Videos
On September 21, 2012, the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute, which houses Julia Child's extensive papers, sponsored "Siting Julia: A Julia Child Centenary Symposium" to celebrate the legacy of Julia Child on the centenary year of her birth. Authors, television producers, restaurateurs, and the Child's family and neighbors provided a behind-the-scenes view of the life and work of American phenomenon Julia Child, who brought her passion for learning and teaching French culinary arts to homes across the United States.
In this video, Lizabeth Cohen and Nancy F. Cott open the symposium with welcoming remarks and Laura Shapiro delivers the keynote address.
Marylène Altieri, curator of books and printed materials at Radcliffe Institute's Schlesinger Library, discusses Julia Child's collection of almost 5,000 cookbooks, including the 1712 edition of Le Vray Cuisinier Francois.
Explore the Julia Child Papers at the Schlesinger Library online.
Marylène Altieri, curator of books and printed materials at Radcliffe Institute's Schlesinger Library, describes a photograph of Julia and Paul Child preparing episodes of The French Chef and a 1964 letter from Paul to his brother, Charlie, about timing the episodes with a stopwatch.
Explore the Julia Child Papers at the Schlesinger Library online.
Marylène Altieri, curator of books and printed materials at Radcliffe Institute's Schlesinger Library, describes a photo of Julia and Paul Child on the outdoor deck at his family's home on Lopaus Point, Maine in 1957.
Explore the Julia Child Papers at the Schlesinger Library online.
Marylène Altieri, curator of books and printed materials at Radcliffe Institute's Schlesinger Library, describes a letter from Houghton Mifflin to Julia Child in 1959 rejecting Mastering the Art of French Cooking because it was too long. Houghton Mifflin suggested she shop the book elsewhere.
Explore the Julia Child Papers at the Schlesinger Library online.
Marylène Altieri, curator of books and printed materials at Radcliffe Institute's Schlesinger Library, describes Paul Child's sketch for the set of The French Chef's omelette episode. Each episode of the show was rehearsed from start to finish and timed with a stopwatch.
Explore the Julia Child Papers at the Schlesinger Library online.
Marylène Altieri, curator of books and printed materials at Radcliffe Institute's Schlesinger Library, describes a photo of Julia Child and Chef Max Bugnard stuffing birds and chickens at the Ecole Cordon Bleu in 1956.
Explore the Julia Child Papers at the Schlesinger Library online.
Radcliffe Institute medal recipient Margaret H. Marshall, Ed.M.'69 delivers the Radcliffe Day keynote address.
The Radcliffe Institute Medal is presented annually to an individual who has had a transformative impact on society. Margaret H. Marshall has been a force for justice and equality throughout her life, beginning with her years in South Africa and culminating in her service as the 24th chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
The Radcliffe Day 2012 panel, "From Front Lines to High Courts: The Law and Social Change," explores the possibilities and limits of the law in making social change.
Historian Helen Lefkowitz Horowitz explores Harvard University’s relationship with women, which she describes as complicated. Her review begins with the University’s founding 375 years ago, when Harvard excluded women as students and teachers. For 200 years, the University conveyed education and prestige to a ministry and a rising merchant class. Beginning in the 19th century, women found innovative ways to attain higher education, but the terms of access required accommodation—even invisibility. Horowitz contends that the fight for equity began more than a century ago and remains a work in progress today. Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust offers brief welcoming remarks.
