Fifteenth Berkshire Conference on the History of Women
Friday, June 10, 2011

Report by Chad Heap

I had the pleasure of commenting on the session, “Race, Sexuality, Gender and the Body in Early-Twentieth-Century American Culture.” Matthew Guterl (Indiana University, Bloomington) chaired the session. Kathleen B. Casey (University of Rochester) presented a paper, entitled, “‘She Is What She Ain’t’: Lillyn Brown and the Meaning of Black Male Impersonation”; and Cookie Woolner (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) delivered a paper on “Gertrude ‘Ma’ Rainey’s ‘Prove It on Me Blues’ and the Dialectics of Queer Popular Culture.” Continue reading →