Changing the Face of Power: Women in the U.S. Senate

The Sam Houston Memorial Museum presents “Changing the Face of Power: Women in the U.S. Senate,” an exhibition produced by the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin, presented in partnership with Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. “Changing the Face of Power” is made possible in part by “We the People” grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

“Changing the Face of Power” is an exhibition of photographs by Melina Mara, whom began photographing the thirteen women in the U.S. Senate in 2001, continuing as their number grew to fourteen in 2003. At a time when access to national politicians is increasingly controlled, Mara persuaded a majority of the senators to allow her to document the unprecedented role of women in the Senate, both behind the scenes and before microphones.