|
3. Provenance 5. Inventory 6. Subjects |
Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island Records Women's Rights Activists at Brown University in Providence, RI Papers, 1970-1984 Size: 1.75 ft. Catalog number: MSS 156 Processed by: Kim DiGianfilippo, June 1993 ©Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Division |
Historical note:
The Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island was formed in 1970 by a group of women concerned with improving the status of females in our society. The ideas of the Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island were a result of student activism in the civil rights movement, US involvement in the Vietnam War, and the publication of Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mysteries (1963). Similar to activism that began on college campuses, the WLURI began in the fall of 1969 with a group of women associated with Brown University. Eventually the Union grew in size which caused some difficulty as a result to members sharing different political views. This problem was never completely solved, but as tension lessened the group was able to concentrate on issues that concern women.
The Union used various means to achieve their goals, including union-filled lawsuits, organized protests, handing out literature, and working with other agencies to promote women's issues. These women worked hard to achieve equal rights for women and socialist programs to aid women and their children. Their ideas included: equal pay for equal work, maternity leaves, availability of contraceptives, repeal of abortion laws, the establishment of day-cares and women's centers, self-defense classes, teaching of women in history, and other things that would benefit women. The organization continued to exist until 1984.
Bibliography:
Fausto, Anne and Christina Simmons, "Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island: A History." [Rhode Island: The Union, 1977]
Scope and content:
The Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island Collection includes newspaper clippings, newsletters, minutes from meetings, government policies, documents from legal cases on sexism, magazine articles, written correspondences, health service reviews, and university movements. The records date from 1970 to 1984. The collection includes not only the accomplishments of the organization, but other women groups that it supported: the National Organization of Women (NOW), Ecumenical Committee on Basic Human Needs, Lesbian Collection (LC), Rhode Island Permanent Advisory Commission On Women, Rhode Island Women's Political Caucus, Rhode Island Working Women, Citizens United to Reclaim Freedom for Every Woman (CURFEW), and other groups. There is a written narrative regarding the history of the Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island. Important members of the Union were Christina Simmons and Ann Fausto. Arrangement is alphabetical, by subject.
Provenance:
The Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island material was donated by the organization in 1977 and again in 1993.
Processing note:
The papers were sorted, staples and paperclips removed, and item were put in acid-free boxes and folders. Some, but not all, of the newspaper clippings were photocopied onto acid-free paper and discarded. A finding aid was written.
Inventory:
Box 1
Abortion 1970-1973
Abortion 1974-1982
Abortion n.d.
Abortion newspaper clippings 1972 and misc
Abortion newspaper clippings 1973
Abortion newspaper clippings 1973
Abortion newspaper clippings 1973
Abortion newspaper clippings 1974
Abortion newspaper clippings 1975
Athletics 1974-1977
Brown University 1971-1977
CETA (Comprehensive Employment Training Act)/OTJ
(on-the-job) and other employment training 1980s
Comiso, Italy 1983
Correspondences 1970-1981
CURFEW (Citizens United to Reclaim Freedom for Every Woman)1983
Box 2
Ecumenical Committee On Basic Human Needs/Rhode Island
Commission For Human Rights 1971-1973
Education (SWAS-School Within A School)/Transportation 1971-1982
ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) 1972-1982
Family Planning/Day-Care 1972-1983
Food Stamps/Family assistance plans 1970s-1980s
Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights/Lesbian women's groups 1970s-1980s
Greenhouse 1983-1984
Health service council to Women and Infants Hospital 1982
Labor Organizations 1974-1982
Legal Cases 1977-1983
Mailing Lists to the Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island 1973-1983
Misc 1975-1983
Misc magazine articles 1970s-1980s
Misc rough notes 1970s-1980s
Box 3
National Welfare Rights Organization/Socialists-Feminists
Movement 1970-1981
Newspaper clippings 1974
Newspaper clippings 1975
Newspaper clippings 1976, 1977, 1983, n.d.
NOW (National Organization for Women) 1974-1980
Paste Up
Policies of Employment for Women/Minorities 1977-1983
Reagan administration ideas/responses 1980s
Rough copies of newsletters 1978-1979
Rough copies of newsletters 1983-1984
Rhode Island Women's Health Collective 1974-1983
Rhode Island Permanent Advisory Commission On Woomen 1970s
Rhode Island Women's Political Caucus 1970s
Rhode Island Working Women and other women's organizations
newsletters 1970s
Special events 1971-1983
Speeches 1970s
Box 4
University Christian Movement in New England/Quaker 1972
Violence against women (raped/battered women) 1970-1983
WEAL (Women's Equity Action League) 1980s
Women's centers (YMCA, URI, and public library) 1970s
Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island minutes Jun 1971-Feb 1972
Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island minutes Jan 1976-May 1975
Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island minutes (notebook) Mar 1975-Sep 1977
Women's Liberation Union of Rhode Island minutes Sep 1973-Feb 1975
Women for a Non-Nuclear Future 1980s
Written Narrative of the Women's Liberation Union of RI 1969-1979
Written Narrative of the Women's Liberation Union of RI 1970s-1980s
Oversize
Proclamation-Women's History Week Mar 1982
Subjects:
Abortion - Law and legislation - United States.
Birth control.
Brown University.
Civil rights movements - United States.
Fausto, Ann.
Feminism - United States - Twentieth century.
Feminism - United States - Societies, etc.
Maternal and infant welfare - Law and legislation.
Simmons, Christina.
Student movements.
Welfare rights - United States.
Women - Social conditions - Twentieth century.
Women's rights.
End of finding aid - return to top
RIHS1822