Cait Coker On Women Printers In Europe & North America

October Daytime Program

Quick, name an early printer from Europe or colonial America.

Did you think of Johannes Gutenberg? William Caxton? Ben Franklin? Aldus Manutius?

Ok. Now name an early printer who wasn’t a man.

If that one stumped you, you’ll want to join us at noon Central on Friday October 8 for Cait Coker’s presentation on Women Printers in Europe & North America.

Women have been printing alongside men since the invention of the printing press, but their stories have been comparatively neglected in narratives that focus on the usual cast of ink stained guys. Dr. Coker’s generously illustrated presentation will reveal the true history of the early days by looking at books printed by women from the 15th through the 20th centuries. Each volume tells a story of its era, while each of the women who created it likewise illustrates the state of the trades during her time period.

She’ll take us through the material conditions of the books' creations as well as the social history of how those books came to be, allowing us to recover alternate histories of economic, technological, and literary production.

Dr. Coker, a thoroughly engaging speaker, is an associate professor and curator of rare books and manuscripts at the University of Illinois.