Smithsonian's ‘Girlhood' Exhibit Explores Complexities of Growing Up in America
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The National Museum of American History unveiled "Girlhood (It's Complicated)” this month to celebrate the diverse voice of girls who have pushed for change in the United States.
The exhibit showcases what it is like to grow up as a girl from different racial and ethnic backgrounds across the United States, and during different time periods.
Some young women featured in the exhibit include Helen Keller, Minnijean Brown, one of the Little Rock Nine, LGBTQ rights activist Jazz Jennings and Naomi Wadler, an anti-gun violence activist who spoke at March for Our Lives.
The gallery includes artifacts such as Helen Keller’s watch from 1865, Minnijean Brown’s graduation dress from 1959 and Dominique Dawes’ gymnastics leotard from 1996.
The exhibit took about three years to develop, and its opening coincides with the 100th anniversary of the women’s suffrage movement in America.
"Girlhood" will be on display through 2023, and it will then become a traveling exhibit.
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National Museum of American History
This mural welcomes visitors into the exhibition.
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National Museum of American History
Dominique Dawes wore this leotard at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was a member of the "Magnificent Seven" team that took home the gold.
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National Museum of American History
Dominique Dawes wore this leotard at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA, where she was a member of the “Magnificent Seven” team that took home the gold.
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National Museum of American History
Artwork by Krystal Quiles for the National Museum of American History.
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National Museum of American History
Minnijean Brown was one of the “Little Rock Nine” who desegregated Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. After just a year, the school was shut down, and Brown had to move to New York to complete her education. She wore this dress to celebrate her high school graduation in 1959.
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National Museum of American History
Dress codes enforce specific expectations of girlhood by telling girls what to wear. Some girls’ bodies are treated as more trouble than others, and dress codes are especially policed for girls of color and working-class girls.
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National Museum of American History
The loose fit of this outfit, made in the 1850s, allowed girls to play sports.
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National Museum of American History
Artwork by Krystal Quiles for the National Museum of American History