Join us Thursday, November 7 at 5:30 p.m. for a Legacy Lecture by Dr. Alexis Peri at our building in Lexington, Virginia, and streaming live online. A book signing and reception will follow the lecture.
Dear Unknown Friend: The Remarkable Correspondence Between American and Soviet Women
Historian Alexis Peri reveals a unique perspective on the early Cold War. Letters exchanged by Soviet and American women from the end of World War II into the 1950s reveal the power of personal connections. The pen pals’ “diplomacy of the heart” led them to question why their countries were so divided.
Both Soviet and American women faced many challenges after the war, such as unequal pay and balancing motherhood with careers. As pen pals, the women shared their struggles, asked questions about each other’s lives, discussed family, work, education, and religion. Although they desired peace and cooperation, they sometimes clashed over issues like racial segregation in the U.S. and mandatory labor in the Soviet Union. Initially, their governments saw no harm in their letters, but Cold War paranoia soon changed that.
Dr. Peri will present a touching story that offers a glimpse of the Cold War through the eyes of women who sought to understand and befriend each other despite political tensions.
How can I attend?
The event is free to the public, but reservations are required. To reserve a seat, or for more information about the event, contact [email protected] or call 540.463.7103, ext. 138.
How can I watch from home?
The presentation will also be livestreamed on the Marshall Foundation YouTube channel (https://bit.ly/2Or0E8D) simultaneously. Viewers of the stream are encouraged to write questions using the live video chat (to the lower right of the video) or via email at [email protected]. Chat will be monitored for abusive comments.
Who is Dr. Alexis Peri?
Alexis Peri is an Associate Professor of History at Boston University. She has published The War Within: Diaries from the Siege of Leningrad(Harvard University Press, 2017), named in the Wall Street Journal as one of the ten best books on the Soviet home front. Her new book is Dear Unknown Friend: The Remarkable Correspondence between American and Soviet Women (Harvard University Press, 2024). Peri is the recipient of the 2019 Gitner Family Family Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the 2024 Metcalf Award for Teaching Excellence, both from Boston University.
The George C. Marshall Foundation Legacy Series is sponsored by Edward Jones and Raymond James & Associates.
