Reading Historical Society Presents Greg Hand and the Bicycle Craze of the late 1800'S

Join the Reading Historical Society as they welcome Greg Hand, noted Cincinnati historian, as he discusses the bicycle craze in the late 1800s and the impact it had in changing women's roles in society. Bicycles extended women's mobility outside the home. A woman didn't need a horse to come and go as she pleased, whether to work outside the home or participate in social causes. The bicycle craze boosted the rational clothing movement, which encouraged women to do away with long, cumbersome skirts and bulky undergarments. The safety bicycle gave women the personal mobility that men enjoyed in the 1880s, offering independence from home or husband. It shaped women's identity and increased their visibility in society. Greg Hand, proprietor of the "Cincinnati Curiosities" blog, retired from the University of Cincinnati as director of public relations. Before his employment by the university, Hand was a reporter and editor for the Press Newspapers in suburban Cincinnati. He is the author of a book titled "Cincinnati Curiosities" and the editor of a book of stories about Jim Tarbell titled "Tarbellpalooza!" In addition to his blog, Hand contributes regularly to Cincinnati Magazine.