Wednesday, October 2, 2013

National Women's History Museum Celebrates Women Legends, October 9th

NWHM Living Legacy Award recipient Phylicia Rashād

From our friends at the National Women's History Museum...

National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) Celebrates 2013 Winners of Living Legacy Awards at Third Annual NWHM de Pizan Honors Wednesday, October 9th

WHO: National Women’s History Museum

WHAT: The de Pizan Honors, an annual gala honoring women from the past and present who have shaped history. 2013 recipients of the NWHM Living Legacy Awards include the world renowned mezzo soprano Denyce Graves; breast cancer screening pioneer radiologist Dr. Etta D. Pisano; and American Tony Award-winning actress and singer Phylicia Rashād. The acclaimed history making documentary film producer Ken Burns (video acceptance) will receive the Henry Blackwell Award.

The event will be chaired by former U.S. Senator and past President of the Red Cross, Elizabeth Hanford Dole (a former de Pizan recipient),  and former Virginia First Lady Lynda Bird Johnson Robb, a leading advocate for women’s issues and the daughter of the late president Lyndon B. Johnson

WHERE: Mead Center for American Theatre (home of Arena Stage) 1101 6th St SW, Washington, DC 20024

WHEN: Wednesday, October 9, 2013, 5:30 pm - 8 pm. A VIP reception begins at 5:30 p.m., for sponsors and VIP ticket holders with a silent auction. The silent auction will be open to general admission beginning at 6:15pm. All ticket holders are invited to attend the program at 7:00 pm

WHY: The accomplishments of countless women have been unheralded, and subsequently their stories have been omitted from our nation’s history. The Museum’s mission is to educate the public about the women who have significantly shaped our world. The de Pizan Honors were established by NWHM in 2011 to recognize women and men of historic accomplishment with an award in the name of a leading counterpart who was a trailblazer in history. The lives and contributions of the 2013 recipients of The de Pizan Honors will have a permanent presence, exhibited in a world-class NWHM in Washington DC, which will ensure that these women have a permanent place in history.

TICKETS: Tickets on sale now for public! To purchase tickets and learn more about the de Pizan Honors go to www.nwhm.org/depizan2013. A VIP reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. for sponsors and VIP ticket holders, with a General Reception and silent auction at 6:15 pm, followed by the program at 7:00 p.m. All ticket holders are invited to attend the program. For more information to become a sponsor, please contact Kate Clinton at kclinton@nwhm.org or call 703-461-1920.
     
About the National Women's History Museum --- “more than a museum…”

Founded in 1996, The National Women’s History Museum is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and celebrating the diverse historic contributions of women and integrating this rich heritage fully into our nation's history, currently located online at www.nwhm.org. The Museum’s goal is to build a world-class, permanent museum at the National Mall that will herald and display the collective history of American women. Current legislation is underway to create a Federal Commission to determine the feasibility of building on the Mall. A coalition of 48 business and professional women’s organizations representing eight million members supports NWHM’s efforts for a permanent site, along with 50,000 members who have supported the Museum. The women’s coalition has publicly advocated for building the Museum near the National Mall. NWHM is a 501(c) (3) organization.

About Christine de Pizan:

Christine de Pizan was the first Western woman to write about women’s history in 1405. She is best known as the author of The Book of the City of Ladies, which she wrote to combat existing ideas about women’s nature. The book has given de Pizan the distinction of being the first woman recognized as a chronicler of women’s history. The NWHM is dedicated to continuing de Pizan’s work of documenting women’s achievements and is proud to present the Honors in her name. The de Pizan Honors is one of the Museum’s most visible and exciting ways of bringing its mission to reality by bridging the past with the present. The ceremony promotes a deep respect for the often unsung and undervalued work of women in weaving the American fabric.  Past NWHM Living Legacy honorees and participants include poet Dr. Maya Angelou; photographer Annie Leibovitz; Yahoo president Marissa Mayer; broadcaster Cathy Hughes; medical pioneer Helen Greiner; and actress Meryl Streep.