Join us as we look at the lives and times of women who have mattered because of what they mean to our lives today. Beginning with the Ancient Greeks and moving through history from the Old World to the New World, we will look at the social, political, economic and religious factors that defined women’s roles during those time periods. On the way, we will meet some of the leading women thinkers and doers who led the way to greater equality for women in law, property, marriage, government, education and the workplace. Participants will come away with an understanding of centuries of change and of those who paved the way for the women of the 21st century.

Format: Sessions will be divided into ten historical periods. The first hour of the class a classmate will focus on a woman of influence during a given period and share an overview of major social, religious, and economic developments that had a significant impact on women’s position in society during the period under discussion. During the second hour, another member will share the relevance of the first hour to succeeding periods of history through to our lives today. Participants are expected to make a 30–35-minute presentation, followed by 15 minutes of discussion using open-ended discussion prompts that have been prepared by the session leader.

Resources/Expenses: There is no required reading or text. Coordinators will provide links to articles that provide background on the history of each period.

Coordinators: Margaret Lawrence has been an enthusiastic member of the LLC community for four years. Her professional experience was as a writer and editor. She has a background in European Intellectual History and a lifelong interest in women’s issues. Sidney Ok