Back to All Events

In-Person Course | The Lives of Early American Women Series 2: Victorian Voices with Kalela Williams, the Black History Maven [in progress]

Date / Time

  • February 12, 2022
    1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
  • March 12, 2022
    1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
  • April 9, 2022
    1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Location

2008-2010 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, United States

This course is sponsored by Bethany Chisholm and Justin Yost

Registration

  • Tuition for this course is $150, $135 Delancey Society and Members.
  • Rosenbach members receive a 10% discount on tuition.
  • Not a member? We invite you to join upon registration. Click here for more information about membership.
  • This course is limited to participants who are 17 years of age or older.
  • The first class meeting of this course will be held via Zoom, but the subsequent meetings will be held in-person at The Rosenbach.
  • This event requires proof of vaccination.
  • Two complimentary tickets to visit The Rosenbach are included with your paid registration for this virtual course. You will receive the discount code in your email confirmation and tickets can be booked here. Please check your spam folder for your email confirmation.
  • If you have questions about registration, please call (215) 732-1600 or email [email protected].
  • Registration opens for Delancey Society members on November 15, for members on November 22, and for the general public on November 29.

 

Register

 

The first session of this course will meet online. We will reassess safety issues for the future meetings in March and April.

Course Description

In this course series, we will study historical fiction and poetry by contemporary authors along with primary sources written by U.S. women during the 19th century. Our study will  allow a deep exploration of women’s lives in the past.  

Together, we’ll read and discuss the letters, diaries, and primary sources of a diverse set of 19th century U.S. women, from writers like Emily Dickinson and Louisa May Alcott, to diaries and letters by everyday young women, to literary heroines like Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. We’ll also explore how modern-day novelists and poets, including Sadiqua Jones and Janet Benton, write about  the lives of 19th century women in their fictional works.  

Throughout the series, we will discuss the works, while we engage with our own writing through prompts and activities. The true-life or fictionalized stories of women will inspire us to delve into the actual, lived experiences of U.S. women of the past. Through  these women’s stories, we will learn about how they lived and worked, what they wore, and how they cared for their families.  

Participants of Part I, Revolutionary Women are especially encouraged to register for Part II: Victorian Voices, although all are welcome! All participants will be invited to attend a special  “Founding Sisters” Philadelphia tour in April 2022.  

Syllabus for Series 2 Victorian Voices

About the Instructor

Kalela Williams is the founder of Black History Maven, a gathering community that honors all diverse pasts, affirms Black identity and pride, and engages communities in literary, artistic, and cultural conversations. She is the current Director of Writing of Philadelphia youth organization Mighty Writers, and previously worked in literary programming for the Free Library of Philadelphia and James Madison University’s Furious Flower Poetry Center. 

In addition, Kalela serves on the board of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and writes fiction that connects history with the present. Her essay, “The Three Century Walk” is forthcoming this fall in Making Tracks: Reflections on Walking by New Door Books, and she recently was awarded a Tin House Writing Residency for her YA novel-in-progress, The Rosebine Daughters. Kalela has led literary and writing workshops for museums, organizations, and institutions including the Barnes Foundation, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Library Company of Philadelphia, Mural Arts, and many others. 

Scholarship Opportunities

Scholarships may be available for this course. For more information, please contact Emilie Parker at [email protected].

About Rosenbach Courses

Revisit beloved classics or experience new ones with Rosenbach courses. Book lovers delve into fiction, history, and poetry with the guidance of a literary expert and the company of other readers. See all upcoming courses.

By registering for this program, you will be added to The Rosenbach’s email database to receive future communication about programs and events. If you’d prefer not to receive these messages please email [email protected]g with ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject line. 

Proof of Vaccination

Beginning on September 1, visitors and program attendees must show proof of vaccination along with all ​staff members and volunteers. With limited space for social distancing in our historic house and library, requiring proof of vaccination is the best way to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff.

  • Visitors and program attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination along with their photo ID at the front desk. We will accept your original CDC issued card or a photo.
  • With the vaccine requirement in place, masks are not required but are encouraged and will be available for use.
  • Visitors who are unable to show proof of vaccination will not be able to visit The Rosenbach at this time, including unvaccinated children under the age of 12.