Join us at Woodlawn this spring for our Coffee and Conversation series, where we bridge the gap between scholarly research and community dialogue. Each session pairs scholarly insight with community dialogue, offering a unique space to learn, reflect, and connect.
When: Third Saturday of the month, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Tickets: $50 individual/ $120 season package
Bundle & Save: Purchase a Spring Package for $120 to attend all three sessions (a $30 savings!)
Public historian Amanda Roper will explore the significant role women have played in preserving America’s past, from Jamestown to Manzanar. By saving places, objects, and stories from the past, women were able to shape public memory and civic identity. In the twentieth century, women used their skills and influence to fight for expanded rights and more inclusion in the historical narrative. This presentation highlights key sites, moments, and women in the history of preservation and ends with a discussion of who counts as a preservationist.
1:00 pm: Join a subject matter expert for an in-depth exploration of local history and its national relevance.
2:30 pm: Engage in spirited conversation with the speaker over coffee and light refreshments or explore the house and special "collection spotlights" curated by our collections team.
Your Ticket Includes:
Lecture & Q&A: Admission to the keynote presentation and interactive Q&A session
Vault Access: A viewing of rarely seen artifacts from the Woodlawn Collection highlighting female stewardship.
Private Tour: A guided tour of Woodlawn highlighting the pivotal role of women in the site's preservation and survival.
Refreshments: Complimentary coffee and light bites
About the Speaker:
Amanda Roper is a public historian who has spent her career preserving historic places and sharing traditionally underrepresented stories from America's past. She holds a degree in history from the College of Charleston and has worked for the National Park Service, the Smithsonian, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, as well as various historic sites in Charleston, SC and Alexandria, VA. Amanda serves on the board of the Historic House Museum Consortium of Washington, D.C., Japanese American Memorial Pilgrimages, and the National Collaborative for Women's History Sites. Amanda is a 2025-2026 Research Fellow at the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon and is currently researching and writing a book about the history of women in preservation.