Ann Fessler - The Legacy of "The Girls Who Went Away"

Ann Fessler is the author of "The Girls Who Went Away" which is based on 100 oral history interviews she conducted with women who lost children to adoption during the 28 years that followed WWII when a perfect storm of circumstances led to an unprecedented number of surrenders. The book was followed six years later by her documentary film "A Girl Like Her" that combined archival film footage with her audio interviews. Ann will discuss the painful legacy of devastating grief left by these adoption practices used on unwed mothers in post-WWII America, and what has happened since the release of the book and film, which gave a generation of birthmothers a voice.