Born in Pittsburgh, in 1936, Molly Rush went on to change not only her town, but also the world, as we know it. A housewife and mother of six, Molly decided to do what others did not. In 1963 she joined the Catholic Interracial Council—thereby beginning her life as an activist.
Focusing primarily on civil rights and anti-war campaigns, Molly gradually found herself as one of the famous Plowshares Eight—a group of eight individuals who focused their efforts on nuclear disarmament and eventually entered a General Electric Co. plant in King of Prussia, PA in 1980. There they damaged the skeleton of a Mark 12A missile to protest the use of nuclear arms.
Following the actions of the event, Molly spent 78 days in Pennsylvania jails until two religious orders—the Sisters of Mercy and the Sister of St. Joseph—posted her bail to have her released.
Fast-forward to 1989, writer Liane Norman authored a biography of Molly’s life titled “Hammer of Justice: Molly Rush and the Plowshares Eight.” Following that, playwright Tammy Ryan penned a play inspired by the biography titled “Molly’s Hammer,” which had its world premiere this past spring.
On Friday, September 9, Chatham’s Women’s Institute hosted a reading of the play in Eddy Theater, which was preceded by a reception with Molly, Liane, and Tammy themselves! Overall, the event provided Chatham students a chance to mingle with the ladies of the hour and other activists in the Pittsburgh community—showing young women on campus that they can make a powerful difference in the world.