The Salisbury Branch of the American Association of University Women will sponsor a public event to commemorate International Women’s Day on Thursday at Trinity Oaks, 728 Klumac Road beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Dr. Roxanne Newton, dean of humanities and fine arts at Mitchell Community College, will be the guest speaker. Her topic will be: “The Fabric of Hope and Resistance: N.C. Women Workers on Strike.”
Newton is the daughter and granddaughter of textile workers and author of “Women Workers on Strike: Narratives of Southern Women Unionists.”
Women were involved in disputes that span the decades from the General Textile Strike of 1934 to strikes in 1999 and 2001. Some of their stories tell of finding strength and resilience in “men’s jobs,” competing in non-traditional jobs for women. Other narratives tell of their sacrifices as the women suppressed their own needs in order to organize and participate in unions while also taking care of their families or co-workers.
More stories tell of the women’s evolution from unionists to activists, and others center on union feminists’ stories of leadership in promoting gender and racial equality, workplace democracy, and community justice.
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women. In some countries it is a national holiday. Thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and to celebrate achievements.
March 8th recognizes a strike in 1908 of more than 15,000 women from New York’s textile and garment industries, who marched through the city demanding shorter hours, better pay, an end to child labor and the right to vote.
The event in Salisbury is made possible by funding from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The event is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Eileen Hanson-Kelly, 704-855-8353 or http://salisbury-nc.aauw.net