Born May 16, 1927, Chicago, Illinois; died 2006. Civil rights and feminist activist; Board member, National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice. Margaret (Peggy) Roach was born on the north side of Chicago, Illinois on May 16,1927 to James E. and Cecile Duffy Roach. Roach graduated from St. Scholastica High School in 1945 and Mundelein College four years later. After graduating she became the Executive Secretary of the Chicago Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women in 1954. In 1958, Peggy briefly returned to Mundelein College as Alumnae Director. In 1961, Peggy worked as the Administrative Assistant to the Catholic Interracial Council of Chicago. After moving to Washington D.C. in 1962, Peggy took the position of Social Action Secretary at the National Council of Catholic Women. There in 1963 she was active in organizing the National Conference on Religion and Race held in Chicago. Roach ultimately served as the NCCW representative to many groups such as the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, National Conference on Religion and Race Continuation Committee, National Women's Committee on Civil Rights, Housing Conference, Citizens Crusade Against Poverty, Womens Equal Pay Committee, and National Catholic Social Action Conference. She also worked with the National Conference of Jewish Women, Church Women United, and the National Council of Negro Women. She was a national liaison NCCW representative to Women in Community Service funded by the Office of Economic Opportunity. She also planned and participated in 37 state NCCW leadership conferences. Also as part of her dedication to human rights and social justice, Peggy was intensely involved with Wednesdays in Mississippi, an interracial women of faith project. In 1964, as a board member of the National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice, Peggy contributed planning assistance to the April 28 national Interreligious Convocation at Georgetown University with 4000 people in attendance. In 1966, Peggy moved back to Chicago to work as the Administrative Assistant at the NCCIJ. At the same time, she volunteered at Presentation Parish where she assisted Msgr. John Egan with secretarial tasks. From September 1968 to August 1970, Peggy worked for the Contract Buyers League in Chicago. CBL was a group of black home purchasers on the west and south sides of Chicago who sought to renegotiate unjust contracts under which homes has been purchased. Peggy served as the office manager of the CBL lawndale office. Still working for Msgr. Egan, Peggy moved with him to University of Notre Dame in late 1970 and became the Administrative Assistant for the Catholic Committee on Urban Ministry. She serves as Director from 1974 to 1976 when she left to again work for Msgr. Egan at the Center for Pastoral and Social Ministry. At the same time, Peggy worked as the Director of the Religious Leaders Program. In 1983, Peggy moved with Egan to DePaul University in Chicago, where Egan headed the Community Affairs Office. In August 2001, Peggy retired from DePaul. She died in 2006.
From the description of Margaret (Peggy) Roach paper, 1927-2006. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 560564824
