Lipstick Brigade: Women's Adventures in World War II Washington

How much havoc can a quarter of a million young, fun-loving women wreak on a staid, conservative city like the nation’s capital? World War II provided the opportunity to find out. Government Girls, servicewomen, and Red Cross volunteers, the so-called “Lipstick Brigade,” swarmed into Washington to serve their country and staff the burgeoning military and government agencies. Using contemporary accounts and eyewitness interviews, Lipstick Brigade tells the fascinating and amusing story of how the women thrived and the city survived during the wartime boom.

The Next America? A New Town's Social Experiment

In June 2007, Columbia, MD celebrated its fortieth anniversary. The city’s historical legacy to urban planning is well established. By examining the impact Columbia had on individual lives, The Next America helps determine its place in the canon of America’s social and cultural past.

Molly Brant: A Radical Diplomat

Most 18th century women found few opportunities to participate directly in the political activities of colonial America. Molly Brant was an exception. Her Mohawk Indian background and her marriage to Sir William Johnson, a British Superintendent of Indian Affairs, gave her the skills and access to become a successful diplomat during America’s tumultuous beginnings.