© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The Story Of Waterbury's "Radium Girls"

During the 1920’s, some Connecticut women took jobs painting watch dials with radium-laced paint. At the time, they didn’t know it was toxic. As these so-called “Radium Girls” began to die, their stories became part of a rallying cry for industrial regulation.

This hour, we talk about the "Radium Girls" of Waterbury with Kate Moore, author of The Radium Girls: The Dark Story Of America’s Shining Women

We also hear the story of Mae Keane, a Waterbury native who — until her death in 2014 at the age of 107 — was one of the last surviving "Radium Girls."

And we find out what’s happened to the factory where these women worked -- the Waterbury Clock Factory. Have you passed it in The Brass City?

GUESTS:

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Jeff Tyson and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.

Lucy leads Connecticut Public's strategies to deeply connect and build collaborations with community-focused organizations across the state.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content