Gail Collins' lecture will relate a general history of American women, recounting some of the principal parts of her book. Gail speaks on how home necessities put women on relatively equal footing with men and allowed them independence. Collins was founder of the Connecticut State News Bureau, Ms. Collins operated the bureau from 1972 to 1977, was named Editorial Page Editor for The New York Times in June 2001and has received a B.A. degree in journalism from Marquette University, Milwaukee, in 1967 and an M.A. degree in government from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1971.