Women's History Site: New York Landmark

At Reunion 2004, SLC’s North Building received a New York State historic marker recognizing the modest structure as the birthplace of the College’s groundbreaking Graduate Program in Women’s History. At the unveiling, Pam Elam MA ’80, who organized the special women’s history events throughout Reunion weekend, thanked program founder Gerda Lerner “for challenging us to rethink the past and to reshape the future… for making this little building shine like a lighthouse in the darkness.” Added women’s history program director Priscilla Murolo ’80, “The women’s history movement redefined what history is. It used to be about the generals; now it’s about the foot soldiers, too.” At an earlier ceremony, Lerner herself, who founded the SLC program in 1972, was honored with a special citation from the College. “The legacy of her achievement is undiminished at Sarah Lawrence,” it noted, “where a strong women’s history program continues to attract and educate her intellectual children and grandchildren.” 

—S.W.