Who was Joan Kelly and why is she important to history?
Joan Kelly was an American historian born in Brooklyn on the 29th of March, 1928, who specialized in the Italian Renaissance and women's history. She is best known for her 1976 essay "Did Women Have a Renaissance?", which challenged traditional historical periodization by arguing that women's power and agency declined during the Renaissance period. Along with Gerda Lerner, she co-founded the first master's program in women's history at Sarah Lawrence College.
What did Joan Kelly argue in Did Women Have a Renaissance?
Kelly argued that while the Renaissance expanded options for men, the opposite was true for women. Drawing on courtly literature of the period, she contended that ideals of courtly love placed greater emphasis on women's passivity and virginity, narrowing rather than widening women's roles. Her essay challenged the assumption that established historical turning points applied equally to both sexes.
Where did Joan Kelly study and teach?
Kelly received her bachelor's degree from St John's University in 1953 and earned her PhD from Columbia University in 1963, where she was supervised by Garret Mattingley. She joined the history faculty at City College of New York in 1956 and remained there until her death in 1982, rising to the rank of full professor.
When was the Joan Kelly Memorial Prize founded and what does it recognize?
The Joan Kelly Memorial Prize was founded in 1984 by the American Historical Association. It is awarded annually for the book in women's history and/or feminist theory that best reflects the scholarly and intellectual ideals exemplified by Kelly's life and work.
What other leadership roles did Joan Kelly hold in academic institutions?
Kelly chaired the American Historical Association's Committee on Women Historians from 1975 to 1977. From 1973 to 1974, she co-chaired the Coordinating Committee for Women in the Historical Profession through its New York City chapter. She also sat on advisory boards for City University of New York's Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles and for the Feminist Press.
What was published posthumously by Joan Kelly?
A collection of Kelly's essays titled Women, History and Theory was published posthumously in 1984, two years after her death from cancer on the 15th of August, 1982.