In the Spotlight

Celebrating Two-Wheeled Transportation

Q: What invention changed human history more than the invention of the wheel?
A: The invention of two wheels.

That’s the message of Northwestern University Library’s new exhibit “Life Turns on Two Wheels,” which runs from April 29 to June 26, 2008 in the Main Library at 1970 Campus Drive. In addition to historical materials, the exhibit encompasses a series of events and lectures on related topics.

“What can you do with one wheel?” asks Transportation Library head Roberto Sarmiento, who co-curated the exhibit along with Art Collection head Russ Clement. “But take two wheels, connect them with a pole, and now you have a vehicle that can transport people and goods over long distances.”

Sarmiento and Clement wanted to showcase the ways in which advances in two-wheeled technology have changed people’s lives. For instance:

• In technological terms, the jump from cart to chariot (which was introduced by the Indo-Europeans in about 2,000 B.C.), was roughly equivalent to the jump from carriage to car. Carts had heavy, solid-wood wheels and were pulled by oxen, so they were by nature slow. Chariot wheels had spokes, which made them much lighter, and the vehicles were pulled by horses—a huge advantage in both transportation and warfare situations for their inventors.

• The rickshaw was actually a fairly recent invention, dating back only to the mid-nineteenth century. It originated in Japan, where it caught on immediately because it was a cheap form of transport available to the masses. The Japanese exported it to China and India, and while recently there have been attempts to ban it in several Southeast Asian countries, mainly for safety reasons, these attempts have met stiff resistance because the vehicles are critical to the livelihoods of so many people.

• The bicycle was considered a tool of the early women’s liberation movement. It offered women a way to rebel against the establishment and advocate for their rights. Frances Willard, of Evanston, adopted it enthusiastically at the age of 53 and once said, “If I am asked to explain why I learned the bicycle I should say I did it as an act of grace, if not of actual religion.”

Events and lectures associated with the exhibit explore and highlight the way two-wheel transport enhances our lifestyles today. These include:

May 10: Saturday Bicycle Double-Feature. In conjunction with the Library, the Block Cinema offers free screenings of two bicycle cult-classics: “The Bicycle Thief” at 1 p.m. and “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” at 3 p.m.
May 14: Lecture on “Chariots and Charioteering in the Ancient Roman World” by Dr. Lee Brice, of Western Illinois University, 6:30-7:30 p.m. University Library, Forum Room.
May 16: On “Bike to Work Day,” the Library and the Athletics and Recreation Department will co-sponsor campus events in support of the NU bicycling community. From 8 to 10 a.m., bagels and refreshments will be provided free for cyclists at SPAC. From 11:30 to 1:30, the Wilmette Bike & Sport Shop will hold a series of mini-clinics on Library Plaza on topics like bike maintenance, repair, and security.
May 19: F.K Day and Leah Missbach Day of the World Bicycle Relief Fund will talk about their mission to provide access to independence and livelihood in developing countries through “The Power of Bicycles.” 6:30-8 p.m. University Library, Forum Room.

The exhibit will also highlight the work of local organizations, including the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and The Recyclery.

For more information, contact Clare Roccaforte at 847-467-5918 or c-roccaforte@northwestern.edu.