Table of Contents
- Collection Summary
- Administrative History
- Scope and Content Note
- Subject Headings
- Related Material
- Administrative Information
- Access and Use
- Encoding Information
- Container List
Collection Summary
| Repository: | Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries |
|---|---|
| Creator: | National Women's Conference |
| Title: | National Women's Conference Records |
| Dates: | 1975-1977 |
| Quantity: | 6 cubic feet (6 boxes) |
| Abstract: | Materials relating to the events planned by the National Women's Conference in honor of International Women's Year, 1975. |
Administrative History
The National Women's Conference, held in Houston, TX, from 18-21 November 1977, was sponsored by the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year, a group appointed by President Carter. The commission was formed in response to the United Nations' call for an International Women's Year in 1975. The Houston conference was preceded by meetings held in every state and territory at which delegates were elected and platform issues were discussed. At the conference the two thousand delegates adopted a twenty-six point National Plan of Action which included resolutions on three issues causing extensive debate: reproductive freedom, sexual preference, and ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. A proposal to create a Cabinet-level department of women's affairs was rejected, and the conference was united in its support of a more strongly-worded substitute resolution on minority women. Proceedings of the conference were recorded in the official report, The Spirit of Houston. Caroline Bird, who served as historian and chief consultant and compiler for the official report of The National Women's Conference, published her version of the Houston report as What Women Want (Simon and Schuster, 1979).
TopScope and Content Note
Reports, pamphlets, and questionnaires from events in honor of International Women's Year, 1975, in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, Ohio, Utah, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Oklahoma; reports, news releases, clippings, and publications concerning organizational efforts for the national conference and the election of delegates, ca. 1976-1977; transcripts of conference sessions, 1977; audio and video tapes of proceedings, speeches, general sessions, and interviews at the Conference, 1977; some of the interviews were conducted by Caroline Bird for her book on the Conference What Women Want; and reference materials and rough drafts of The Spirit of Houston.
TopAccess and Use
Access
This collection is open for research according to the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library without any additional restrictions.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to quote (publish) from unpublished or previously published material must be obtained as described in the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library.
Subject Headings
Names:
- Bird, Caroline, 1915-
Organizations:
- National Women's Conference (1st : 1977 : Houston, Tex.)
Subjects:
- Feminism
- International Women's Year, 1975
- Women's rights
- Women--History
- Women--Social conditions
- Women--United States--Societies and clubs
Places:
- United States. National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year
Document Types:
- Audiocassettes
- Interviews
- Videocassettes
VCL Categories
- Women's History
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
National Women's Conference Records, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
Processing Information
Original processing date unknown.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Caroline Bird, conference historian.
Container List
| Boxes 1- 2 | All materials used for writing The Spirit of Houston, the official report of the National Women's Conference, 1977. Includes files of materials used in writing the report, materials collected in research but not used in the writing, and rough manuscript drafts. The folders are indexed and labeled according to section headings in The Spirit of Houston |
| Box 3 | 8 International Women's Year State Reports, including Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan (2 volumes), Ohio, and Utah |
| Box 3 | Pamphlets – Wisconsin (19 items) |
| Box 3 | Folder of suggested resolutions - Tennessee |
| Box 3 | Folder of questionnaires - Oklahoma |
| Box 4 | Notes and additional reports of state meetings (65 pieces) |
| Box 4 | State publications (117 pieces) |
| Box 4 | News clips (310, plus 10 folders) |
| Box 5 | 5 bound transcripts of opening, second, third, fourth and closing sessions of the National Women's Conference |
| Box 5 | Reel-to-reel tapes of general proceedings (4 tapes) |
| Box 5 | Cassette tapes of general proceedings (9 tapes) |
| Box 5 | Cassette tapes of interviews with delegates (29 tapes) |
| Box 5 | Videotapes of National Women's Conference general sessions (7 tapes) |
| Box 5 | Cassette tapes of interviews conducted by Caroline Bird for What Women Want, the Simon and Schuster version of The Spirit of Houston (19 tapes) |
| Box 6 | Duplicate National Women's Conference materials in folders and 42 cassettes of all the important speeches at Houston |
Return to the Table of Contents
Details
Materials relating to the events planned by the National Women's Conference in honor of International Women's Year, 1975.
