The most frequently-cited version of the Enlightenment is that of a group of brilliant men whose contributions to science and the humanities defined the contours of the centuries to come. These men’s names now decorate Parisian streets and metro stops, cementing their legacy as founders of modern France. Historian Nina Gelbart proposes we expand this vision of the eighteenth century. In Minerva’s French Sisters, Gelbart reveals the forgotten stories of six women whose contributions to science rival their most famous male peers. Gelbart breaks with traditional ways of writing history, offering a biography equal parts rigorous and imaginative. Join her to discuss new approaches to old narratives and the hidden women of the Enlightenment. 

About the speaker: 

Nina Rattner Gelbart is Professor of History and Anita Johnson Wand Professor of Women’s Studies at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Her research on female journalists, midwives, scientists and revolutionaries of 18th century France has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Council of Learned Societies, and most recently by the Guggenheim Foundation.

Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (Gelbart will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.

This event requires advance registration.

Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.