Dr. Fran Levine is someone who knows a thing or two about history. As the former president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society and Missouri History Museum, and the interim executive director of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum in 2022, Levine has spent decades bringing underrepresented stories to light. Now, she is shining a spotlight on the untold lives of women on the Santa Fe Trail in her new book, “Crossings: Women on the Santa Fe Trail.”
Levine’s work draws from her deep connections to both St. Louis and Santa Fe, where she has led major museums and curated collections tied to the trade. “I hope to show the importance of St. Louis in the history of the Santa Fe trade,” she said. “The trade was dependent on the commerce of the confluence region, and so many people might not know that.”
In “Crossings,” Levine shares the stories of women like María Rose Villalpando, a Comanche captive; suffragist Julia Anna Archibald Holmes and her enslaved servant, Jame; and Jewish pioneers Betty and Flora Spiegelberg.
“The history of the American West, as many of us learned it, revolved around stereotypes of pioneering women and men,” Levine explained. “Examining the life experiences of people in more depth allows us to learn from the challenges and opportunities they faced.”
Levine will discuss “Crossings” at an event hosted by Left Bank Books and the Missouri Historical Society on Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Missouri History Museum. The event is free, and books will be available for purchase and signing.
Event details
- Date: Dec. 11
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Location: Missouri History Museum in Forest Park
As Levine noted, “The history of the West has many authors, and yet women were often ignored. It’s time to tell that history and to recognize their role and that of St. Louis.”
