Curatorial Notes

Jennie Ochterski, Class of 2015, Archives Assistant

I am a senior gender studies major with an interest in queer theory and fat studies. I have worked in the Archives for two years and focus primarily on hidden histories of student activism at Mount Holyoke. I'm so excited about this exhibit and proud that it came together at the very end of my time at MHC. 

This online exhibit stems from a physical version I curated in the spring of 2014. Putting together an online exhibit was important to me for a couple of reasons. For one, more people will have access to this very important information. Community members will be able to see the gaps in the archival record and help us fill them in. It's critical to note that all the information in this exhibit came from two small boxes on the Archives shelves (and a few newspaper articles). This is no way an exhaustive history of LGBTQ+ activism and presence at Mount Holyoke. Hopefully it can provide a jumping off point for future researchers and scholars and begin conversations about the importance of preserving our institutional memory.