Labor advocate and collector Stephen Lewis will display international posters about women’s struggle for equality during the month of February 2014 in the Wotiz Gallery of the Milton Public Library. This project is supported in part by grants from Laborers Local 22, Carpenters District Council, and Asbestos Workers Local 6. Mr. Lewis has had poster displays at many other local libraries in the past, including Quincy, Somerville, Watertown, Stoughton, Worcester, and Sudbury, just to name a few. The posters featured in this exhibit come from around the world and show the universitality of the problems women face in their quest for equal rights and respect. Many of the images were produced by trade unions. They have been in the forefront of these struggles. The issues depicted include equal job opportunity, sexual harassment, equal pay, decent maternity benefits, and also broader issues of human rights and the right to decent jobs for everyone. March 8 is celebrated as International Women’s Day. It is a day to reflect on all the accomplishments of women, and to note the ongoing struggle for equality. This is an interesting and important exhibit, so please come and take a look when the library is open.

The posters are from a collection of more than 4200 of Stephen Lewis. He is a long-time activist in the labor movement, and the former Treasurer of his union. He has presented at the annual conference of the National Council on Public History, and in addition to displaying at many public libraries in Massachusetts, he has exhibited at two of the state Heritage parks. He can be reached by Email at lewisposters@gmail.com or at Facebook under labor/progressive political posters.

The Wotiz Gallery is located on the first floor of the library, 476 Canton Avenue, Milton. For more information, contact Jean Hlady, Adult Services Librarian, at (617) 698-5757 or go to the library’s website: www.miltonlibrary.org.