Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting at the Studebaker Museum Speaker Series in South Bend, Indiana. The event is held once a month in the museum’s Wiekamp Auditorium. The presentation topics vary widely, often touching on both South Bend and automotive history. I was asked to speak on the rather broad topic of women and the automobile. Since I am currently working on a book project focused on women’s representation in automotive museums, I thought it would be an appropriate subject for the talk. As I was putting the presentation together, I made sure to include Studebaker artifacts whenever possible, an effort that did not go unnoticed by the audience.
There was a nice crowd in attendance, mostly seniors from the area, as well as a few fellow SAH members. Women made up a good portion of the audience, which I was surprised and pleased to see. Although I am pretty nervous in these situations, the presentation went pretty well with only a few glitches. The audience seemed interested in the topic; the women in particular asked good questions and came up to speak to me afterward. They appeared appreciative that my project focused on women, something that in the context of automobile culture they rarely experience.
I left not only relieved that the presentation was over, but also gratified that the topic resonated with so many women in attendance. This positive response served as a form of gratification that I am on the right track with this project, as well as a little encouragement to keep moving forward.
Many thanks to the Studebaker for providing me with this great opportunity to present my work.
