There's a popular phrase on bumper stickers, t-shirts, and coffee mugs: “well-behaved women seldom make history.” Harvard University professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich coined it in the 1970s, and it has taken on a life of its own since then.1 While some see this phrase as a battle cry and a call to action, Ulrich's words remind us that history too often ignores or obscures women's experiences. Ordinary women don't make history because curriculum, books, and exhibits frequently treat women as silent bystanders in the past rather than as active participants in shaping their world.
Women have always made history in this land called Utah, but the stories we tell sometimes don't reflect that. When we restore their voices and perspectives to the historical narrative, we recognize women as agents whose choices and words mattered. This helps all of us see women as leaders who contribute to our society in...
