On Thursday, April 16, at 3 p.m., authors Mark W. Weber and Stephen H. Paschen will join special guests Alice and Staughton Lynd for a book talk, signing and reception to celebrate publication of the new book Side by Side: Alice and Staughton Lynd, the Ohio Years. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place in the Read Special Collections Classroom, Room 1018 on the 10th floor of University Library on the Kent Campus.

The Lynds have devoted their lives to the struggle for social justice. In Side by Side, authors Weber and Paschen examined the Lynds’ idea of accompaniment, a form of political activism that differs from the traditional strategies used by labor and community organizers.

“This is a wonderful mix of biography, history and political reflection,” says Tom Hayden, activist and author. “[The Lynds] have consistently helped empower generations of activists through their Quaker brand of participatory democracy. Their legacy is a spirit more powerful than a party.”

Andrej Grubacic, co-author of Wobblies and Zapatistas, says, “Side by Side is one of the most inspiring books about Staughton and Alice Lynd. This is no ordinary biography. The idea of accompaniment, practiced by the Lynds, is the most interesting and original effort to build a new movement for social change in the United States. This splendid book is a required reading for anyone who believes in other possible worlds produced alongside neoliberal capitalism.”

The event is sponsored by the Kent State University Press and Kent State University Libraries.

Books will be available for sale at the event.