As part of our 300^th anniversary celebration, hear a newly recovered piece of history — the story of women from this church who in 1837 founded their own workshop to provide fair wages for female factory workers in Providence.  How did their demand for justice express Unitarian values then, and with what meaning for us now?  All of today’s music will also be the work of women, with both a hymn by Carolyn McDade and pieces across time and place played by guitarist Francisco Isaza.

Phyllis Cole is a member of the History Committee, investigating women’s experience in our 300 years as a church community.  She moved to Rhode Island three years ago after retiring from a career of  teaching and scholarship in English and Women’s Studies at Penn State University.  First Unitarian has been her home base ever since, with friends from Women’s Alliance staying in touch even in times of quarantine.