Explore role of NC women in World War I during Asheboro library talk

ASHEBORO – When World War I broke out in 1914, women on North Carolina’s home front stood poised to support war-ravaged Europe because they already were organized to provide resources to the needy and vulnerable in their own communities.

Learn about their unique  contributions in “North Carolina’s Women  ‘Do Their Bit’ During WWI,” a talk by historian and educator Dr. Angela Robbins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, August 17, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Robbins’ appearance is free and the public is invited.

When the U.S. entered the war in 1917, women encouraged and supported one another to “do their bit,” coordinating the efforts of local groups with newly-formed state and national organizations to provide care packages for soldiers, grow and preserve food in the wake of severe shortages, raise funds through Liberty Bond drives, collect supplies for the Red Cross, and more.

After the war, their activism helped empower them to claim the right to vote and shape their own destinies.

Robbins is an instructor at UNC-Greensboro and Salem College. She holds a Ph.D. in History from UNCG and a masters in Museum Studies. She has worked in education and collections management at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, the Greensboro Historical Museum, Blandwood Mansion and the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.