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Women of the Tide Exhibit

An exhibit showcasing women whose contributions and achievements have had an impact on the University of Alabama will open Friday at the Gorgas House Museum on campus.

The “Women of the Tide: 125 Years of Women at The University of Alabama” exhibit will be on display through Sept. 28 at the Gorgas House Museum. The exhibit is part of UA’s 125 Years of Women, a yearlong celebration to honor women on campus through awareness, education, service and special events. The celebration marks the quasquicentennial of women’s admission to the university as students in 1893.

“We want the campus community to understand that this is a milestone year,” said Mary Lee Caldwell, chair of the 125 Years of Women organizing committee, in a statement released by the university. “Our goal is to educate everyone about roles women played in shaping UA’s history while imagining all of the possibilities for the future.”

The exhibit explores the roles and experiences of women on campus through an array of materials, including the first diploma awarded to a female student, athletic and social memorabilia, clothing, and documents and other items from women in leadership roles.

“The Women of the Tide exhibit is a fascinating collection of artifacts depicting the significance of women throughout the 125 years that they have attended The University of Alabama,” said Elizabeth McGiffert, member of the exhibit advisory committee, in a statement released by UA. “This exhibit represents inclusion, progress and hope for the future.”

Women featured in the event include education advocate Julia Tutwiler and Judy Bonner, the campus’ first female president, and civil rights figures Autherine Lucy Foster and Vivian Malone Jones.

UA’s department of clothing, textiles and interior design will provide a fashion archive for the exhibit. The pieces, some of which date back to the 1930s, will spotlight fashions worn by students over the years, including Mary Harmon Black Bryant, wife of legendary UA football coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant.