This is a section of a LIFE magazine article titled "An intimate revolution in campus life", it focuses on the Oberlin president's decision making process in switching to co-ed dorms with 24 hour visitation. It also emphasizes the potential for platonic friendships and greater understanding between men and women as a result of co-ed housing, as opposed to purely sexual opportunities. It includes a picture of a female Oberlin students spending time wither her two male friends in their dorm room.
Series of paintings by Mamie Holst which began in 1997 and is potentially still ongoing. The paintings in this series are various shades of black, white, and gray, and they tend to incorporate circular designs alongside other striped geometric patterns. Holst's creation of the series is motivated by her experience living with Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS).
Artwork by Lynn Hershman Leeson depicting the white silhouette of a woman's head and torso against a black background. Colorful pictures such as a heart, a star, an airplane, and other geometric patterns are shown within the body in a manner that mimics a medical x-ray.
Short story by Katherine Anne Porter set during the 1918 influenza pandemic. Miranda, the protagonist, falls ill, and her emotions and sensations related to her illness are explored in the text. In the end, she recovers, but her lover Adam, who persumably caught the flu while caring for her, does not. The story is said to have been inspired by Porter's own experience catching the flu in 1918.
Essay written by Virginia Woolf on the topic of illness and its (lack of) coverage in literature, referring specifically to influenza throughout as an example of "illness." Woolf discusses, among others, themes like the mind as opposed to the body, the (in)capabilities of the English language, illness's connection to "incomprehensibility," and the role of the poet in society. The essay essentially argues that, though it doesn't seem to do so at the moment ("the moment" in this case being the early 20th century), illness should exist "among the prime themes of literature."
Self-portrait by Frida Kahlo depicting the artist's spine as a broken column. The rest of her body is constrained by an orthopedic corset and covered in nails, and there are tears painted on the artist's face.
This item is an edited interview with Sacheem Littlefeather, reflecting on her role in the 1973 Oscars ceremony. Littlefeather describes why she chose to refuse the Oscar, her relationship with Marlon Brando, and her work as an activist. Though she remarks that she would do it again "in a heartbeat," Littlefeather also notes the racism she faced from the film industry in the aftermath of her activism, and her subsequent surprise when the Academy issued its apology in 2022.
This item is a brief newspaper profile of Sacheen Littlefeather, providing an overview of her career and activism, as well as her involvement in Brando’s refusal of the Oscar. The piece identifies her as being "part Apache," and describes her involvement in the Affirmative Image Committee, the National American Indian Council, and the occupation of Alcatraz Island in 1970, and quotes part of her televised statement during the Oscars ceremony.
This item is a newspaper article by Michael Kilian commenting on Marlon Brando’s refusal of the Oscar. The piece criticizes Littlefeather for “exploiting herself” by the roles she has taken and mocks Brando for succumbing to "self righteous self importance," in addition to calling out the alleged hypocrisy of the Indigenous activists occupying Wounded Knee, SD. Overall, the article does not appear to take Littlefeather, Brando, or the American Indian Movement seriously, nor does it view Hollywood as an appropriate venue for political action.
This item is a collection of letters to the editor published in the Los Angeles Times reacting to Brando’s refusal of the Oscar and Littlefeather’s statement. The letters are authored by Robert S. Birchard, Thomas L. Gillette, Mrs. John E. Grauman, and Suzanne Lego. The statements written by Birchard and Grauman express distaste for Brando's unwillingness to give his statement in person, instead sending "a woman to do a man's job," as well as his use of the Oscars as a political platform. On the other side of the debate, Gillette compares the audience's "puny response" to the "greatness" of Brando, and Lego calls out the "small-mindedness and bigotry in America" displayed by presenters Raquel Welch and Clint Eastwood in their responses to Brando and Littlefeather.
