Ruth Elder Remembered Main Menu

Concluding Thoughts

27674 Ruth Elder Remembered This project looks at the early aviatrix Ruth Elder, who has remained relatively forgotten in American history.

For all her achievements, Ruth Elder should be remembered in history. From what can be gleaned of this project, it is clear that she held on as a figure in popular culture for nearly a decade. Her daring, tenacity, and charisma made her a uniquely inspiring woman for the time, helping to encourage women to reach for their goals and not be tied down by a society that deems certain feats as something only a man could do. 

The use of orphan footage was essential to this project, and testifies to the vault of historical significance these reels hold. Where one might find a grouping of outtakes to be worthless, this project, packed full of over an hour of footage, proves otherwise. It is evident that our historical understanding of events can be enriched exponentially by orphan footage, where the figure or event in question can be viewed as it was while it was happening. 

I hope that this project sheds light on a ground-breaking woman in American history. Thank you! 

Sydney Crabaugh
New York University, Fall 2017  

This page has paths:

  1. MIRC- "Women's National Air Derby-- Outtakes" Sydney Crabaugh

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