Date Thesis Awarded

4-2018

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only

Degree Name

Bachelors of Arts (BA)

Department

History

Advisor

Leisa Meyer

Committee Members

Patricia Wesp

Jerry Watkins III

Abstract

Althea Hunt is not a name well known outside of Phi Beta Kappa Hall. Yet, she pioneered the establishment of William and Mary Theatre as a single, female professor in 1926. Hunt never married, nor did she have children during an era in which this was an expectation of upper-middle class women. Hunt provides an insight to nontraditional womanhood and first-wave feminism on our campus. As a woman in the professional world, Hunt was a minority; however, her educational experiences with other women created a comfortable environment in which Hunt was able to thrive and perform confidently. Hunt defied gender expectations and maximized her professional opportunities despite being relegated to limited career paths.

Recommended Citation

Ryan, Samantha, "Althea Hunt: Behind the Curtain" (2018). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 1250.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/1250