Name: 9 to 5: The Story of a Movement
Start: 2026-02-07T14:00:00-05:00
Location: 114 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT, United States, Connecticut 06510

50 years ago Ellen Cassedy was a founder and longtime leader of the 9 to 5 movement of working women that began in Boston. On Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 2 p.m., Cassedy will be at the New Haven Museum for a special screening of the documentary film, “9 to 5: The Story of a Movement” by the Academy-Award-winning team Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar, in which she appears. Admission is free.
Cassedy is the author of “Working 9 to 5: A Women’s Movement, A Labor Union, and the Iconic Movie,” (foreword by Jane Fonda) and several other books. The film tells the story of how women workers began in a circle talking about their jobs and went on to build a nationwide movement that won rights and respect for millions of women workers – and inspired a hit movie and an enduring song along the way. After the film, audience members will be invited to share their thoughts and questions about women and work.
Presented in conjunction with the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven (JHSGNH), the screening is part of the 2026 Judith Ann Schiff Women’s History Film Series which was designed to examine the issues faced by women as clerical workers, factory workers, and teachers (details/schedule here). The series previews the fourth Annual Judith Ann Schiff Women’s History Program at NHM (March 1, 2026) which will focus on Jewish women involved in organizing unions for social workers, New Haven Public School teachers, and Yale University clerical and technical workers in the 20th century.
Cassedy became interested in women’s rights as an office worker in the early 1970’s. “Office workers were influenced by the civil rights and women’s movements and eager to win our rights,” she says. “We won a lot, but there’s a long way to go. Today’s working people struggle to make ends meet and care for their families.” She adds that she hopes to inspire others to speak up.