Finding Local Women’s History Resources at the Library of Congress – Teaching with the Library

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March 12, 2026

Teaching with the Library Primary Sources & Ideas for Educators, ISSN 2691-6916

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Finding Local Women’s History Resources at the Library of Congress

Photo and brief biography of Susan Caroline Butler Evans — Example entry from Who’s Who Among Minnesota Women, 1924, image 106: Susan Caroline Butler Evans

Finding Local Women’s History Resources at the Library of Congress

March 12, 2026, Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

We thank Candice L. Buchanan of the Library of Congress for this post.

March, Women’s History Month, is a perfect time for students to explore Library of Congress collections for information about women in their own local and family history, as well as about women who achieved national recognition. For inspiration, browse a recently digitized resource for finding female ancestors in Minnesota. Compiled in 1924 by journalist Mary Alene Foster, the book Who’s who among Minnesota women; a history of woman’s work in Minnesota from pioneer days to date includes more than 500 biographical sketches (most with photographs), approximately 150 organizational profiles, and 7 topical essays. When plans for the book were announced, The Bemidji (Minnesota) Daily Pioneer wrote that, “Nothing of the kind has ever been published in Minnesota.” This book can both offer insights into women in Minnesota and inspire student research into women’s contributions in their own local history.

Authors, educators, journalists, missionaries, musicians, nurses, suffragists are represented in this book, and each entry can serve as a jumping off point for further research into the lives, communities, occupations, and missions presented. Students might search the PDF file of the book for keywords that reflect an occupation or interest and then read a selection to learn more.

For example, a search on “suffrage” yields more than 180 instances, including Eleanor Harriet Bresky, who is described as a “lawyer, former school teacher, suffragist, welfare and social worker,” offering a sense of the breadth of her interests and experiences.
Frances Densmore (1867-1957), an ethnomusicologist known for extensive work learning, recording, transcribing, and documenting the uses of American Indian music is among those profiled.
Sinclair Lewis was credited by The Sauk Centre (Minnesota) Herald with writing the tribute to his step-mother, Isabel Warner Lewis.

On the other hand, browsing the book can also bring surprises, inspire questions, and lead to further discoveries. For example, we noticed that Mary Dwight Akers “took charge of supplies…for Cloquet fire sufferers.” Seeing that provoked us to wonder about the Cloquet fires; searching newspapers of the time in Chronicling America yielded results for further exploration. Despite the scope and size of the project, there were inevitably limitations, and many stories are still waiting to be told.

While the book itself makes interesting reading, it might also serve as a model for students to identify and learn about women in their own communities.

Students could consider personal connections: women in their family, neighborhood, church, school, social activities, etc. who they admire for any reason. What is their story?
Are there women in students’ local history that stand out? Maybe they know names, but not the stories behind them. For example, in my little hometown there is a school named for a beloved teacher who led remarkable education for women in the 1850s-1870s. Decades after her death, the school was named for her by students who loved and respected her, but few people knew the story when I attended the school.
If class time does not permit digging into the local side of history, then what about starting with women whose stories have received national recognition: Clara Barton, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, and others whose papers the Library holds? Or female authors? Artists? Leaders?

Below are a few resources from the Library to get you started: