THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Dr. Gerda Lerner

April 30, 1920 – January 2, 2013

“And I believe myself, that acquainting women with their history is the single most important thing we can do to raise feminist consciousness.”

Feminist historian, founding scholar of women’s history, author, educator, activist. Helped numerous colleges establish women’s studies departments. As an undergraduate at New School for Social Research, taught “Great Women in American History,” considered to be the first regular college course on women’s history, 1963. Taught at Long Island University from 1965 to 1967. Founding member of the National Organization for Women (NOW), 1967. Helped develop degree programs, women’s history at Sarah Lawrence College where she taught from 1968 to 1979. Established the nation’s first master’s degree program in women’s history at Sarah Lawrence College, 1972. Chaired The Women’s History Institute, a fifteen-day conference, Sarah Lawrence College, 1979. First woman in 50 years to be elected president of the Organization of American Historians, 1981. Launched first PhD program in women’s history, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1980 – 1991. Bachelor’s degree, New School for Social Research, 1963. Graduate studies, Columbia University, MA, 1965 and PhD, 1966.