equal pay and equal work, and just tremendous benefits that young female students have today they owe a great deal to those early feminists.”
For more information about the lecture, call the history department at 439-4222.

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