National Collaborative for Women's History Sites facts for kids
The National Collaborative for Women's History Sites (NCWHS) is a group in the United States that helps protect and share stories about women's history. They work to make sure that places where important events in women's lives happened are saved and understood. Their main goal is to show how much women have contributed to American history. This helps everyone see the value of women's experiences and what they can achieve.
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What is the NCWHS?
The National Collaborative for Women's History Sites, or NCWHS, is a special organization. It's a "nonprofit" group, which means it doesn't aim to make money. Instead, it focuses on a good cause: preserving women's history. They want to make sure that places connected to women's lives in America are remembered. This helps everyone learn about the important roles women have played throughout history.
The NCWHS does many things to share women's history. They create helpful books and guides, like Revealing Women's History: Best Practices at Historic Sites. They also host online meetings and workshops to teach people. They present ideas at big history conferences. The group encourages the creation of "heritage trails," which are paths that connect historical places. They also share tools and ideas to help historians include women's stories at historic sites.
Working with Other Groups
The NCWHS often works with other history organizations. These partners include the National Park Service and the Organization of American Historians. They also team up with the National Women's History Project. By working together, they can reach more people. This helps more places share women's history with visitors.
The Beginning of NCWHS
The NCWHS started in October 2001. More than 20 groups that cared about women's history came together. They noticed that only about 4% of historic sites in the country talked about women's history. The people who started NCWHS wanted to change this. They aimed to help smaller local groups. These local groups were trying to add more women's history to their communities.
Building Networks and Sharing Information
The NCWHS helps these local groups by connecting them. They create networks so people can share ideas and support each other. The organization also acts as a "clearinghouse." This means they collect and share lots of information and resources. This makes it easier for anyone interested in women's history to find what they need.
Who is Part of NCWHS Today?
Today, many different people are members of the NCWHS. This includes museum workers, tour guides, and history experts. Teachers, students, and other history professionals are also members. Museums and historic sites themselves can join. Even members of the general public who care about history can be part of the group.
How NCWHS is Managed
The NCWHS is run by a group called the board of directors. Heather Huyck is the person who leads this board. The main office for the NCWHS is located in Evanston, Illinois. It is at the Evanston History Center.
