Introduction to the Project
This website expands on a former exhibit, “Active and Benevolent Ladies: A Short History of Women at Davidson College,” created by staff in 2011 to commemorate the inauguration of Davidson College’s first female-identifying president, Dr. Carol Quillen. Dr. Quillen stepped down from her role as college president in 2022 after over a decade of service to the institution. In 2023, Davidson College celebrated 50+ years of coeducation.
In consideration of these milestones, this purpose of this website is to highlight a selection of stories of individual staff and faculty, student organizations, student leaders, and transformative college programs and initiatives documented in the Davidson College Archives and Special Collections to showcase women’s contributions to Davidson College since the institution opened its doors in 1837. The goal of this exhibit is to provide a general timeline of women’s history at Davidson College while emphasizing humanizing stories of women who have made lasting contributions to the institution when documentation allows. Although the creation of this site coincides with the anniversary of women enrolling in the college as degree earning students in 1972, the purpose of this site is to highlight a range of different faculty, staff, and student stories from both before and after this time period.
This exhibit takes care to amplify the stories of women whose contributions have been overlooked in tellings of Davidson College history focused solely on coeducation, including:
- Women students in the 19th century
- Enslaved women
- Laundry staff
- Dining Services staff
- Support staff for fraternities, eating houses, and 19th century boarding houses
- Administrative support staff
While this website aims to address the wide array of identities related to the concept of women at Davidson College, we acknowledge there are many experiences that remain undocumented and untold in this exhibit. We honor those experiences and welcome feedback and contributions as we work to build more inclusive spaces and collections. Please contact us at archives@davidson.edu.
Advisory Statement:
Davidson College Archives and Special Collections contain materials originally published in yearbooks, newspapers, and other Davidson College publications. You may encounter upsetting racist, oppressive, and outdated representations in these documents. They are included for historical accuracy and do not represent the views of the current Davidson College community, which seeks to honor the dignity of all persons and commits itself to a quest for truth and building of a more just and humane future.