Mapping to MN State Standards
The resources on this page have been selected by eLibraryMN and Minnesota Digital Library librarians and curators to support the MN English Language Arts and the Social Studies standards, both current and pending, specifically related to women's history topics. Resources in eLibraryMN and EbooksMN have unlimited simultaneous user access and are freely available to anyone geolocated in Minnesota. The primary source resources detailed are available to all, regardless of location.
Please reach out with questions or suggestions about linking to, using, or sharing these resources.
Academic Research
Below is a collection of available topic overviews that link to many related articles and resources within ELM.
AAS Periodicals- Women’s Rights
Use the American Antiquarian Society’s primary source material on women’s rights to experience the ways in which the stories of suffrage and equal rights were told in the times they occurred.
Explora: women’s rights movement
Ebsco’s collection on the women’s rights movement provides context on women’s history and stories through many cultural and historical lenses. Use the filters at the top of the results page to narrow results down to the publication type, time frame, and subtopics that most interest you.
Gale: Women’s HIstory month collection
View Gale’s collection around Women’s Right to access primary sources, audio/video, research articles, and creative works in celebration of the stories and achievements of women over time.
Britannica Middle and High WH Month Resource Pack
This collection of articles highlights famous women whose names your students might recognize. Remember that you can reading levels, language, and read aloud options on every article to help your students access the same information, tailored to their unique needs.
Ebooks
This is a curated group of fiction and nonfiction ebooks, Grade Interest Level 9-12. All titles are available to students geolocated in MN without login. Linking directly to chapters is also possible. To link directly to the titles and share in your LMS or libguides, copy the link to the title(s) you want from our persistent link spreadsheet (if you are not accessing through the MackinVia app). Reach out to us with questions about linking.
Women with Wings: Women pilots of World War II
Explores the role of women pilots in World War II, including the contributions of women to the German Luftwaffe, the British RAF, and the American Air Force. Also discusses the impact that these women pilots have had on future generations of female pilots.
The belles of baseball : the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Discusses the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League of the 1940s and 1950s. These women baseball players broke traditional gender barriers, boosted morale during World War II, and paved the way for future generations of female athletes in many different sports.
Hidden human computers : the Black women of NASA
Examines the contributions made by African American women who worked as computers at NASA in the 1950s. Their calculations made it possible for astronauts to fly into space and safely return to Earth and paved the way for future generations of women at NASA.
Marie Curie : chemist and physicist
Highlights the life and scientific career of chemist and physicist Marie Curie. Includes a timeline, photographs, essential facts, a glossary, sources for further learning, source notes, and an index.
Women in politics and government
Explores the history and evolution of women in politics around the world, highlighting key developments and politicians. Includes photographs, a timeline, essential facts, a glossary, and further resources.
The muckrakers : Ida Tarbell takes on big business
Explores the role of Ida Tarbell and other journalists called "muckrackers" whose work exposed corruption and scandals. Discusses how their work impacted the future of investigative journalism. Includes a timeline, photographs, a glossary, and further resources.
Primary Sources
Resources below are recommended by MDL curators from partners in primary source history.
Watonwan County Fair suffragettes
Women campaigned for the right to vote for many years before the 19th Amendment was ratified and became law in 1920.
Part of a prominent Ojibwe family, English was a teacher and the main translator for the ethnologist Frances Densmore.
Brin was a peace activist and president of the National Council of Jewish Women, pictured here with Jane Addams.
During World War II, women worked in many industries, including transportation. Streetcar companies like Twin City Lines issued ads like this to keep their business running smoothly.
Wahl was the first woman appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Watch her interview from 1994.
Born in Minnesota, Bancroft was the first woman to finish expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. This interview also includes pictures from her travels.
Listen to this interview with Ray, Minnesota's first Latina senator, from 2010.
Primary Source Set: Temperance to Prohibition
Learn how women were at the forefront of the anti-alcohol movement, particularly with the Women's Christian Temperance Union.
Primary Source Set: Women's Suffrage
New! Explore resources related to the women's suffrage movement in Minnesota.
Interlibrary Loan/Resource Sharing
For in depth research into these topics, sometimes you need to request materials from other libraries. These can be digital or they can sometimes be printed books. There are two main options for requesting these materials. One, MNLINK, allows you to search all Minnesota libraries for the requires the use of a public library card and PIN. While many educators use their own library card to help students, it is recommended that students use their own. However, this is not always possible, so there is a second option: Minitex Resource sharing for schools. This allows one staff member per school to request items on behalf of students and have the items sent directly to the school building. If you have questions about which option is better for you and your students, reach out to us and we can help.