Sisters in the Wind
Sunday, July 14, 2024 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Meet at Visitor Center. Women moving towards freedom and independence through the
bicycle and motorcycle.
"The greatest
development to bring women closer to freedom and independence
was the
invention of the bicycle." Susan B.
Anthony 1896
Certain adventurous women chose a
different path to freedom and independence by riding bicycles and motorcycles.
Riding these machines challenged social mores and led to a change in how
society viewed women. It also changed the way women viewed themselves. In the
late 1800s, early 1900s "The New Woman" started riding these "freedom machines"
and could, for the first time, venture out without a male chaperon. Now women
could exercise in fresh air in public. These new activities necessitated a
change in women's dress. Long Victorian dresses, corsets, and bustles were
replaced by form fitting outfits. The bicycle became a symbol for the struggle to
vote. Be inspired as historian Bruce
Kagan will take you on "the road less traveled," reviewing the development of
the bicycle and motorcycle and highlighting key biographies of women who dared
to make these machines part of their lives. Their journey elevated and changed
society.
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