In Her Footsteps: Radium Girls of Ottawa, IL

The young women who worked at the Radium Dial Company in the 1920s were told that the radium they were using to paint clock faces was harmless. Encouraged to use their lips to give their brushes a fine point, these women contracted radiation poisoning and their health suffered terribly. Join Curator of History, Erika Holst, for the fascinating and tragic tale of the brave factory workers whose quest for justice forever changed US Labor laws.
When it comes to women from Illinois history, you might recognize a name but not be able to remember her whole story, or even why she was well known. You might not even know that a name you know has connections to Illinois. The “In Her Footsteps” series, invites you to learn more about four well-known Illinois women, their achievements, and their connections to Illinois. The women in this series will be featured on the In Her Footsteps website which will be launched in May of 2021 by the Illinois State Museum. The site will feature women from across the state, encouraging Illinoisans to learn more about women’s history in their region and perhaps travel, virtually or in person, to learn more about their stories.

[@leas3578]

Really interesting and important story that needs to be remembered!

[@wendyhoward2699]

I read that book. Scary, what they went through.

[@lachachi1968]

Thank you very much for this documentary, very well appreciate it! Unbelievable 🤦🏻‍♀️!

[@osmanjeffrey]

Thank you for this. Having grown up in Ottawa and knowing about this thanks to stories handed down and not talked about then in "polite" conversations, I learned early in life that Capitalism Stops at Nothing.

[@slovokia]

What does it say about human nature how many people involved were either complicit in or willfully ignorant of the harms done to these women (even physicians!) . One wonders if the same sort of thing happened today with some new dangerous phenomenon whether the response would be any better.

[@davidryan6616]

Netflix have made a movie about this.

[@mrspastry53]

A couple weeks ago I saw a play the Shining Ladies Had never heard this story before. Today I watched the movie. Heartbreaking. My parents were born and raised in LaSalle/Peru. Of course all my family from that area have passed. I have three cousins and have asked them if they ever heard of this? They have not. Seems it has been covered up, no one talking about it.

[@deborahw0]

um

[@pacer547]

Between all the ums and the up talk, I'm not going to make it thru this.