Digging Deeper

We like to think of history as neutral or as a faithful account of what happened.  But, even the most respected chroniclers of history come to a subject matter with bias or a new theory to prove.  When the Roman historian Tacitus wrote of Rome's conquest of European tribes he did it through the lens of a Roman citizen, and even as son-in-law to one of the generals he wrote about.  Of course that's not to say that historians and chroniclers are obsolete, in fact their interpretation and re-interpretation of events are vital to our understanding of history but we need to always keep in mind the context in which they write.  We as learners also come with our own biases and we seem to instinctually want to boil down complex situations into simple categories like: good vs. bad; wrong vs. right.       

Unfortunately history is rarely straightforward.  Few people are 100% good or evil so why would historical events involving people be any different.  The most important thing we can do is keep digging for the history that is not easily found in textbooks or documentaries.  By creating a more complete picture of the past we can better understand our present and celebrate the accomplishments of those who went before us.  And by celebrating accomplishments, big and small, of those who have fallen through the cracks of history, they can inspire the future.  

And so we come to this blog.  My goal with this blog is to shed light on the many accomplishments women have made throughout history.  While women are not totally devoid from history books, it seems that it's always the same women who are highlighted.  These women are more than worthy of being taught but when we celebrate women in history they tend to have to fit into these familiar and safe categories: women of wealth; women who took on a man's role or women who fought against the status quo.  But much like men or any other demographic, women are diverse and complex and in presenting a more well-rounded example of how women have contributed to history, I hope to show that people of any gender, race and economic background can have a profound impact on the present and future.  Sweeping change and improvement can come from massive movements of governments or scientific discoveries but they can also begin by the quiet and daily work of people who are living their lives and supporting others.

With that I will leave you with two quotes: the first is from a young adult fiction and the second is from a Noble Peace Prize recipient.  Yes, it's quite a mixture but I think they are both worth a thought.

"In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference.  But this isn't a perfect world.  The problem is people who think it is." Neal Shusterman, Unwind 

"I am like a drop of water on a rock.  After drip, drip, dripping in the same place, I begin to leave a mark, and I leave my mark in many people's hearts."  Rigoberta Menchu