Amelia Kallman, authorAmelia Kallman has won two international writing awards in nonfiction, and has authored articles for publications including WIRED UK, Forbes, IBC, and The Huffington Post.
She is also an international keynote speaker, podcast host, mentor, and activist. |
|
The Remarkable Women of the Chelsea Hotel
The Remarkable Women of the Chelsea Hotel is a collection of interconnected biographies that reclaims forgotten female history. Featuring sixteen trailblazing residents of the world’s most infamous hotel, this book reframes historical narratives to highlight the cultural impact of women in the arts in America throughout the 20th century and beyond.
From its opening in 1884 the Chelsea Hotel has been home to many of the world’s greatest artists, pioneers, musicians, celebrities, and misfits. However, historians have almost entirely written the women of the hotel out of history in favor of famous men. The Remarkable Women of the Chelsea Hotel aims to preserve a more equal, inclusive and accurate history of not only the legendary hotel, but also the history of feminism in America and the significant impact of women in the arts.
In addition to featuring revelations and insights into the lives, struggles, and contributions of modern icons, including Nico, Janis Joplin, Edie Sedgwick, Nancy Spungen, and Patti Smith, the book also spotlights other inspiring women who deserve and need to be remembered.
Such as:
As the last woman to ever live in the hotel’s pyramid penthouse apartment, author Amelia Kallman includes her own Chelsea Hotel experiences, stories, and friendships in the book. Bringing extensive research, firsthand sources, humor, entertainment, and a high level of respect to the material, The Remarkable Women of the Chelsea Hotel will be Amelia’s third book.
After fifteen years of closure, the Chelsea Hotel finally reopened in 2022. Dusty hotel histories focused almost exclusively on straight white men are no longer acceptable. In a country where abortion, the morning after pill, and LGBTQ+ rights continue to be politicized and weaponized, people need role models and an understanding of their own history now more than ever. It is time for the story of The Remarkable Women of the Chelsea Hotel to be told.
From its opening in 1884 the Chelsea Hotel has been home to many of the world’s greatest artists, pioneers, musicians, celebrities, and misfits. However, historians have almost entirely written the women of the hotel out of history in favor of famous men. The Remarkable Women of the Chelsea Hotel aims to preserve a more equal, inclusive and accurate history of not only the legendary hotel, but also the history of feminism in America and the significant impact of women in the arts.
In addition to featuring revelations and insights into the lives, struggles, and contributions of modern icons, including Nico, Janis Joplin, Edie Sedgwick, Nancy Spungen, and Patti Smith, the book also spotlights other inspiring women who deserve and need to be remembered.
Such as:
- Jennie June America’s 1st female journalist and most well-known woman of the 19th century in the US.
- Laura Sedgwick Collins America’s 1st female composer, left out of history largely because she never married or had children.
- Elizabeth Gurley Flynn First female political activist, union organizer, and the first female chairwoman of the U.S. Communist Party.
- Katherine Dunham Founder of the first African-American dance company. As legend has it, she was thrown out of the Chelsea for bringing live lions up to her 10th floor studio to make a rehearsal for Aida “more real.”
- Isabella Gardner New York City’s first Poet Laureate, erased from history by her 4th husband, poet Allen Tate. Born into wealth, her life was a modern tragedy, including alcoholism, abuse, the murder of her son, and a daughter who was permanently brain damaged after the Hell’s Angels almost beat to death in the hotel.
- Shirley Clarke First female director to win an Oscar and the only woman to be commemorated with a plaque outside the Chelsea, amongst 13 men.
- Storme de Larverie A mixed race queer person who passed as a white torch singer while touring in the Royal American Midway shows. Later they become America’s first drag king and famously incited the Stonewall rebellion instigating the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
- Vali Myers Australian dancer turned artist who “spoke fox,” had facial tattoos, and practiced witchcraft.
- Niki de Saint Phalle Artist known for taking aim at the patriarchy with her live shooting demonstrations, larger-than-life Nana sculptures, and as the first woman to create huge public sculpture gardens.
- Holly Woodlawn Latino Warhol Superstar and America’s first trans actress whose trailblazing life included episodes of homelessness, addiction, and imprisonment.
As the last woman to ever live in the hotel’s pyramid penthouse apartment, author Amelia Kallman includes her own Chelsea Hotel experiences, stories, and friendships in the book. Bringing extensive research, firsthand sources, humor, entertainment, and a high level of respect to the material, The Remarkable Women of the Chelsea Hotel will be Amelia’s third book.
After fifteen years of closure, the Chelsea Hotel finally reopened in 2022. Dusty hotel histories focused almost exclusively on straight white men are no longer acceptable. In a country where abortion, the morning after pill, and LGBTQ+ rights continue to be politicized and weaponized, people need role models and an understanding of their own history now more than ever. It is time for the story of The Remarkable Women of the Chelsea Hotel to be told.
©AMELIA KALLMAN 2024
