Band of Sisters: The Smithies Who Brought the Grecourt Gates to Smith

Watch the OAR Webinar: Band of Sisters - Smith Alumnae in World War I video. 

In 1917, eighteen Smithies traveled to the front lines of World War I to help French civilians. This event will explore the history of the Smith College Relief Unit and the novel that has led to renewed interest in the accomplishments of these brave women. College Archivist Nanci Young will introduce the event, with Sarah MacLean ‘00 serving as MC. Guest speakers include Jennifer Hall-Witt, historian, and Lauren Willig, author of Band of Sisters which is the Smith College Alumnae Book Club current read. Co-sponsored by the Friends of the Smith College Libraries and the Office of Alumnae Relations and Development.

This event took place via Zoom on Wednesday, February 23 from 7-8:30 p.m. 

Lauren Willig is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty works of historical fiction, including Band of Sisters, The Summer Country, The English Wife, the RITA Award-winning Pink Carnation series, and three novels co-written with Beatriz Williams and Karen White. An alumna of Yale University, she has a graduate degree in history from Harvard and a JD from Harvard Law School. She lives in New York City with her husband, two young children, and vast quantities of coffee. 

Jennifer Hall-Witt is an independent scholar who taught part-time in the Department of History and the Program for the Study of Women and Gender at Smith from 2002 to 2018. While at Smith, she taught an archives-based seminar on the Smith College Relief Unit and an archives-based colloquium on the first three generations of Smith students. She has a Ph.D. in history from Yale University and is currently working on a master's degree in Peace and Justice Leadership from the School in International Training. 

New York Times, Washington Post and USA Today bestseller Sarah MacLean '00 is the author of historical romance novels. Translated into more than twenty-five languages, the books that make up “The MacLeaniverse” are beloved by readers worldwide. In addition to her novels, Sarah is a leading advocate for the romance genre, speaking widely on its place as a feminist text and a cultural bellwether. A columnist for the New York Times, the Washington Post and Bustle, she is the co-host of the weekly romance podcast, Fated Mates. Sarah lives in New York City.

Contact

Friends of the Smith College Libraries
Mary Irwin
mirwin@smith.edu