You’ll Do: A Southern History of Marrying for Reasons other Than Love

An examination of such marriages, particularly in 18th and 19th century southern states, reveals how marriage has long been a widespread and effective means of counteracting class, gender, and even racial inequalities. At the same time, this history also shows that by making marriage the preferred solution, it has become it harder to implement better, more widespread solutions that could benefit all Americans—not just the married. The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Tickets are required for in-person admission. Tickets are not needed if you would prefer to join us live on YouTube or Facebook.