The exhibit poster featured this quote...
Do give your ear to me --your heart to me
Do grant this confirmation of your voice
To my voice, that it may not speak in vain...
~Elisabeth Barrett Browning
Well, that was certainly timely. Transitions Global, the organization "Peg" is raising money for, is all about giving women forced into prostitution a voice and a hope. The quote is beautiful both for giving voices to women of the past, and voiceless women today.
Under the beautiful stained glass windows of the library we found a collection of works by Victorian women authors, along with letters they had written or recieved from the Elizabeth and Robert Browning.
One of the books is by the poet, Christina Rosetti. She wrote some beautiful Christian verse, and I love the illustration on her book, The Goblin Market (above).
They also had this letter she wrote to the Brownings...
There were also many other writers who I was not familiar with. One, Augusta Webster, they mentioned wrote a book of poetry called "A Women Sold, and Other Poems," which caught my eye because of the circumstance of our visit. I looked up the poem later, though, and discovered it had nothing to do with real slavery, but was about a woman who forsook her true love for a marriage of convienence.
It was fun exploring the library. It's been a long time since I've given it a visit, and this was a great excuse. While little ones may not enjoy this exhibit particularly, I think this might be something you could take your middle schooler or teenager too.
You can learn more about the exhibit at the Armstrong Browning Webpage.
Click here to find out how to get a visit from Peg, and learn how she's helping to raise funds for Transitions Global. Also, I'd like to invite you to consider participating in Hearts Should Be Free, an online event to help spread awareness of slavery.
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