ALCOAST 113/08
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ: NATIONAL WOMENS HISTORY MONTH
1. THE 2008 WOMENS HISTORY MONTH THEME IS "WOMENS ART: WOMENS
VISION." THIS YEARS THEME PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER THE
IMPORTANCE OF WOMENS VISUAL ARTS AS A MEDIUM TO DEEPEN OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE RICH, AMAZING, COMPLEX, AND SOMETIMES
FORGOTTEN CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ARE EMBODIED IN WOMENS HISTORY.
2. THE WOMEN BEING HONORED THIS YEAR INCLUDE:
 A. EDNA HIBEL, WAS BORN IN BOSTON IN 1917 AND STILL REMAINS
ACTIVE AS AN ARTIST. KNOWN FOR HER SUPPORT OF CIVIL AND HUMAN
RIGHTS, SHE WAS COMMISSIONED IN 1995 BY THE FOUNDATION OF THE
U.S. NATIONAL ARCHIVES TO COMMEMORATE 75 YEARS OF WOMEN HAVING
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
 B. JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH IS ONE OF THE MOST ACCLAIMED AMERICAN
INDIAN ARTISTS OF TODAY. SHE WAS BORN IN 1940 AT THE INDIAN
MISSION ON THE FLATHEAD RESERVATION IN MONTANA, AND IS A MEMBER
OF THE CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI TRIBES. HER WORK PORTRAYS
TRIBAL POLITICS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. SHE MAINTAINS
AN ACTIVE ROLE IN MANY PROJECTS INCLUDING PUBLIC ART WORKS SUCH
AS THE FLOOR DESIGN IN THE GREAT HALL OF THE DENVER AIRPORT, AN
IN-SITU SCULPTURE IN YERBA BUENA PARK IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND A
MILE-LONG SIDEWALK HISTORY TRAIL IN WEST SEATTLE.
 C. LORNA SIMPSON WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN, NY IN 1960 AND BY THE
MID-1980S WAS ALREADY CONSIDERED A PIONEER OF CONCEPTUAL
PHOTOGRAPHY. SHE BECAME WELL-KNOWN FOR HER LARGE-SCALE PHOTOGRAPH-
AND-TEXT WORKS THAT CONFRONT AND CHALLENGE NARROW, CONVENTIONAL
VIEWS OF GENDER, IDENTITY, CULTURE, HISTORY AND MEMORY. WITH THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN AS A VISUAL POINT OF DEPARTURE, SIMPSON
USED THE HUMAN FIGURE TO EXAMINE THE WAYS IN WHICH GENDER AND
CULTURE SHAPE THE INTERACTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS AND EXPERIENCES OF
OUR LIVES IN CONTEMPORARY MULTI-RACIAL AMERICA.
3. COAST GUARD UNITS ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE THE OBSERVANCE OF
NATIONAL WOMENS HISTORY MONTH FOR APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES AND
SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
WOMEN HAVE MADE TO OUR SERVICE, OUR NATION, AND THE WORLD.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT THE NATIONAL WOMENS HISTORY
PROJECT AT WWW.NWHP.ORG, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE
COAST GUARD ART PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES WORKS BY A NUMBER OF
FEMALE ARTISTS, CAN BE FOUND AT
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/COMREL/ART_PROGRAM.HTM.
4. T. A. DICKERSON,DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, SENDS.
5. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.