A Not So Typical History Class

                                                                 WC Blog post by: Bree Anna

“Women and Crime in the Evolution of American History.” 

Just a couple months ago, as I scrolled through the course listings available for the Fall 2023 semester, this title caught my eye. Having been a true crime fan (inspired by my mom) and needing a change of pace from the chemistry, biology, and math classes that had filled my freshman and sophomore year schedules, I figured this course would be the perfect opportunity. Yet, in just my first two weeks as a student in this class, this title has gained significantly more meaning, signifying the ways both injustices in gender and race have plagued our history and impacted the world I currently live in. 

For one, I have realized how single-sided my education has been thus far, and in turn, have gained great appreciation for this class’ focus on how gender and race have played a role in American history and herstory. Historical events, in reality, are multifaceted, with differing perspectives from every participant, yet in my previous learning, I had really only been exposed to one side. Unfortunately, coming from a public school in southern California, the single story that I had been taught had often been written by individuals who have faced little to none adversity. Sure, we watched the “Danger of a Single Story” by Chimimanda Adichie and learned about the slave trade, but these conversations often lasted one class period and were never addressed again. This is why I found the conversation we had most recently in class to be particularly compelling, specifically when my fellow peers who attended private school revealed the depth many of their high school classes delved into when discussing racial disparities and slavery. The idea of having to “pay” for an education that covers the perspectives of historically oppressed individuals is frighteningly telling of the country we live in and the way we want history to be remembered. Buzzwords like “equality,” “equity,” and “bridging the gap” are used in countless speeches and presentations about how we want to highlight the experiences of minorities and people of color, yet the censorship placed on our education only contradicts this.

In many ways, our world has not changed from the times of Celia and Nelly. While we thankfully no longer live in a world where slavery is permitted, the manner in which our country treats minorities and people who do not fit the status quo is still often as unequals. When reading “‘Mad Enough to Kill: Enslaved Women, Murder, and Southern Courts” by scholar Wilma King, the double standards that were placed on women, and enslaved women, in particular, were apparent. It was appalling to see how the public (consisting predominantly of white slave owners and their families) rallied behind Nelly who killed her child, but not Celia who murdered her owner. The two women’s cases shared many characteristics: both were enslaved women who were sexually assaulted. Yet, the only primary difference between the two was that Celia murdered her white slave owner while Nelly murdered her own infant who had monetary value as a would-be slave. While superficially, saving Nelly was portrayed as trying to help her and demonstrating humanity, the real reason behind sparing Nelly but not Celia was purely economical. The individuals who petitioned to “save” Nelly could not have cared less about her story and experiences. In trial, the jury was quick to point out how Celia should be convicted for homicide while disregarding the psychological distress and trauma she experienced as a victim of continuous assault. The jury only wanted the parts of the story that benefited their goal of convicting Celia, and in many ways, this is reflective of how history continues to be told today. We learn the parts of history that sound “inspirational and “positive,” yet we hide the stories that often reveal the oppression and injustice that took place simultaneously. It is terrifying that our education system deems it acceptable to form opinions for students rather than encouraging us to form our own. While I am not trying to be a cynic by any means, it is genuinely terrifying that we are inching towards censorship. The recent ban of AP Psychology in Florida because it provokes thought about topics like gender and race only further proves this point. It begs the question “How far will we go?” to censor learning and foreshadows a world where everyone conforms to a single opinion.

On a more positive note, this class in many ways gives me hope that we can avoid such a world. 

For the first time ever, I am in a class with predominantly only women, an experience that my parents and grandparents never had the chance to experience. 

Being among a group of individuals who can relate to the difficulties women face every day adds a layer of mutual understanding and comfortability to the classroom setting, and in turn, allows us to discuss unique topics (such as the hidden history behind wife beating during the American Revolution). When previously learning about the American Revolution, the focus has always been on the men fighting the war and when the women were mentioned, it was emphasizing how they took care of the household or assisted on the sidelines. Every battle won and the number of men who died is always highlighted, but the “war within the household” is never addressed. Being able to not only bring light to the male-centered world these women lived in and also openly discuss how society has both advanced in some ways and stayed the same in others is refreshing.

More specifically to this course, it is the first class I have ever taken that actively works to highlight the stories of women in crime. Growing up, movies and TV shows I watched usually had a male villain and females were often seen in the role of the “wife,” “sidekick,” or “mother.” In the rare case, there was a female villain, she often performed crimes of passion, driven by emotion or spur-of-the-moment jealousy or anger. Very rarely did I see a female villain who was portrayed to have the capability of committing intricate crimes. This reflects how historically and even currently, women are overlooked and often assumed to be incapable of performing difficult tasks or in this course, crimes. Therefore, I am excited to further explore this theme in our class and bring attention to the falsity behind this assumption.

Even in the first few classes, we have already begun to disprove this overgeneralization. For instance, through viewing the episode from the fictitious show, “Columbo,” we see Abby, a seemingly innocent older lady meticulously executing the murder of her son-in-law from start to finish. Her plan is calculated and well thought-out, and she carries out her crime in a collected and seemingly rational state. In the episode, Abby is characterized as a successful author, and she seems to achieve success and the murder without the help of any man. Her assistant also shows surprising manipulation and tact, bartering silence and discretion for a free vacation. Both of these women serve as examples of the capabilities women have when it comes to committing crime.

In addition, the screening of Columbo also introduced another important theme for this course: how privilege and age can affect how individuals are viewed. Throughout the episode, it is apparent that Abby is not only an older woman but also someone who is wealthy. She lives in a beautiful mansion and wears a full face of makeup in nearly every scene. Columbo also mentions on several occasions that his wife greatly admires Abby, emphasizing her fame and success as an author. Despite it being quite obvious to the audience that Abby had committed the murder, she is given the benefit of the doubt on several occasions by Columbo, the detective. He does not even bother to suspect her at the beginning, instead asking her for help with solving the crime. When she is eventually convicted for the murder, he continues to treat her kindly and compassionately. This begs the question of whether she would receive this same gracious treatment if she was younger and/or of a different socioeconomic status. The stark contrast between how “criminals” like Nelly and Celia were treated in comparison is intriguing.

As I continue on in this class, I am ecstatic to continue conversations about these topics. Given the current state of the world and the election coming up, it is important to discuss the trends in injustice and unfair treatment that have continued. We often hear blanket statements about the social progress we have made, so through learning the stories of various women in crime, we can examine whether many of the struggles women and minorities have previously faced have improved or if they have taken on new shapes and forms in modern society.

To be completely honest, a year ago, or even a few weeks ago, I never would have thought I would be able to have conversations in a classroom that delve so deeply into these topics, and in just these past two weeks, I have been forced to rethink my perspective on history and the roles women have played in it more than I ever have had to in all my years of being a student. Therefore, I cannot wait for the thought-provoking conversations and new topics that will inevitably be introduced in this class, and cannot help but wonder what my perspective will look like at the conclusion of this course. Will keep you updated! 

Signing off for now,

BreeAnna