The annual competition, National History Day, takes place at Sacred Heart University to provide an opportunity for students, teachers and history enthusiasts to promote and celebrate the importance of historical research and education. This year's theme was Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas, and challenged students to create projects based on historical research, such as documentaries, exhibits, performances, websites or research papers.
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This exhibit displays Coco Chanel's life as an innovator and activist. Not only did she break barriers in women's fashion, but she also broke barriers in women's rights. By eliminating Victorian-style corsets and long skirts, she created practicality and mobility through looser-fitting clothing. This then led to more independence and freedom for women to leave domestic roles at home.
Motown Records was one of the first African-American-owned and operated record labels in the United States, which was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in 1959 in Detroit. Motown was a frontier for breaking the barrier of segregation in music, and creating a unique sound, which blended elements of R&B, pop and soul. Motown Records was a successful, integrated label that contributed to music, culture and civil rights which is still felt today.
The Pony Express was a revolutionary system for delivering news and mail across the west in America during the mid-19th century. The Pony Express allowed a fast, reliable mail delivery that could cover vast distances in record-holding time. The Pony Express was known for its speed; with over 100 relay stations, riders would change horses and rest in order to continue their journey. The Pony Express was a frontier because it contributed to transportation and the expansion of the west.
Louis Lunch is a frontier in history for his creation of the American burger in 1900. The burger has become the symbol of American cuisine and is known worldwide as a huge part of American culture. Not only has the hamburger helped shape pop culture, but it also represents endless adaptations and variations in food. Louis Lunch is considered a frontier and a cultural icon for his creation of the most beloved food in America, the hamburger.
Christine Jorgensen is a pioneer in LGBTQIA+ history for her role as becoming one of the first ever people to undergo gender confirmation surgery. Christine Jorgensen's surgery became a media sensation and sparked a national debate about gender identity. Jorgensen's willingness to advocate for gender confirmation surgery sparked a broader cultural awareness about gender.
Muhammad Ali is considered the greatest boxer of all time. He was known for his speed, skill and agility in the ring. Unlike other athletes like Jackie Robinson and Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali instigated change instead of just playing the sport. He continues to break social norms despite the belief that athletes shouldn't advocate for injustice; therefore, kickstarting a new era of athlete activism.
Barbie was the first 3D fashion doll and also the first career doll. There were action figures for boys like the GI Joe doll, but Barbie’s creator wanted girls to be able to achieve their passions and grown-up interests through the dolls. Barbie also became the first Black doll to be seen on camera with a white doll during the civil rights movement, which educated children that they could be friends with people who looked different from them.
Kristallnacht, which is also known as the "Night of Broken Glass," was a series of attacks against Jewish people in Germany and Austria on November 9-10, 1938. This night kickstarted the turning point in the Nazi regime's persecution of Jews and the beginning of the Holocaust. This event pioneered and culminated years of anti-Semitic politics and propaganda in Germany.
Ruby Bridges is a pioneer because of her courage to be the first African-American student to attend an all-white elementary school in the South. Until the 1960s, school segregation was legal in America, but Ruby Bridges broke that barrier. Bridges' enrollment in William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana was a groundbreaking moment in the Civil Rights Movement and started to break barriers by integrating school systems.
All photos by Caroline Zajac '25.
Credits:
Created with an image by Maxky - "American flag painted old wood texture, There are traces and stains, Feel about history."