FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

National Women’s History Museum Announces2014 Living Legacy Honorees

WASHINGTON DC, OCTOBER 27, 2014 – The National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) will present the 2014 Living Legacy Awards to Katherine Johnson, Goldieblox Founder & CEO, Debbie Sterling, and environmental preservationist, The Honorable Sally Jewell at the 4th annual NWHM de Pizan Honors on Monday, November 17, 2014 at the Mead Center for American Theatre, home of Arena Stage, in Washington, DC. This year’s event will be chaired by the Honorable Senators Susan Collins and Barbara Mikulski and Representatives Carolyn Maloney, Marsha Blackburn and Candice Miller.

The de Pizan Honors was established in 2011 in an effort to recognize contemporary women making history with an award in the name of a historic counterpart who blazed a trail in a similar field. In essence, the Living Legacy Award bridges the gap between a living legend and a woman on whose shoulder she stands. Previous NHWM Living Legacy Honorees include poet Dr. Maya Angelou; photographer Annie Leibovitz; Yahoo president Marissa Mayer; broadcaster Cathy Hughes; medical pioneer Helen Greiner; actress Meryl Streep, world renowned mezzo soprano Denyce Graves; breast cancer screening pioneer radiologist Dr. Etta D. Pisano; and American Tony Award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad.

The de Pizan Honors is named for Christine de Pizan, who in 1405 became the first Western woman to write about women’s history and to earn a living as an author. Her most famous work, The Book of the City of Ladies, was intended to counter existing ideas about women’s nature.

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“We are delighted to honor the accomplishments and contributions of 4 legendary American women -- Katherine Graham, Maria Mitchell, Louise Fitzhugh, and Rachel Carson by presenting the Living Legacy Awards to four remarkable contemporary women – Mary Barra, Katherine Johnson, Debbie Sterling, and Sally Jewell,” said Joan Bradley Wages, CEO and President of NWHM. “Each of these women has risen to the top of her field and in doing so has helped to reverse long-held and erroneous societal beliefs that an individual’s gender should dictate career choice. Further, having achieved success in overwhelmingly male professions, each of our honorees serves as a role model and inspiration to young girls everywhere.”

About the National Women’s History Museum: Founded in 1996, the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM, Inc.) is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the general public about the diverse historic contributions of women and raising awareness about the critical need for a national women’s history museum in our nation’s capital. Currently located online at www.nwhm.org, the Museum’s goal is to build a world-class, permanent museum on or near the National Mall that will herald and display the collective history of American women. Current legislation is underway to create a Congressional Commission that would be charged with producing a feasible plan which would include the governance, estimated cost, location and organizational structure of the museum. For additional information visit NWHM.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Christine de Pizan: Christine de Pizan was the first Western woman to write about women’s history in 1405. She is best known as the author of The Book of the City of Ladies, which she wrote to combat existing ideas about women’s nature. The book has given de Pizan the distinction of being the first woman recognized as a chronicler of women’s history. The NWHM is dedicated to continuing de Pizan’s work of documenting women’s achievements and is proud to present the Honors in her name. The de Pizan Honors is one of the Museum’s most visible and exciting ways of bringing its mission to the public by bridging the past with the present. The ceremony promotes a deep respect for the often unsung and undervalued work of women in weaving the American fabric.

Media Contact:RSVP for media tickets, photos, interviews, please contact:Susan Murphy – SMurphy@nwhm.org or 703-461-1920

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De Pizan Honors Information Sheet

Event: National Women’s History Museum’s de Pizan Honors

Date: Monday, November 17, 2014

Time: VIP Buffet Dinner Reception: 5:30pm General Reception: 6:15pm Program: 7:00pm

Venue: The Mead Center for The American Theatre -- Home of Arena Stage1101 Sixth Street, SW -- Washington, D.C. 20024

2014 Honorees: General Motors CEO, Mary Barra Goldieblox CEO & Founder, Debbie Sterling Former NASA Mathematician, Katherine Johnson

Tickets Levels & Pricing:

Young Professional (Under 30) $ 25 Member (Regular) $ 150 Non-Member (Regular) $ 175 VIP Sponsor (2 Tickets) $ 1,250 Silver Sponsor $ 5,000 Gold Sponsor $10,000

To purchase tickets – http://nwhm.ticketleap.com/dePizan14For more information: 703-461-1920

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