Transatlantic Trailblazers:

The Women behind the Art, Design, and Engineering of the ss United States.

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The SS United States set sail on her triumphal maiden voyage in 1952, and for the next seventeen years, as she sped back and forth between Europe and New York, she became known as the world’s fastest and most luxurious passenger liner. However, the design of the SS United States started decades earlier. 

Entirely Made in America by over 3,000 pairs of tireless hands, and with products and components from every state in the nation, the SS United States was a global ambassador and pinnacle of mid-century maritime design. Women took a more involved role in her design and construction, just as they were redefining their role in society. In fact, it was the work of many women, as engineers and as artists and designers, that helped forge the SS United States into a  groundbreaking and superlative superliner. 

From the time the vessel’s keel was laid down in 1950 to her maiden voyage two years later, a veritable army of architects, engineers, designers and artists contributed to making the SS United States the pride of her nation. By outlining the work of the women behind the SS United States’ art, design, and engineering, this exhibition highlights the tremendous history of women’s achievements in postwar America. Looking closely at the adversity overcome, as well as the exacting parameters specific to maritime design, this exhibition offers a unique lens through which to view the emergence of women in the postwar workforce. From groundbreaking propeller design to some of the most luxurious - and safest - interiors, this exhibition highlights the innovations and achievements of a number of pioneering women. For example, engineer Elaine Kaplan and artists such as Hildreth Meière laid the groundwork for a more inclusive STEAM (Science, Technology, Arts, and Mathematics) field, an effort that continues today. This, among many instances of the SS United States as a trailblazer of her time, enhances the ship’s historical importance and continued relevance.

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A note about the exhibition: 

Curator:

Sydney Sheehan, Curatorial Associate, SS United States Conservancy

Alaina Noland, Curatorial Associate, SS United States Conservancy

With support from:

Phil Marion, Administrative Associate, SS United States Conservancy

Susan Gibbs, President, SS United States Conservancy

The SS United States Conservancy is deeply grateful to all of our supporters who made this exhibition possible. 

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