Author John Cilio to conduct lecture and book signing of his latest work, Women’s Work in WWII at the Brookfield Museum.
On Wednesday, March 27, 2013, author John Cilio will present a moving lecture about his latest book Women’s Work in WWII: Millions of working women breakdown the barriers of gender discrimination. The discussion will be followed by a book signing. This timely program occurs during the month of March which is National Women’s History month.
It is sponsored by the Brookfield Historical Society and will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Brookfield Museum located at 165 Whisconier Road (Route 25) at the intersection of Routes 25 and 133 in Brookfield Center.
Cilio hails from Sherman, Connecticut. He is a prolific author who has written six historical books and freely admits he enjoys researching the ghosts of our past. He believes that often the consequences of a historical incident were hidden from those that experienced it yet looking back one can sense the full impact of their moments in time. Such is the case of his latest work which adeptly transports the reader back to the era when men went off to war and the majority of women remained behind to care for families and fill the enormous gaps left vacant by the soldiers. Cilio describes how these untested women faced and met the challenges proving their competence in thousands of roles including the production of war materials previously performed by men only. These women imagined success and achieved it but when the war ended, so did female equality. The book concludes with how the women of WWII would not accept that outcome and worked in and with Congress, with the president, the unions and across the courts. Their objective: remove the barriers to equal pay for equal work and provide a workplace free from gender discrimination. Cilio will tell some of the anecdotal stories and discuss a selection of vintage photographs that highlight a desperate time in America.
For each copy of his book which is purchased, Cilio will generously donate $10.00 to the Brookfield Museum and Historical Society to support future public programs conducted by the Society.
Admission to this presentation is free and complimentary refreshments will be available for attendees. For more information on this and other scheduled programs of the Brookfield Historical Society log onto www.brookfieldcthistory.org.
The Brookfield Museum and Historical Society is located at 65 Whisconier Road (Junction Routes 25 and 133 Brookfield Center)
