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Activity: Women’s Magazines and Feminism, 19th Century to the Present—Encore

Friday, 3/15/2024
12:30 - 1:30
Learning Studio - 5th Fl
Main Library

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

415-557-4400

Interact with a curated selection of women’s magazines from the library’s collection in this hands-on activity covering more than 150 years of publishing in the United States.  

For your awe and interrogation, fifteen different women’s magazines from the 1850s to 2020s invite your analysis. Learn about milestone moments in the history of publishing women’s magazines from a Magazines and Newspapers Center librarian. Following a librarian-created checklist, trace concepts of gender roles, feminine beauty and fashion, suffrage, women’s liberation and feminism through the spread of magazines both commercial and independent. Identify variations in editorial tone and graphic representation and question the motivation of each publication for embodying its respective attributes. Receive guidance on accessing the print issues of each magazine featured in the workshop through the library’s holdings, as well as how to access and view digitized versions of the magazines through the library’s website.

You are encouraged to bring your smartphone to snap photos of magazine content to share with other participants through the course of the activity.

Magazine titles include: 

  • Ladies’ American Magazine  
  • Godey’s Lady’s Book  
  • Ladies’ Home Journal  
  • Good Housekeeping  
  • Essence 
  • McCall’s 
  • Better Homes & Gardens 
  • Up from Under  
  • Bitch 
  • Ms. Magazine 
  • Harper’s Bazaar  
  • Women's Sports & Fitness   
  • Women’s Wear Daily 
  • Vogue 
  • Oprah Magazine 

Women's Interest

Programs spotlighting women's history, rights and current issues.

HERstory is SFPL's celebration of Women's History Month, spotlighting authors, thinkers, visionaries and artists during the month of March. Program offerings are for all ages. 
sfpl.org/herstory

Spotlight

What's News

Programs that highlight how the library's vast periodicals collection can help you dig deeper in your research, expand your horizons and stay informed.

This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.

Public Notice and Disclaimer

This program uses a third-party website link. By clicking on the third-party website link, you will leave SFPL's website and enter a website not operated by SFPL. This service may collect personally identifying information about you, such as name, username, email address, and password. This service will treat the information it collects about you pursuant to its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of each third-party website or service that you visit or use, including those third parties with whom you interact through our Library services. For more information about these third-party links, please see the section of SFPL’s Privacy Policy describing Links to Other Sites.

The views and opinions expressed in programs presented by groups unaffiliated with SFPL do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SFPL or the City.