(Worcester, Mass.) – Worcester State University’s Women’s Studies Department will host their Annual Sharbach Lecture Series featuring Brigid O’Farrell, an independent scholar who focuses on women’s equity, on Monday, April 23 in the Student Center, Blue Lounge.
The first of two lectures will start at 12:30 p.m. and focus on her new book, “She Was One of Us: Eleanor Roosevelt and the American Worker,” including a book signing after the lecture. O’Farrell tells the story of how Eleanor Roosevelt’s deep and enduring commitment to workers and the labor movement developed and how she translated that commitment into action. The second lecture, “The Challenge of Archives and Audiences, Union and Universities,” will discuss O’Farrell’s research methods of Eleanor Roosevelt at 6:00 p.m. in the Blue Lounge.
O’Farrell’s book “She Was One of Us” reveals Eleanor Roosevelt’s life and her enduring support for workers and union members for more than 25 years. The story reveals for the first time, the account of the First Lady’s deep ties to the American labor movement, her advocacy for working women and their mutual struggle for human rights.
For more information about the book, O’Farrell’s radio interviews and speaking engagements, as well as the Berger-Marks grant to develop a workshop guide on using the past to change the future, visit www.bofarrell.net.
The lecture series was named after the late Dr. Sarah Sharbach, who taught history at Worcester State University. During her time at the University she was a human rights activist for abuse and violence. Her commitment continued even after she learned that she had breast cancer in 2000. She passed away in 2004, but her legacy lives on through this lecture series.