Perhaps you already know us for our triennial meeting, The Berkshire Conference on the History of Women (“The Big Berks”) Launched in 1973, it is now the largest gathering of its kind in the world.

Members are invited to our annual retreats, where many scholars begin their relationship to the organization in an atmosphere designed to promote friendship, relaxation, and networking. Feel free to click around our site to read more about our history, our governance structure, our prizes and our committees. We hope that when you learn more about us you will want to join at the level that is comfortable for you.

Big Berks 2020 Cancelled

Dear Berks Community,

Thank you for your patience as we weighed the difficult decision about the status of the Big Berks 2020 Conference. With great regret we must announce that the 2020 meeting of the Berkshire Conference of Women, Genders and Sexualities (the Big Berks,) scheduled for May 28-31, 2020, at Johns Hopkins University has been cancelled.

After extensive deliberations, the officers and trustees agreed that in light of the profound uncertainty and very real health risks related to COVID-19, and in light of our host university’s announcement about the suspension of sponsored events until further notice, it is not possible to meet as planned.

Cancellation comes with significant financial burdens that the Berks organization must absorb. We appreciate your support as the Berks weathers the hardship this imposes. If you are able, please consider donating all or part of your registration fee to help the Berks continue to provide programming and supportive offerings in the future.

We will accept applications for full or partial refunds until 15 April, 2020. Refunds include registration, meals, receptions, dormitory accommodations, and tours. All refund requests will be honored until 15 April after which time all fees will be converted into donations. We will send you a tax-deductible receipt by the close of 2020.

Please use this form to request a full or partial refund: https://forms.gle/dzwRVuDKjP6UwzZD6

Accommodations must also be cancelled. If you booked a dormitory room, please include a request for a refund of those charges by April 15, 2020. If you booked a hotel room through our conference blocks, please contact the hotel directly to cancel your reservation. The Berks *cannot* cancel hotel reservations for Berks participants; hotel policies will apply.

We ask for your patience as we process refunds. We will work as quickly possible to process those and to address any issues that arise.

Please stay tuned here for further news about the Big Berks 2020. We are busy exploring alternatives for bringing some parts of the meeting and its important and exciting content to you, as circumstances allow. We will share details as soon as they are available.

You have contributed so much to the planning of the Big Berks 2020. Please know how much we appreciate your scholarship, political engagement, and creativity. While we are deeply disappointed by this turn of events, we are confident that the Berks will continue to be the exciting, vital, and committed community that it has long been. Thank you for being an essential part of our collective future!

We hope that you, your loved ones, and communities remain safe and well in the weeks and months ahead.

In Solidarity,

Martha S. Jones, Co-president
Tiya Miles, Co-president
Jennie Brier, Vice President
Stephanie Richmond, Treasurer
Marisa Fuentes, Secretary
Cathleen Cahill, Program Co-Chair
Martha Few, Program Co-Chair
Nancy Robertson, Trustee
Elyssa Faison, Trustee
Deirdre Cooper-Owens, Trustee
Sandra Trudgen Dawson, Executive Administrator

Posted March 19, 2020

BIG BERKS 2020 Program

For up to date information on travel restrictions and recommendations for at-risk individuals, please see the CDC and WHO  sites on COVID-19.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Executive Administrator Sandra Trudgen Dawson at execadmin@berksconference.org We appreciate your patience as we sort through the many queries we are receiving. We will reply as soon as possible.

Thank you for your consideration during these uncertain times.

The Executive Committee, Program Committee Chairs, and Local Arrangements Committee Chairs for the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians.

Posted March 11, 2020