The historic contributions made by women will be celebrated at venues of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources throughout March.
Women's History Month honors the remarkable achievements of women throughout history and in contemporary society. As we embark on this annual observance, DNCR is recognizing the legacy women have left in North Carolina, from science and politics to arts and literature.
Join us as we celebrate the diverse narratives, resilience and leadership of women who have shaped our past and continue to inspire our future.
Women’s History Month events 2024
March 2, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. — The Tavern Keeper's Wife at Historic Bath: In the 1750s and 60s, two of Bath’s taverns were women owned. These women successfully asserted themselves in the public sphere in a time when status was defined by property ownership. Explore an 18th-century tavern, speak with costumed interpreters, or purchase a ticket to tour the Palmer-Marsh House and learn more about Bath in the pre-revolutionary era. Visiting the Exhibit Center and the Tavern is free of charge. Palmer-Marsh tours will be offered at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the Exhibit Center on 100 S. Harding St.
March 2, Noon-3 p.m. — NC Museum of History Artist at Work: Woodworker Laura Howard. See and talk to craftsperson Laura Howard as she uses a steam bender to fashion parts for a lamp. Free.
March 2, 9, 16, 23 — Canary Tour: This 45-minute tour of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown's home, Canary Cottage, will cover some of the history of women's education by looking at the schools Dr. Brown attended and interacted with throughout her life. Learn about girls’ experiences on campus at the Palmer Memorial Institute and other institutions serving young Black women in the early 20th century. Reserve your spot on the tour at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/canary-tour-black-womens-education-tour-tickets-832224123757?aff=oddtdtcreator. The tour fee is $2 and will be collected at the site.
March 2, 16, 10 a.m. — Women of Somerset Place Tour: Celebrate Women's History Month and learn about some of the remarkable women who lived and worked at Somerset Place. The 60-minute special tour will focus on the contributions that enslaved and free women made to the development, maintenance, and infrastructure of Somerset Place. A fee of $3 per person will be applicable and group reservations of 15 or more are required.
March 6, Noon-1 p.m. — History at High Noon at the NC Museum of History: Listen to How She Changed the World: Join the NC Museum of History as we celebrate Women’s History Month by welcoming oral historian John Horan as he explores the She Changed the World Oral History Project. Listen in as the women interviewed share their memories of how they broke ground in the courtroom, classroom, and playing field. Through these interviews, find out how women have changed our world here in North Carolina. Learn about other resources on women’s history at the State Archives of North Carolina.
March 7, 6:30-8 p.m. — Author Talk at NC Museum of History: The Tory's Wife: A Woman and Her Family in Revolutionary North Carolina. Join the NC Museum of History as we kick off Women’s History Month by welcoming Dr. Cynthia Kierner who will share her newest book, “The Tory's Wife: A Woman and Her Family in Revolutionary North Carolina.” Jane Spurgin of Rowan County was a patriot who supported the Revolution. Her husband, William, was a loyalist, who fought for the king. When the war was over, William abandoned his family, leaving Jane to fight to keep the home she and her children were faced with losing because of his Toryism. That fight led her to demand “the common rights of other citizens”—a radical statement for a woman in revolutionary America.
March 9, 11:15 a.m. — Duke Homestead “Born at Duke Homestead": A Look at Victorian Motherhood” special tour. Standard tour fee, mothers free.
March 12, 2-3 p.m. — Women's History Month Author Talk: Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh. Celebrate Women's History Month with the SLNC Government & Heritage Library. Carmen Cauthen, the author of Historic Black Neighborhoods of Raleigh, will delve into Raleigh’s untold history and share insights into her research and writing process. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with a local Raleigh historian on the city's rich cultural tapestry. Please register in advance at https://slnc.info/WHM24. This event will be live-captioned and recorded. Free.
March 14, 11 a.m. — By Hook or by Crook: Ranked among the fiercest pirates from the “Golden Age of Piracy,” Anne Bonny and Mary Read have stories that daytime TV could only aspire to. Join Associate Education Curator Christine Brin at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort to learn about these women pirates. She will trace what is known about their life stories, how they came to be pirates, and their subsequent fates. Admission is free, and registration is not required.
March 14, 7-8 p.m. — History and Highballs at NC Museum of History: Obstacles and Opportunities in 20th Century American Women’s Sports. Mary Jo Festle, Ph.D., and Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of History, and Distinguished University Professor at Elon University will talk about the ups and downs of female athletes in the 20th century. Festle connects these experiences to other events in U.S. history while she examines what held women’s sports back and how things have changed. Want more sports history? Visit the museum’s North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame exhibit. Free
March 21–May 15 — A Sojourn for Harriet Jacobs exhibit at Historic Edenton at the 1767 Courthouse.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit https://www.dncr.nc.gov/.