New England has nurtured countless women who shook off the expectations of their gender to forge their own destinies. Patricia Harris’ latest book, New England’s Notable Women, shines the spotlight on 45 of these trailblazers and achievers. In her talk, she will discuss and show photos of some of these touchstone places and recount the inspirations she has received and the lessons she has learned from her subjects. 

Among the heroines she will highlight are legendary socialite turned suffragist Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont, early champion of education equality, Prudence Crandall, and pioneering Astronomer Maria Mitchell, the first American to discover a comet.