As World War I raged across the globe, hundreds of young women toiled away at the radium-dial factories, where they painted clock faces with a mysterious new substance called radium. Assured by their bosses that the luminous material was safe, the women themselves shone brightly in the dark, covered from head to toe with the glowing dust. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" were considered the luckiest alive - until they began to fall mysteriously ill. As the fatal poison of the radium took hold, they found themselves embroiled in one of America's biggest scandals and a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights. The Radium Girls explores the strength of extraordinary women in the face of almost impossible circumstances and the astonishing legacy they left behind.
Kate Moore is a New York Times bestselling author who writes across many genres, including biography, memoir, and history. She was also the director of the acclaimed play about the Radium Girls called 'These Shining Lives'.
“Moore details what was a ' ground-breaking, law-changing, and life-saving accomplishment' for workers' rights.”
—Publishers Weekly
"Written in a highly readable, narrative style, Moore's chronicle of these inspirational
women's lives is sure to provoke discussion - and outrage."
—Booklist, STARRED Review
When you RSVP, your email will be added to our list to receive our monthly e-newsletter and future programming updates.
Your admission is good for 1 complimentary visit to the museum following the program event.