Barton Community College History Instructor Linda McCaffery will present “Mary Elizabeth Lease: Why I am a Populist,” at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 10 in the Library. Catered refreshments will be served.
“I will portray Mary Elizabeth Lease (Wichita) campaigning for presidential candidate, James Weaver, of the Populist Party,” McCaffery said of her presentation. “What is extraordinary is that women in 1892 could not vote and were not involved in politics. She even spoke at the national convention in Omaha.”
The presentation is part of Barton Library’s “Kansas History Snapshot” series and is sponsored by the Cohen Center for Kansas History, which is dedicated to preserving resources in Kansas and inspiring research in Kansas history. The center is in the southeast alcove of the Learning Resource Center on the Barton County campus and is the result of the generosity of Barton P. and Dr. Mary Davidson Cohen of Leawood, Kan. Admission is free.