Pennsylvania National Organization for Women (PA NOW) papers
Scope and Contents
The Pennsylvania National Organization for Women papers contain materials pertaining to PA NOW's activities and women's rights issues. The types of materials include newspaper clippings, articles, magazines and publications, correspondence, meeting notes, activism materials and kits, t-shirts, as well as national, state, and regional conference materials. A majority of the records date from 1975-1996.
The papers contain information on these major subjects: abortion, affirmative action, children, civil rights, education, the Equal Rights Amendment, feminism, the gender gap, health issues and health care, insurance rate equality, labor issues and rights, LGBT rights, women and the media, the state of Pennsylvania's NOW political action committee, pornography, poverty, religious and right wing activism, reproduction, violence against women, welfare, and women's rights.
Dates
- Creation: 1970 - 2012
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1975 - 1996
Creator
- National Organization for Women. Pennsylvania Chapter (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Pennsylvania National Organization for Women papers are the physical property of Bryn Mawr College Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the issuing organization, legislative body, or authors or authors' heirs and assigns.
Biographical / Historical
The Pennsylvania National Organization for Women (PA NOW) is a nonprofit women's rights advocacy group founded in 1971. PA NOW is a division of the National Organization for Women, the largest feminist organization in America. The National Organization for Women was founded in 1966 and has over 500,000 members and 550 branches in 50 states. NOW also has its own, non-partisan, political action committee (NOW/PAC) that supports candidates in federal elections. Many state organizations and local chapters of NOW also have political action committees which support candidates for state and local government offices.
The National Organization for Women focuses on six core issues: promoting abortion rights and reproductive freedom; achieving economic equality; ending sex discrimination; championing civil rights; promoting diversity and stopping racism; and ending violence against women. NOW members participate in rallies, marches, counter-protests, lobbying, class-action lawsuits, and political organizing to advocate for their causes.
References:
panow.org and now.org
Extent
20 linear ft.
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Pennsylvania National Organization for Women (PA NOW) papers occupy fourteen boxes and contain the feminist organization’s records about their activities and meetings as well as materials about women’s issues such as reproductive rights; violence against women; gender, economic, and constitutional equality; and civil rights. The records date from 1970 to 2007 and include newspaper clippings, articles, meeting notes, office files, activism realia, and lobbying records, among other things.
Custodial History
Donor: Pennsylvania National Organization for Women
Subject
- Thomas, Clarence (Person)
- Simpson, O. J. (Person)
- Thornburgh, Dick (Person)
- Pennsylvania State University (Organization)
- Promise Keepers (Organization) (Organization)
- Smith, D. Brooks (David Brookman) (Person)
- National Organization for Women (Organization)
- Hill, Anita Faye (Person)
- Freind, Stephen F. (Person)
- Ku Klux Klan (1915- ) (Organization)
- National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights (Organization)
- NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund (Organization)
Topical
- AIDS (Disease)
- Abortion
- Abortion -- Moral and ethical aspects
- Abortion services
- Abused women
- Affirmative action programs
- Automobile insurance
- Birth control
- Body image
- Child Abuse
- Child Care
- Child support
- Child welfare
- Contraception
- Discrimination in education
- Discrimination in housing
- Discrimination in medical care
- Divorce
- Domestic partner benefits -- Law and legislation
- Emergency contraceptives -- United States
- Equal rights amendments
- Family policy
- Family violence
- Feminism
- Gay liberation movement
- Gay rights
- HIV infections
- Health insurance
- Pay Equity
- Pornography
- Pro-choice movement
- Pro-life movement
- Prostitution
- Public welfare
- Racism
- Rape
- Rape in marriage
- Reproductive Rights
- Reproductive health
- Right-wing extremists
- Same-sex marriage
- Sex crimes
- Sex discrimination against women -- Law and legislation
- Sex discrimination in education
- Sex discrimination in insurance
- Sex instruction
- Sex instruction
- Sex role in the work environment
- Sexual harassment
- Sexual minority community
- Women -- Education
- Women -- Societies and clubs
- Women and religion
- Women and the military
- Women athletes
- Women's health services
- Women's rights
- Title
- Pennsylvania National Organization for Women (PA NOW) papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Marianne Hansen, Jennifer Hoit, Heather Davies, Melissa Torquato
- Date
- 2014 June 20
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Find It at the Library
Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Bryn Mawr College Library
Bryn Mawr College Library
101 N. Merion Avenue
Bryn Mawr 19010 USA US
610-526-6576
SpecColl@brynmawr.edu
