Irving Archives and Museum to host Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative Series with virtual scholar talks for Women's History Month 2021
March 9, 2021
These unique opportunities are a part of a grant program awarded to the Irving Archives and Museum by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Series. This series of five lectures begins Wednesday, March 3, 2021 and concludes Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Registration is required. Participants should register through the associated links below.
1) Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 7 PM EST
African American Women’s Activism in Historical Perspective
Register here
Highlighting objects related to African American women’s history in the Smithsonian collections, this event focuses on African American women’s activism and contributions in historical perspective. Each speaker will explore an interesting aspect of African American women’s activism through an extended discussion of one or two objects.
Featuring:
- Nancy Bercaw, PhD, Chair, Division of Political and Military History, National Museum of American History
- Aleia Brown, PhD, Assistant Director, Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities
- Modupe Labode, PhD, Curator, National Museum of American History
- Crystal Moten, PhD, Curator, National Museum of American History
2) Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 7 PM EST
Lena Richard and Julia Child: Two Women Who Changed Culinary History
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Through their cookbooks, teaching, and television programs, these extraordinary women inspired generations of people to take cooking seriously. They challenged perceptions and stereotypes of women in their respective eras and made lasting contributions to culinary history. Their stories, reflective of their very different backgrounds, reveal insights about women, race, food, and culture in 20th-century America.
Featuring:
- Paula Johnson, Curator, National Museum of American History
- Ashley Rose Young, PhD, Historian, National Museum of American History
3) Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 5 PM EST
Women in Aerospace: Stories from the Smithsonian Collection
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Dr. Margaret Weitekamp has researched and written on how a groundswell of support helped create a Lego set representing women’s contributions to aerospace. Join us for a discussion of how women have worked from the very beginning of aviation to innovate, and how museums have documented their stories.
Featuring:
- Margaret Weitekamp, PhD, Curator and Department Chair, Space History Department, National Air and Space Museum
4) Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at 7pm EST
Ancient Worlds Contemporary Selves: Smithsonian Scholars Explore Intersectionality
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In this discussion, scholars from the National Museum of the American Indian, Asian Pacific American Center and Smithsonian American Art Museum explore how artists integrate the ancient world within their contemporary artistic practice. In so doing, their works update and create new meanings, allowing them to pass on complex and layered cultural interpretations to future generations.
Featuring:
- Michelle Delaney, PhD, Assistant Director for History and Culture, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian Healoha Johnston, Curator, Asian Pacific American Women’s Cultural History, Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American Center
- Claudia Zapata, Curatorial Assistant, Smithsonian American Art Museum
5) Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 5 PM EST
Women Artists Respond to Place
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The significance of landscapes, places, and narratives of all kinds will be examined through the works of contemporary women artists in Smithsonian collections.
Featuring:
- Tuliza Fleming, PhD, Curator of American Art, National Museum of African American History and Culture Rebecca Trautmann, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art, National Museum of the American Indian
Moderated by:
Tricia Edwards, Deputy Director, Smithsonian Affiliations
Join Us at IAM for Docent-Led Tours on the First Sunday of Every Month at 2 pm! FREE ADMISSION & FREE TOUR!
Friends of the Irving Museum is excited to launch the Iconic Irving T-Shirt Fundraiser! For a donation of $35 or more, you’ll receive your very own Iconic Irving T-Shirt—a wearable piece of hometown pride. Every dollar raised goes directly toward giving the beloved Big State sign a permanent home in Heritage Park. This project preserves not just a sign, but a vital piece of Irving’s history and community identity. Click here to learn how to get yours!
KATSEYE Irving Fan Event Check out the photos from our event!
Second Saturdays at IAM! FREE Admission and FREE Activities for Everyone!
Two Photography Exhibitions On View Now!
Original artwork by Irving Independent School District high school art students reflecting a message of hope and healing for those who have experienced domestic violence or know someone who has been impacted by it.
Step back in time and fall into history at Bear Creek Heritage Center!
City of Irving Mourns the Passing of Ruth Paine The City of Irving and the Irving Department of Arts and Culture are saddened to announce the passing of Ruth Hyde Paine, who died on August 31, 2025, just three days before her 93rd birthday. Ruth Paine’s life became intertwined with one of the most pivotal moments in American history. In 1963, Marina Oswald and her children were living with Ruth in her modest Irving home when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Unknown to Ruth at the time, Lee Harvey Oswald had stored the rifle the Warren Commission determined was used in the assassination in her garage. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Ruth provided crucial testimony to the Warren Commission, answering more questions than any other witness. Over the decades, she gave countless interviews and dedicated herself to clarifying her role in history. While her name became forever linked to the Kennedy assassination, Ruth Paine was also an educator, a linguist, a Quaker, and a woman of principle, whose life stretched far beyond November 22, 1963. In 2009, the City of Irving purchased the Paine home on West 5th Street and restored it to its 1963 appearance. In 2013, the home opened as the Ruth Paine House Museum, a historic site that explores the events leading up to President Kennedy’s assassination. The museum also highlights Ruth’s friendship with Marina Oswald, which brought the Oswald family into her home during that pivotal time. After the opening, Ruth visited the museum several times, generously sharing her memories and insights, and offering her support for the city’s efforts to preserve this important chapter of history. “The City of Irving is deeply grateful to Ruth Paine,” said Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer “Through her generosity and willingness to share her experiences, she helped us preserve a vital piece of history for future generations. Her life reminds us that history is often lived by ordinary people placed in extraordinary circumstances.” Ruth Paine will be remembered not only for the history that unfolded around her but also for her lifelong commitment to education, peace, and service. The City of Irving extends its heartfelt condolences to her family and friends. Information regarding a public memorial service has not been announced at this time. To see our memorial page honoring Ruth Paine, please visit: https://www.irvingarchivesandmuseum.com/ruth-paine-memorial . About the Ruth Paine House Museum The Ruth Paine House Museum immerses visitors in the story of the events leading up to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy through a restored 1963 suburban home, multimedia exhibits, and projected vignettes featuring Ruth and Michael Paine and Marina and Lee Harvey Oswald. Period furnishings, family photographs, and archival media transport visitors back to a pivotal moment in American history while also exploring Ruth Paine’s civic and social justice work during the 1960s. For more information about the Ruth Paine House Museum, please visit: https://www.irvingarchivesandmuseum.com/ruth-paine-house-museum.
