National Organization for Women Collection

Women’s Museum of California Library and Archives

National Organization for Women Collection

(1969 - 2007)

Collection Overview:

Title: NOW Collection

Accession Number: AC-001

Prepared by: Dakota Greenwich

Head Archivist: Julia Friedman

Date Acquired: Unknown

Date processed: February 14, 2019

Location: Women’s Museum of California, San Diego, CA

Language: Collection material is in English

Extent: 5 cubic boxes (5 linear ft)

Administrative Information:

Access Restrictions: Open to research

Use Restrictions: None

Subject/Topical:

Feminism

Political Participation

Women’s Rights

Civil Rights

Women - History

Form/Genre:

Articles

Newsletters

Publications

Newspapers and Clippings

Photographs and Photo Negatives

Pamphlets

Brochures

Reports

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Historical Note:

After frustrating, misogynistic experiences at the Third National Conference of Commissions on the Status of Women in June 1966, Betty Friedan and Pauli Murray met with a group of women to meet to discuss alternative action strategies, and in turn created the National Organization for Women in order to better represent women in a more serious capacity. By October 1966, the first founding conference established Betty Friedan as president, as well as other elected organizational officials, and seven task forces, including: equal opportunities of employment, legal political rights, education, women in poverty, the family, the image of women, and women and religion. NOW was also heavily involved in the enforcement of affirmative action, the enforcement prohibition of sex discrimination of job advertising, abortion laws, and women’s education rights.

Similarly, the San Diego NOW chapter, formed in 1970, fought for the enforcement and inclusion of women in affirmative action programs, Title IX in schools and education in general, and the end of sexism in job advertising. Utilizing their platform and media coverage, the San Diego NOW Chapter participated in a variety of demonstrations, pickets, and marches throughout their history to show support for abortion legislation, the Equal Rights Amendment, and to show the disdain for political figures like George W Bush and Ronald Reagan as well as companies whose policies were decidedly sexist and outdated. NOW infamously aided the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, which aimed to guarantee the equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex, and end the legal distinctions and discriminations between men and women in terms of divorce, property, employment, advertising, and more.

Today, NOW is comprised of 550 chapters nationwide, including the San Diego NOW Chapter, and is actively involved in ending the criminalization of trauma, ratifying the ERA, mobilizing for reproductive justice, battling sexual assault on college campuses and human trafficking, advancing voting rights, and protecting immigrant rights.

A Brief History of the National Organization of Women in the U.S.:

The NOW first founding conference took place in October of 1966, just months after the initial founding at the Third National Conference of Commissions on the Status of Women in June. At the first founding conference, seven task forces regarding their goals and areas of focus were established, which were: equal opportunities of employment, legal political rights, education, women in poverty, the family, the image of women, and women and religion. In 1967 as the second national conference, NOW established bylaws, the existence of chapters, and the national conference as the governing body of the organization. NOW also adopted as goals the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and the repeal of abortion laws, becoming the first national organization to do so.

By 1969, NOW chapters were heavily involved in demonstrations and even established women’s studies courses at universities in California, Michigan, and at Princeton. From 1971-1975, NOW heavily increased their political involvement and began to lobby in both houses of Congress for the ERA, federal compliance on enforcing equal opportunity and decreasing sex discrimination in job advertising, as well as fighting for equal rights prohibiting sex segregated employment ads and opportunities. By 1986, NOW had opened their Action Center in Washington D.C. and fought to include lesbian rights within their platform, holds their first Lesbian Rights Conference, and even demonstrated for Gay Freedom Day. NOW aided with the passage of the Rape Shield Act which protected rape victims and limits the ability to introduce evidence or cross examine victims about their past sexual behavior.

By 1996, the first conference on Women of Color and Reproductive Freedom was held and NOW collaborated with the NAACP to further their interests on a variety of topics. The second March for Women’s Lives accrued a groundbreaking 500,000 marchers at the National Mall in Washington D.C.  The Civil Rights Act of 1991 and Violence Against Women Act passed with the help and support of NOW in 1994 with a $1.6 billion budget. By 2006, NOW openly supported same sex marriage rights as well as recognized the existence of trans oppression. As a means to support the continuing fight for the rights of women, NOW fought against the Bush administration, whose agenda they believed to be actively anti-woman in areas of welfare, labor, civil liberties protections, and more. NOW also worked to support feminists in legislature and endorsed many women for Senate seats and positions in Congress.

The San Diego NOW Chapter, formed in 1970 by Lillian Poltere, held their first meeting in July, which was attended by 30 women. After attending two years worth of monthly meetings of the Los Angeles NOW Chapter with Helen and Bill Hawkins, Poltere decided to explore the opportunities and possibility of starting a home town chapter; after its establishment, the San Diego NOW Chapter’s first order of business was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment for Women’s Suffrage. That same year, the San Diego NOW Chapter picketted and demonstrated in front of the Pacific Bell Company, which excluded women from their Affirmative Action program and held discriminatory policies barring married women from being listed under their own name in the phone book, as well as others. Other demonstrations included picketing in front of San Diego restaurants who upheld the US Grant Bill which prohibited women patrons at lunch hour. Each of the demonstrations was met with disdain from the companies and various owners who eventually made changed to comply with the NOW demands.

The San Diego Chapter continued on to support and demand the enforcement of Title IX in education and sports, inclusion of women in male dominated professions, including wood and metal professions and classes, sports, news reporting and broadcasting, affirmative action programs, advertising, and more, as well as fighting for women’s “detoxification” or rehab centers. The San Diego NOW chapter began to involve themselves in the support for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment by influencing senators and gaining media coverage by 1972. By 1973, the San Diego NOW Chapter headed various task forces, such as the Media Reform Task Force and the Women’s Credit Alert task force, al with the goals of educating the public and creating a collective consciousness to women’s rights and sexism in society, and provided hotlines for San Diegan women to call for support and to report injustice.

Notably, the San Diego NOW Chapter was the epicenter of the 1975 “Churchquake”, in which the Catholic Diocese Bishop, Leo T. Maher, excommunicated anyone who publicly admitted to being a member of NOW, which at this point strongly support the pro-choice movement and supported abortion legislation. A large demonstration of 400 women stood outside the St Brigid Parish in San Diego in support of 20 NOW members who attempted to receive communion on April 7th. These women, after being asked their views on abortion and other various feminist issues, were promptly turned away from receiving the eucharist. After the news media covered the story, including Time, membership tripled and donations were received nationwide. The San Diego NOW Chapter continued to encounter conflict with the Catholic Church as well as other Christian Sects around the United States for their left leaning views and political stances.

From 1976 to today, the San Diego NOW Chapter supported a variety of issues and grew to being politically involved on all levels of the United States political landscape. From addressing marital rape and advocating for the protection of women battling domestic abuse to lesbian rights and heading the first Lesbian Rights task force and the National Lesbian Rights Conference, prochoice and the protection of women seeking abortions, prostitution, women in the military and affirmative action, the San Diego NOW chapter remained active and influential throughout the entirety of its existence to today. Today, the San Diego NOW Chapter meets monthly and is focused on fighting for reproductive justice, battling sexual assault on college campuses as well as human trafficking in San Diego, and fighting for updated language of the ERA in ratification.  

Today, NOW’s National Action Plan consists of five campaigns, which are: to end the criminalization of trauma; to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment; to mobilize for reproductive justice; to advance voting rights; and to protect immigrant rights. According to their campaign, “the intersectionality at the core of NOW’s work is a practice that places marginalized women at the center of our policy solutions and our advocacy,” which they continue to support through their PAC, Foundation, and Annual Conference.

Summary of the Collection:

The NOW Collection consists of five boxes divided into 3 series: “Conferences, Conventions, and Meetings,” “Subject Files,” and “Newspaper and Media Coverage.”  The collection is comprised of materials created by the NOW organization related to organizational issues and policy, political issues and legislation, civil and women’s rights, and women’s roles in society. Consisting of articles, newsletters, publications, meeting minutes, advertisements, newspapers and clippings, photographs and photo negatives, pamphlets, brochures, reports, memorabilia and ephemera, and notes, this collection provides extension detail on the NOW organization, the individuals involved in its development, the NOW policies and political stances, and the development of the NOW organization’s goals from establishment to the early 2000s.

Container List: Box and Folder Information:

Box 1:

Series 1: Conferences, Conventions, and Meetings

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 1: NOW - National Conference, 1971-1974

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 2: NOW - National Conference,1975-1978

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 3: NOW - National Conference, 1979

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 4: NOW - National Conference, 1980

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 5: NOW - National Conference, 1981-1982

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 6: NOW - National Conference, 1983

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 7: NOW - National Conference, 1984

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 8: NOW - National Conference, 1985

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 9: NOW - National Conference, 1986

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 10: NOW - National Conference, 1987

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 11: NOW - National Conference, 1988

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 12: NOW - National Conference, 1989

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 13: NOW - National Conference, 1990

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 14: NOW - National Conference, 1991

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 15: NOW - National Conference, 1992

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 16: NOW - National Conference, 1993

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 17: NOW - National Conference ERA, 1995

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 18: CA NOW - Convention/Conference, 1973

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 19: CA NOW - Convention/Conference, 1974

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 20: CA NOW - Convention/Conference, 1975

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 21: CA NOW - Convention/Conference, 1976

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 22: CA NOW - Convention/Conference, 1977

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 23: CA NOW - Convention/Conference, 1978-1979

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 24: CA NOW - Conference Planning Guide, 1980

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 25: Now Regional Conference, 1983

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 26: CA NOW - Convention, 1995

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 27: CA NOW - Conference, 1983

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 28: CA NOW - Conference, 1984

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 29: CA NOW - Conference, 1985

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 30: CA NOW - Conference, 1986

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 31: CA NOW - Conference, 1988

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 32: CA NOW - Regional Conference, 1986-88, 1993-96

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 33: CA NOW - Conference, 1994

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 34: CA NOW - Conference, 1996

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 35: NOW Conferences (National & State), 2003-2007

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 36: Conventional Program - Ad, 1973

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 37: Lesbian Rights Conference, 1988

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 38: NOW California Elections

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 39: NOW Elections and Resolutions, 1980

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 40: NOW Elections and Resolutions, 1981

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 41: NOW Elections and Resolutions, 1982

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 42: Candidate Information, 1985

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 43: NOW Elections and Resolutions, 1991

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 44: NOW Elections and Resolutions, 1993

Series 1: Box 1: Folder 45: NOW - PAC Elections

Box 2:

Series 1: Conferences, Conventions, and Meetings

Margaret Stanley Materials:

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 46: Resume, Speeches, Certificates, etc.

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 47: Miscellaneous materials from Early NOW

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 48: Letters re Eve Norman, Marge Gilbert; 2nd NOW Convention,1973

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 49: Miscellaneous Letters and notes; 2nd NOW Convention, 1973

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 50: Newspaper clippings and articles, 1973

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 51: Materials re ERA, 1969-1972

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 52: 2nd CA NOW Convention October 26-28, 1973

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 53: Houston NOW Conference Ephemera

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 54: NOW Ephemera - Flag

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 55: NOW Leaders Administrative materials

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 56: NOW - Speeches/Statements

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 57: NOW - Bylaws and Member materials

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 58: California NOW - Bylaws, 1975-1989

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 59: California NOW - Minutes of State Board and Reports, 1972-1993

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 60: NOW - National Board Meeting Minutes, 1973-1991

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 61: Finance Materials, 1988-1989

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 62: CA NOW Roster, 1974-1995

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 63: NOW Chapter Development

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 64: CA Federal Savings and Loans, 1973

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 65: “The President’s Council of Women’s Services, Business,...” Application

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 66: General/Miscellaneous Reports, 1970-1999

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 67: Executive Development Program (San Diego State University), 1974-1975

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 68: Gloria Johnson NOW National Conference Badges, 1980-1999

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 69: Memorabilia re the 1999 Lesbian Rights Summit, Lesbian Gender Rights, postcards dated 1989, and business cards

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 70: Photo negatives - NOW Convention July and November 1976

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 71: Pat Hrycyszyn materials; business cards, phone numbers, clippings, receipts

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 72: Media - Advertising/Film Sexism

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 73: Media - Articles

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 74: Miscellaneous Documents

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 75: Media - Magazines, 1987-1992

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 76: Media - Activism Campaign, n.d.

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 77: Media - News Release/Press, 1991-1995

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 78: Planned Parenthood, 2001-2006

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 79: Resolutions and materials re Pornography, 1983-1986

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 80: Economic Justice and Poverty, 1984

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 81: Propositions and materials re Prostitution, 1980-1989

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 82: Pamphlets, 1971-1974

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 83: NOW - Issues, Overview, and General, 1973-1988, 1999

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 84: Federally Employed Women Correspondence between FEW and NOW, 1972-1973

Series 1: Box 2: Folder 85: General materials re Politics, 1973-1989

Box 3:

Series 1: Conferences, Conventions, and Meetings

Series 1: Box 3: Folder 86: San Diego NOW Meetings, 1973, 1975

Series 1: Box 3: Folder 87: NOW - San Diego Chapter News (1 of 2), 1970-1975

Series 1: Box 3: Folder 88: NOW - San Diego Chapter News (2 of 2), 1976-2007

Box 3:

Series 2: Subject Files

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 89: Political Action Committee, PAC, 1977-1991

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 90: Materials re Racism/Minority Women’s Task Force, 1973-1988

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 91: Materials re Reproductive Rights, 1973-1992

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 92: Sports, 1972-1974, 1988-1993

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 93: Task Forces, 1973, 1978

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 94: Violence against Women, 1993

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 95: Volunteerism, 1971-1972

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 96: Welfare, n.d.

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 97: Women in Military, 1972-1991

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 98: Women, Work and Family Articles, n.d.

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 99: Youth/Yang Feminists/Lesbian Youth, 1999

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 100: ZPG Population Connection, 2003

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 101: Miscellaneous files

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 102: Photographs from Women’s Day event, 1970

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 103: “Chancellors - Student Affirmative Action Outreach Activities”, 1975-1976

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 104: Miscellaneous (1 of 4)

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 105: Miscellaneous (2 of 4)

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 106: Miscellaneous (3 of 4)

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 107: Miscellaneous (4 of 4)

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 108: MS Magazine, 2004

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 109: Administrative and Managerial Documents of NOW, circa 1970

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 110: NOW Submissions of Amendments of Rules and Guidelines of True Organization, 1972

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 111: Binder of Membership Lists from all Counties of California for NOW, 1973

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 112: NOW Newsletters and Documents, Legal Letters of Protest Women’s Rights, 1972-1981

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 113: Newspaper Clippings of Articles about Women’s Equality, 1971-1973

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 114: Women’s Rights Documents and Letters, 1972

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 115: Statements and Goals of NOW, 1972-1974

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 116: Materials re Equal Rights Amendment, 1972

Series 2: Box 3: Folder 117: News and publications re Equal and Women’s Employment (1 of 2), 1974-1975

Box 4:

Series 2: Subject Files

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 118: News and Publications re Equal and Women’s Employment (2 of 2), 1974-1975

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 119: Letters/Documents about Discrimination of Women in San Diego Universities/Workplaces, 1973

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 120: Newspaper clippings and letters about Job Descriptions in San Diego, 1976

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 121: Federal Affirmative Action, 1971-1972

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 122: NOW Documents Arguing for Affirmative Action in San Diego Schools, 1969-1975

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 123: Transcript of Hearing of the Joint Interim Committee of Judiciary on Community Property, 1972

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 124: Laws about Shirley MacDonald and Other Issues in the Workforce, 1969-1973

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 125: NOW in the News: Marriage and Divorce in the News, 1970-1979

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 126: Count of San Diego Board of Supervisors Minutes and Transcripts

Series 2: Box 4: Folder 127: Memorabilia: NOW Napkin and 19 Match Books

Box 4:

Series 3: Newspaper and Media Coverage

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 128: NOW Times, 1976

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 129: The NOW Times, 1977

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 130: NOW National Times, 1978

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 131: The NOW Times, 1978

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 132: NOW National Times, 1979

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 133: The NOW Times, 1979-1983

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 134: NOW National Times, 1980

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 135: NOW National Times, 1981

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 136: NOW National Times, 1982

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 137: NOW National Times, 1983

Series 3: Box 4: Folder 138: NOW National Times, 1984

Box 5:

Series 3: Newspaper and Media Coverage

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 139: NOW National Times, 1985

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 140: NOW National Times, 1986

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 141: NOW National Times, 1987

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 142: NOW National Times, 1988

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 143: NOW National Times, 1989

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 144: NOW National Times, 1990

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 145: NOW National Times, 1991

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 146: NOW National Times, 1992

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 147: NOW National Times, 1993

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 148: NOW National Times, 1994

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 149: NOW National Times, 1995

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 150: NOW National Times, 1996

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 151: NOW National Times, 1997

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 152: NOW National Times, 1998

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 153: NOW National Times, 1999

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 154 NOW National Times, 2000

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 155: NOW National Times, 2001, 2003

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 156: Do It NOW, 1972-1974

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 157: Do It NOW, 1975

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 158: Do It NOW, 1976

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 159: Do It NOW Newsletter, 1976

Series 3: Box 5: Folder 160: Do It NOW, 1977

Box 6:

Series 3: Newspaper and Media Coverage

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 161: California NOW News, 1973-1987

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 162: California NOW News, 1990-1993

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 163: California NOW Activist, 1982-2002

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 164: California NOW Activist Newsletter, 1992-2000

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 165: U.S. News and World Report Magazine, 1975

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 166: California Journal, 1975-1976

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 167: Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings and Magazines, bulk date 1974

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 168: Newspapers: Every Woman (1970) and Goodbye to all That! (circa 1970)

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 169: Miscellaneous Newspaper Clippings, 1972-1976, 1984, 1986

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 170: NOW Calendar, 2001

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 171: NOW CA Chapter Newsletters and Materials (1 of 2), 1972-1973, 1982

Series 3: Box 6: Folder 172: NOW CA Chapter Newsletters and Materials (2 of 2), 1972-1973

Scope and Contents of the Materials:

Series 1: Conferences, Convention and Meetings

Series 1 consists of conference and convention notes, brochures, schedules, meeting minutes, advertisements, chapter development notes, election results and resolution information, planning guides, newspaper clippings, speeches and statements, by-laws and administrative materials, as well as financial reports from 1969 to 2007 with a majority of the materials ranging from 1969-1995. The goal of the conferences and conventions were not only to provide NOW members a meeting place to organize themselves and communicate the issues important to the women involved, but also to provide the organization with a complete governing body to direct efforts on specific goals laid out during the conferences and conventions. Many of the political goals and legislative efforts of the NOW organization were established during these conferences, conventions, and meetings, as well as plans for demonstrations, both regionally and nationally, and included abortion rights and the ERA efforts.

Box 1 consists of materials pertaining to the NOW National Conference, the California NOW Conference, various conventions, and regional conferences from 1971 to 2007. Folders are organized by year and conference, convention, or meeting. These materials consist of schedules and event calendars, correspondence between event planners and attendees, and workbooks for attendees to refer to during meetings. Many folders contain advertisements and brochures for individual conference/convention events, such as special talks by notable individuals. These individuals include: Arlie Scott, Karen de Crow, and Patsy Fulcher. Notably, the second ever Lesbian Rights Conference in 1988 is documented in box 1 with materials like conference notes, events, schedules, speaker information, and resolutions regarding the lesbian agenda within the organization. Other materials include proposed regulations, rules, and resolutions for the chapter or national organization related to the various task forces and goals of the organization.

Box 2 consists of materials related to conferences and conventions, but expand the types of resources to newspaper coverage and clippings, correspondence between national and regional level leaders and members, meeting minutes of the California NOW chapters, and ephemera. The ephemera included in box 2 include flags, buttons, stickers, napkins, and bandanas of various sizes, and notably badges for the NOW national conference badges re Gloria Johnson, dated from 1980 to 1999.

Series 2: Subject Files

Series two consists of materials related to issues and specific task forces, and include brochures, pamphlets, magazines, administrative files, membership lists and chapter development files, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia from 1969 to 2004 with a majority of the materials dated from 1970 to 1993. Issues and subjects documented in the subject files include: racism and minority women’s rights, reproductive rights, sports, violence against women, welfare, women in the military, work/life balance, affirmative action, the Equal Rights Amendment, marriage and divorce, and statements and goals. Series 2 consists of primary sources created by the NOW organization related to important issues and policies the organization worked extensively on, and gives insight into the views and official stances of the organization as those views were developed over time.

Notable materials include those on reproductive rights, which consist of correspondence, news releases, memorandums, resolutions, reviews of state laws and policies, and measures regarding constitutional amendments and the organizations direct responses to political figures. Similarly, series 2 contains folders and materials related to violence against women, violence again abortion clinics and individuals, racism and minority women’s rights, and work/life balance all of which consist of correspondence between chapter and national level leaders and members, newsletters, measures regarding constitutional amendments, correspondence with senators and a members of congress, and advertisements and informational pamphlets. With strong efforts in the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and its ratifications, series 2 contains materials related to the national and chapter level efforts to this issue. Materials in box 3 include specific correspondence with James R Mills, who indicated his prolonged support of the ERA as well as newspaper clippings related to Mills’ wavering support, informational pamphlets, letters, and brochures, and newsletters.

Series 3: Newspaper and Media Coverage

Series three consists of newspapers, newsletters, magazines, and other forms of media coverage from 1972 to 2003. Many publications were created by the NOW organization, such as the NOW National Times, Do It NOW, Do It NOW Newsletter, California NOW News, California NOW Activist and Newsletter, and the NOW CA Chapter Newsletter. Miscellaneous newspaper clippings originate from various newspapers, many of which unidentified. The news coverage provides extensive insight into the national and regional attitudes towards the organization, and the NOW publications provide insight into the thoughts and opinions of NOW members, both nationally and specifically California members, and the NOW task forces and agendas at work. This series also provides insights into the political activities and opinions of the organization regarding legislation and public policy, such as the ERA and affirmative action.

Chapter and state level newsletters in boxes 5 and 6 provided members with information regarding current activities of the national organization, new task forces and opportunities of involvement, meeting minutes and details, member biographies, and demonstration information, particularly the California NOW News, California NOW Activist and Newsletter. Series 3 provides extensive information regarding the monthly and yearly activities of the organization, as well as the development of NOW’s various news publications over time from newsletters to full production newspapers requiring a subscription.

Box 4 consists of newspapers and and publications created by the organization. The NOW Times was a California wide publication that documented the various events occurring within California, particularly the Bay Area and L.A. area, contained large sections dedicated to documenting the opinions of members, and provided updates on the organization’s political activities, both regionally and nationally as well as various news events occurring within California. Box 4 includes the NOW Times from 1976 to 1983.

The National NOW Times was a nationwide publication produced by the national NOW organization that documented primarily national political events and updates regarding relevant legislation and political attitudes, and encouraged women to act as activists in various areas as well as sold ephemera and merchandise as a means of fundraising. Boxes 4 and 5 include The National NOW Times from 1980 to 2007.

Box 5 also contains the publication Do It NOW, which was a monthly newsletter that documented action news and the various events of the NOW organization, both action and non-action. Notable sections of the newsletter include updates and announcements of new task forces, the Washington Blue Sheet, which consists of legislative information and updates, and highlights of board meetings. Boxes 5 and 6 include Do It NOW publications from 1972 to 2000.