Barbarians at the Doorbell
The great expansion of southern women’s history over the past half century has been fueled in part by the pioneering archival projects launched by women historians and other specialists. The SAWH became an important resource for growing the field. A steady parade of researchers stopped begging for crumbs and began to make demands. These demands included marching right up to the front door, ringing the bell and refusing to be denied entry. The creation of guides to resources and digitization of resources has advanced research and writing in the field, transforming archives and collections by including issues of gender and sexuality. By applying pressure in a positive and persistent manner, historians and activists pushed ahead and created the framework for southern women’s history to flourish. A flurry of handbooks emerged as librarians and archivists began to amass new materials, to prepare and publish elaborate and engaging guides, and to connect these resources to larger questions in the field. The project of southern women’s history has become less about gatekeeping and more about raising the roof. The SAWH stimulated the expansion of southern history to be collected, recorded, sorted, and digitized for public consumption.