Amy Cohen | We Belong Here

When Brown University cut funding for the women’s varsity gymnastics program in 1991, co-captain Amy Cohen joined ten other athletes in a Title IX lawsuit.

When Brown later demoted eight other varsity programs to sports clubs, they sued again. Cohen describes her success in court and explains why she donated her team jacket to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

We Belong Here marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, federal legislation that unintentionally boosted long-standing efforts to open male-dominated arenas of sports. Despite its impact, athletes promised equal opportunity under the law, continue to face systemic sexism, racism, and other forms of bigotry. Each athlete’s history-making story is part of a larger narrative of the struggle for equality in the United States. Explore more stories in the online exhibition: https://americanhistory.si.edu/we-belong-here

✨ From our collections! Check out the jacket Amy wore during her time at Brown University: https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1954262

📸 Thumbnail image courtesy of the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian

Видео Amy Cohen | We Belong Here канала National Museum of American History