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Because the right to participate in politics or
speak publicly was long denied to women, art, literature, and
music became arenas in which women could publicly express their
opinions. A few of the well-known artists, musicians, and writers
in Connecticut history are Laura Wheeler Waring, a Hartford native
and artist best known for her landscape paintings and portraits
of African-American celebrities; Harriet Beecher Stowe, author
of the anti-slavery book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Sophia Tucker,
a stage actress; and Marion Anderson, the first African-American
opera singer to perform with the Metropolitan Opera.
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Women’s Orchestra
Hartford, ca. 1920
Photo CD: 0552 File: Img0089.pcd
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It is unclear
whether the women in this picture were professional musicians
being paid for their performances or amateur musicians playing
as a hobby. Due to the expense of both instruments and lessons
many female musicians belonged to the middle or upper classes.
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Hettie Gray Baker
examining a roll of film, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, 1920’s
Photo CD: 0535 File: Img0098.pcd
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Born in Connecticut, Hettie Gray Baker’s career
as a film editor for Twentieth Century Fox began in 1916. While
many women worked in Hollywood as actresses, the filmmakers were
overwhelmingly male. Hettie’s position as a Censor Representative
also gave her an uncommon amount of control over film content.
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