This curation is informed by the theory of Glenn and Enoch, in their article “Drama in the Archives: Rereading Methods, Rewriting History," in which they describe how women's history is constructed in the archive, then gradually dismantled and reformed. The existing history of Elizabeth Igler is one of conformation to patriarchal power structures through her marriage and eventual motherhood. This website curates and depicts Igler's archival materials selectively, with the purpose of dismantling this current history and reforming it through the lens of feminist rhetorical theory. The result is a history of feminist activism. The primary source material, referenced for the entirety of "Ward-Belmont" and "The University of Cincinnati" is a scrapbook kept by Igler throughout the years 1927-1932. This scrapbook and its materials are provided courtesy of the Belmont University Special Collections Archive. The intention of this digital archive is to explore the scrapbook as not just a passive, domestic activity for women in this time period, but as a site of political engagement. Igler's inclusion of both the patriarchal expectations imposed upon her (written on this website in blue), along with documentation of her subversion of these expectations through graduate education and eventual legal career (written in red), make this scrapbook a site of feminist resistance. Any speculation regarding Igler's relationships and life events is included (in purple) for the purpose of reforming the patriarchal understanding of Igler's history, and for the future historian who might engage in the consideration and conversation of Igler and other Belmont women.
The cover of Igler's Scrapbook, referenced.