Wikipedia, “Negative space,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_space, last modified on 121

December 2020.

Image credit: “Take the Yin/Yang TEST,” Blitz Conditioning (http://blitzconditioning.com/yinyang-test/ :

downloaded 29 June 2018).

The Art of Negative-Space Research:

Women

Jeanne Larzalere Bloom 2666 East 73 Street, Apartment 11-Wrd

Chicago, IL 60649-2732773-221-4545; cell 773-620-1346

jl-bloom@ mindspring.com

Negative space, in art, is the space around and between the

subject(s) of an image. Negative space may be most evident when

the space around a subject, not the subject itself, forms an interesting or artistically relevant shape,

and such space occasionally is used to artistic effect as the "real" subject of an image.1

Researching women can be challenging. Like negative space in art, the records created around thesubject can form the shape of the woman. The presentation includes traditional sources foridentifying women and a methodological case study using pre-Colonial records to determine theidentities of three women.

Challenges< Women created few records.< Women often had an “official” first name and were known by a nickname.< Women changed names at marriage.< Women were seldom heads of household.< Women were considered the property of a male and, with rare exceptions, married

females could not own property. < Women could not sign deeds or enter into contracts.

Creating a Research Strategy< Initially focus on the individual woman< Study the family and neighbors associated with the woman

> Cluster Research a.k.a. F.A.N. Club (Family, Associates, and Neighbors)> Naming patterns> Middle initials

2021 NCGS Virtual Conference | www.ncgenealogy.org | page 39

Image credit: “Old woman / young lady optical illusion... now on video,” Deceptology

(videohttp://www.deceptology.com/2010/05/old-woman-young-lady-optical-illusion.html : downloaded 19 July

2019).

< Study the community around the woman< Historical and Legal Context

> 18th Century> 19th Century> 20th Century

Finding the Maiden Name< Marriage records< Religious records< Birth records, especially children of married woman< Death records< Military pension records< Newspapers< Obituaries< Published family histories< Mug books< Inheritance< Naturalization records< Lineage-society records

Shaping the Female Ancestor< Cemetery records< Censuses including special and mortality schedules< City directories< Land records< Passenger ship manifests< Orphan and guardianship records< Divorce records< Letters and diaries< Affidavits of witnesses< Military records< License applications< Public-welfare records< School records< Institutional records

Data Analysis

2021 NCGS Virtual Conference | www.ncgenealogy.org | page 40

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