“Other exhibits dealing with the railroad may focus on the technology of the locomotive. I’m more interested in the social and the personal.” Miriam Thaggert, curator of Handmaidens for Travelers: The Pullman Company Maids, discusses her approach to telling the stories of the women who worked as maids aboard the celebrated Pullman train cars.
The Pullman Company maids have long been overshadowed by the more well-known Pullman porters. Drawing on extensive research in the Pullman Company Records at the Newberry, Handmaidens for Travelers highlights the maids’ experiences navigating challenges and opportunities aboard the celebrated Pullman train car.
Our summer programming in Bughouse Square continues August 27 with an event dedicated to the history of the park itself.
At the heart of the Newberry is a set of collection strengths that attract a variety of readers and serve as inspiration for our public programs and academic endeavors.
