​Fairfield Hosts Lecture on Civil Rights, Women’s Rights Activist

From Fairfield University: Author, historian and women’s rights scholar Jennifer Scanlon will discuss the fascinating story and historical impact of little-known feminist and civil rights activist, Anna Arnold Hedgeman, in an inspirational lecture at Fairfield University on Thursday, March 23, at 7 p.m.

Getting in Formation: Anna Arnold Hedgeman and Historical Narratives of Black Women's Activism, is free and open to the public and will be held in the University’s Aloysius P. Kelley Presentation Room. A joint celebration of Women’s History Month and Black History Month, the lecture is presented by the College of Arts and Sciences’ Black Studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies program and is sponsored by the Humanities Institute of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Assistant Dean of Students, Public Lectures and Events, the Peace and Justice Program and the departments of History, Politics, Sociology and Cultural Anthropology.

In her latest book, Until There Is Justice, author Jennifer Scanlon presents the first-ever biography of Anna Arnold Hedgeman and paints a compelling portrait of one of the most remarkable yet understudied civil rights leaders of our time. During her lecture, she will engage attendees with Hedgeman’s profoundly inspirational story and discuss the impact and and relevance of her tireless work.
“In light of the current political climate, and specifically the activism centered around the Black Lives Matter movement and the 600 Women's Rights marches held across the globe this year, it seems like an optimal time for folks to learn about Hedgeman's work,” said Dr. Emily Orlando, Director of the University’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program. “She is one of the giants upon whose shoulders current activists stand, perhaps unaware.”

A demanding feminist, devout Christian and savvy grassroots civil rights organizer, Hedgeman played a key role in over half a century of social justice initiatives. Through a commitment to faith-based activism, civil rights and feminism, Hedgeman participated in and led some of the 20th century's most important developments, including advances in education, public health, politics and workplace justice. Like many of her colleagues, including Betty Friedan and Martin Luther King, Jr., Hedgeman should have become a household name, but until recently, has received only a fraction of the attention she deserves.

For more information on the lecture, contact Dr. Emily Orlando at eorlando@fairfield.edu.

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