WMI Lecture

Two hundred years ago, fifteen women and girls were among the scientists, artists, and educators who came to New Harmony on the so-called Boatload of Knowledge. Two names—Madame Fretageot and Lucy Sistare Say—are well-known, but who were the others? Who stayed on after the communitarian period ended, and who left? How did the female Boatloaders and their descendants improve New Harmony, the Midwest, the country, and the world?

As a recipient of WMI’s Arlene Feiner Memorial Research Grant for Women’s Studies, Rebecca May Hope has delved deeply into archives, old newspapers, and genealogies to trace the historical threads of each woman and girl. Woven together, these strands create an intricate tapestry of influence. The female Boatloaders and their descendants had an outsized impact on medicine, law, politics, diplomacy, the arts, culture, and charitable organizations. You’ll be surprised and inspired by the far-reaching legacies these utopia-seekers left. Two centuries later, we’re all richer for their contributions to society.