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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Location/County: Charleston, Kanawha
October 26, 2019
On Saturday, October 26, 2019, Rebekah Karelis and Margaret Brennan will present “Rebecca Harding Davis” in the Archives and History Library at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The program will begin at 3 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Rebecca Harding Davis is an iconic literary figure best known for her gritty short story, “Life in the Iron Mills,” set in Wheeling, West Virginia. A pioneering writer of literary realism, she and her husband, L. Clarke Davis, worked for progressive social causes such as mental illness and the marginalized. Her nationally recognized family, including son, writer Richard Harding Davis, helped shape the culture of late nineteenth-century literature and journalism.
Rebekah Karelis is a native West Virginian who currently calls Wheeling home. When not writing, the historian collects books, old buildings, and furniture that she never seems to find the time to restore. She works with her partner, Sarel Venter, in restoring West Virginia’s old places through their contracting company, Adventures in Elegance, LLC.
Wheeling native Margaret Brennan has a master’s degree in history and a certificate in public history from West Virginia University. She has taught social studies, worked in archival administration and undertaken special historical projects. Her areas of interest include the American Civil War, Irish history, and slavery and the Underground Railroad.
For additional information, contact Archives and History at (304) 558-0230.