News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu     www.selu.edu/news Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 3/10/03   SLU’S WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH GETS UNDERWAY       HAMMOND -- The first week of Southeastern Louisiana University's celebration of Women’s History Month includes a variety of speakers, a film and a special performance.        The annual month-long celebration is sponsored by the Southeastern Women’s Coalition. All Women’s History Month lectures will take place at 12:30 p.m. on the third floor of the Sims Memorial Library. June Mumme, wife of new Southeastern Football Coach Hal Mumme, will discuss her journey as a cancer survivor on Monday, March 10. Foreign languages professor Lucia Harrison will discuss the influence of a nun on the Spanish throne on Tuesday, March 11; and history professor Margaret Gonzales-Perez will discuss women terrorists on Thursday, March 13.       Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., the first of three films honoring women directors will be presented in the Student Union Theatre, “A League of Their Own,” directed by Penny Marshall and featuring Tom Hanks, Rosie O’Donnell and Madonna.       On Wednesday, March 12, at noon in the Student Union Theatre, English professor Jayetta Slawson and Southeastern creative writing students will present “A Living Louisiana Ghost Story” as women from different periods of history speak in their own voices.        All presentations are free and open to the general public.       Women’s History Month’s second week will include talks by Southeastern head women’s basketball coach Lori Davis Jones on “Forging the Front Court for Female Athletes,” and history professor Christopher Leahy on “A Yankee Woman Goes South–The Marriage of Julia to President John Tyler.”       The Women’s History Month “Altar of Honor,” a display of personal remembrances of special women,” will go on display at the Hammond branch of the Tangipahoa Parish Library, 314 E. Thomas St., on March 17 and will be available for viewing through March 29.       The second Women’s History Month film, “Mississippi Masala,” directed by Mira Nair and starring Denzel Washington, will be shown on March 18.        At noon on Wednesday, March 19, in Pottle Music Building Auditorium, English professor Wade Heaton will present “Clothing of Women of the Ancient World,” an expanded and distaff version of his popular presentation on the history and tradition of the Roman toga.       Women's History Month began at Southeastern as a class project – a presentation called “Ladies Night Out” – by students in a women's literature class taught by English professor Carole McAllister. The following year’s women’s literature class expanded the assignment into a month-long project. Those class members became the founding members of the “Southeastern Women’s Coalition.”         Membership in the Southeastern Women's Coalition is open to everyone. Offices are located in Rooms 212 and 211 in Southeastern Hall. For additional information contact McAllister at 985-549-2044 or Mary Pirosko at KSLU, 985-549-2330. Donations to the Women's Coalition may be made through the Southeastern Development Foundation.       For more information about Women’s History Month, contact the Southeastern Public Information Office at 549-2341. A complete schedule of events is available online at www.selu.edu/news/whm2003.html.&nb sp; Return to News Releases