IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES

IOWA CITY, IOWA

 

 

 

                ROXANNE BARTON CONLIN (1944-  )

 

                              PAPERS, 1969-1996

45 linear feet and audiovisual material

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACQUISITION:

The papers (donor no. 6) were donated by Roxanne Barton Conlin in 1975 and succeeding years.

ACCESS:

The papers are open for research.

AUDIOVISUAL:

Sixty-one audiocassettes shelved in the audiocassette collection (AC55-AC101, AC192, AC294-AC308, AC312) and twenty-eight videocassettes shelved in the videocassette collection (V60-V87).  One audio reel-to-reel is in box 2.  Professional gubernatorial campaign audio and video reel-to-reels can be found in boxes 68 and 69.

COPYRIGHT:

Copyright has been transferred to the University of Iowa.

PHOTOGRAPHS:

In boxes 3, 45 and 107.

PROCESSED BY:

Special Collections Staff (MsC 317, MsC 423); Tammy Lau and Randel W. Lackore, 1996; Sharon M. Lake, 2001.  [ConlinRoxanne.doc]


Biography

            Roxanne Barton Conlin, lawyer, feminist and civil justice activist, was the oldest of Marion W. and Alyce M. Barton's six children.  Born on June 30, 1944 in Huron, South Dakota, Roxanne Barton and her family moved to Sioux City, Iowa, when she was four years old.  She also lived in Clinton, Iowa, before moving to Des Moines in 1958.  She graduated from high school after her junior year to attend Drake University in Des Moines.  After receiving her B.A., Conlin earned a law degree from Drake University in 1966 and a master's degree in public administration in 1979, also from Drake.  In 1964 Roxanne Barton married James Conlin, a real estate broker.  They had four children, two of whom came to the Conlin family when they were teenagers.

 

            Conlin worked as a lawyer in private practice from 1966 to 1967 before serving as Deputy Industrial Commissioner in Des Moines from 1967 to 1968.  Conlin was an Assistant Attorney General for the state of Iowa for seven years (1969-1976), heading the Civil Rights Section of the Iowa Department of Justice.  She also did anti-trust work in this position and handled several cases involving willful misconduct by public officials. 

 

            Conlin was appointed United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa by President Jimmy Carter in 1977.  In this position, she concentrated her efforts on the prosecution of white collar crime, fraud against the federal government and narcotics trafficking.  She and her staff had great success in each of these areas.  She was honored for her work with a special commendation from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and received the United States Secret Service's Award for Outstanding Assistance.  During her term, she was president of the Federal Executive Council and served on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys.  Conlin also taught law at the University of Iowa from 1977 to 1979.

 

            Conlin has been active in Democratic politics since 1960, serving in various positions including national committeewoman of the Iowa Young Democrats, vice-president of the Iowa Delegation to the Democratic Mid-term Convention in 1974 and on many committees for the state party convention.  From 1981 to 1982, Roxanne Conlin ran unsuccessfully for governor of Iowa as the Democratic Party's candidate.  Conlin also campaigned for Jimmy Carter, Tom Harkin, and Walter Mondale, and she served as the National Policy Chair for John Glenn’s unsuccessful bid for the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination.

 

            Since the mid-1980s Roxanne Conlin has been involved in the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), a professional litigators' organization with 65,000 members committed to "fostering a safer, more just society."  After serving on several ATLA committees, Conlin was elected parliamentarian (1988-1989), secretary (1989-1990), vice-president (1990-1991), president-elect (1991-1992) and ultimately, president (1992-1993), ATLA's first female president.

 

            Conlin's community activism has included service on the boards of directors of the Iowa Shares Program, the River Hill Day Care Center in Des Moines, and the Polk County Rape and Sexual Assault Care Center.  She also founded and was the first chair of the Iowa Women's Political Caucus.

 

            Roxanne Conlin has received numerous awards and honors, including being named to the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame in 1981.  McCall's Magazine called her "one of the forty-four women in America qualified for a cabinet position."  In 1974, she received the Iowa Civil Liberties Union's award for Outstanding Service to Civil Liberties and was named the Outstanding Young Woman of Iowa.  She is listed in Who's Who in America.

 

            Conlin was a tireless campaigner and a relentless advocate for her beliefs; she made countless speeches and participated in an unending stream of conferences.  Her output was truly remarkable, and her papers testify to her ability to initiate, manage, and lead political change within the democratic process.  Conlin’s vibrancy is palpable in this extraordinary collection that documents her career.

Scope and Content Note

 

            The Roxanne Barton Conlin papers date from »1969 to 1996 and measure 45 linear feet.  The papers are arranged in four series:  Personal, Professional, Political and Photographs.

 

            The Personal series (1970-1996 and undated) includes biographical information, a few letters to Conlin from her father and her daughter Jacalyn Conlin, and material relating to Conlin’s civic activism. 

 

            The Professional series (1969-1995 and undated) forms the second largest series.  The series is further subdivided by subseries:  Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), Appointment calendars, Assistant State Attorney General of Iowa, Association of Trial Lawyers of Iowa (ATLI), Correspondence, Law practice, Newspaper clippings, Speeches, and United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa.  Throughout the series, however, certain themes predominate; among them are sexual discrimination and harassment, women's rights, product liability, and civil rights.

 

            The Association of Trial Lawyers of America subseries (1985-1993) shows how Conlin campaigned for elective offices within ATLA and how she rose through the ranks to become the organization’s first female president.  What she accomplished while president is illustrated through the interviews and profiles, the letters of appreciation she received, and the "President's Page" columns she wrote for ATLA's Trial magazine.  Some audiocassettes and videocassettes of talks Conlin gave and courses she offered on ATLA’s behalf are also included.

 

            Conlin's work as an Assistant State Attorney General is documented in the Assistant State Attorney General of Iowa subseries (1969-1977). This subseries illustrates Conlin's efforts on behalf of women, minorities and the disabled.  Included are several court briefs Conlin wrote as the attorney for the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.

 

            The Association of Trial Lawyers of Iowa (1973-1977) is a small subseries containing correspondence and some legislation the association wished to have enacted by the Iowa State Legislature.

 

            The Correspondence subseries (1969-1990) is a chronological file of Conlin's professional communication between 1969 and 1990.

 

Conlin's Law practice (1976-1995) materials are extensive.  There are many audiocassettes and videocassettes of news segments, talks, interviews, debates and panel discussions on specific legal issues and Conlin's work as a lawyer. (For Conlin's views on sexual harassment and on the Anita Hill testimony in the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearings see Box 3, Professional, ATLA, Presidency, "President's Page" (Trial), letter to Julie Shoop dated March 22, 1993).

 

            Also of note are the newspaper clippings which describe the 6.3 million-dollar sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit Conlin won on Linda Monohan's behalf (Box 23; Professional; Law practice; Issues; Sexual harassment).  The Newspaper clippings subseries (1970-1990) includes articles about Conlin’s fight as U.S. Attorney General against Star Coal Co. to end environmentally destructive strip mining where reclamation is not possible and a court case on Medicare and Medicaid fraud (see Box 28, Professional, Newspaper clippings, January 1980).

 

            The Speeches (1971-1994) are extensive and are arranged by the following topics:  civil justice system, commencement addresses, courtroom procedures and strategies, leadership, rape, sexual harassment and discrimination, women, and miscellaneous. 

 

            The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa subseries (1977-1981) documents Conlin's work in this appointed position.  Included are minutes from Conlin's service on the Attorney General's Advisory Board and notes from various conferences she attended.

 

            The Political series (1970-1990) comprises the bulk of the collection.  Conlin's involvement in women's political causes, her service on state commissions and task forces, her campaign for Governor of Iowa and her political affiliations are reflected in this series.  The series is subdivided into nine subseries:  Civil rights, Democratic Party, Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), Gubernatorial election, International Women's Year, Iowa Commission on the Status of Women, Iowa Higher Education Task Force, National Organization for Women (NOW) and Women's political caucuses.

 

            The Civil rights subseries contains more papers related to Conlin's work with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.  Of interest is an opinion written by Conlin on the commission's jurisdiction in police matters concerning public accommodation.

 

            The Democratic Party subseries (1974-1990) contains documents from Conlin's participation at the Conference on Party Organization and Policy, a mini-convention held in 1974 in Kansas City, Missouri.  The purpose of the conference was to draft a national charter for the Democratic Party, a first for major political parties in the United States (see box 45, Political, Democratic Party, Conference on Party Organization and Policy, letter to Conlin from Morris K. Udall, September 17, 1974).

 

            The Equal Rights Amendment subseries (1972-1980) contains the transcript of a debate between Conlin and Phyllis Schlafly, the national head of Stop ERA, which aired on WHO talk radio in Des Moines in March 1978.  Also included are three drafts of an article written by Conlin for the Winter 1975 Drake Law Review "Equal Protection vs. Equal Rights Amendment--Where Are We Now?"

 

The Gubernatorial election subseries (1978-1982) chronicles Conlin's unsuccessful bid as the democratic candidate for Governor of Iowa in 1982.  The subseries is sorted into the following categories:  fundraising records, campaign documents, audiovisual material, issues, correspondence and donation forms.

 

            The International Women's Year subseries (1975-1977) concerns Conlin's work on the coordinating committee in Iowa and her compilation of papers on the legal status of homemakers in all fifty states and the District of Columbia.

 

            The Iowa Commission on the Status of Women subseries (1970-1981) contains annual reports and minutes of the commission during Conlin's tenure and studies of sex discrimination against women in employment, education and health insurance.

 

            The Iowa Higher Education Task Force subseries (1973-1989) contains the administrative records of the task force and the testimony presented to the task force at six hearings held around the state in 1988.

 

            The National Organization for Women (NOW) subseries (1972-1989) covers administrative records of Conlin's involvement on national NOW committees as well as position papers and materials connected to women's rights.

 

            The Women's political caucuses subseries (1973-1986) is divided into two categories:  Iowa Women's Political Caucus and National Women's Political Caucus.  Included are papers illustrating Conlin's role as an activist for women's political causes and social problems.  (A note from Ruth Bader Ginsburg dated December, 1974 regarding an article Conlin wrote that she had asked Ginsburg to review is in box 105, Political, Women’s Political Caucuses, IWPC, Articles and letters first draft, undated, folder 1.)

 

            The John Glenn Presidential Campaign subseries (1983-1984) covers Conlin’s work as the chair of Glenn’s National Policy Council in his unsuccessful bid for the 1984 Democratic presidential nomination.  It also contains extensive press clippings related to the campaign, Glenn’s position papers, and the text of many of his speeches.  See also Box 45 for papers related to Conlin’s work on the Glenn campaign.

 

            The Photographs (1969-1982 and undated) are mostly professional publicity shots (including gubernatorial contact proofs) and snapshots of Conlin at conferences or in groups.  The photographs have been removed from the various accessions to be filed together.

 

 

Related Collections

 

Margaret Davis Collison papers

            Collison was coordinator of polling volunteers for Roxanne Conlin's 1982 gubernatorial campaign.

 

Iowa Women's Political Caucus (IWPC) records

            In 1973 Roxanne Conlin founded the Iowa Women's Political Caucus after attending the first convention of the National Women's Political Caucus in Houston.  She served as the first IWPC president from 1973 to 1975.

 

Louise Noun papers

            The transcripts of Noun’s 1989 interview with Conlin are included in Noun’s papers.  The interview formed the basis for Noun’s chapter on Conlin in More Strong Minded Women: Iowa Feminists Tell Their Story

 

 

Summary Contents List

 

Personal, 1970-1996 and undated (boxes 1 and 2)

 

Professional, 1969-1995 and undated (boxes 2-44)

Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), 1985-1993               (boxes 2-4)

Appointment calendars, 1972-1986 (box 5)

Assistant State Attorney General of Iowa, 1969-1977 (boxes 6-8)

Association of Trial Lawyers of Iowa (ATLI), 1973-1977 (boxes 8-9)

Correspondence, 1969-1990 (boxes 10-18)

Law practice, 1976-1995 (boxes 18-25)

Newspaper clippings, 1970-1990 (boxes 25-28)

Speeches, 1971-1994 (boxes 28-33)

United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, 1974-1981 (boxes 34-44)

 

Political, 1969-1990 (boxes 44-106)

Civil rights, 1973-1985 (boxes 44-45)

Democratic party, 1974-1990 (boxes 45-47)

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), 1972-1980 (box 48)

Gubernatorial election, 1978-1982 (boxes 48-88)

International Women's Year, 1975-1977 (boxes 89-94)

Iowa Commission on the Status of Women, 1970-1981 (boxes 94-96)

Iowa Higher Education Task Force, 1973-1989 (box 97)

National Organization for Women (NOW), 1972-1989 (boxes 97-104)

Iowa Women's Political Caucus, 1973-1983 (box 105)

National Women's Political Caucus, 1975-1986 (box 106)

John Glenn Presidential Campaign, 1983-1984 (boxes 108-109)

 

Photographs, 1969-1982 and undated (box 107)


Box no.   Description

Box 1

»Personal

Biographical information, 1987-1992, 1995-1996 and undated

Alcoholism

Personal account and articles, 1993

Letters of support, 1993

Caricature (chalk drawing), 1989 [shelved in map case]

Civic activities

Certificates of appreciation, 1975, 1985-1986

"Iowa Shares" food project, 1979-1981

Mayor's Citizens’ Conference on Rape (Des Moines), 1974-1976

Polk County Rape/Sexual Assault Care Center

1974 and undated

June 1976-August 1976

1976-1977

"Write On America" (Youth for Understanding scholarship project), 1975

Complaints

Milford Overseas, Inc., 1971-1973

Phase 2, Inc., 1973

Correspondence

Incoming, 1992 and undated

Outgoing

1970-1971

1989 and undated

Drake University

Alumni of the year award dinner

Program and invitation, 1989

Videocassette (VHS), 1989 [shelved in videocassette collection:  V71]

Law Board of Counselors

1978-1981

December 1982-June 1985

 

Box 2

July 1985-December 1986

Outstanding Young Woman of Burlington nominations, 1973

Renewal of wedding vows, 1994 and undated [one oversized newspaper article shelved in map case]

White House Fellows application, 1973

Who's Who:  Outstanding Young Women of America, 1973-1975

Women's speakers directory (Iowa State University), 1977-1978

 

Audiovisual materials

Audiotape "Eye on Iowa" appearances on WMT-TV (reel-to-reel tape), 1972-1973 Videocassette of Animal Rescue League auction (VHS, 20 minutes), 1995 [shelved in videocassette collection:  V70]

                        Professional

American Bar Association (ABA) victim's committee, 1985-1986

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) membership handbook, 1985

Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA)

Administrative

ATLA Advocate, 1989

Background information, 1990

                                         Boards and Committees                                                         

     Board of Governors minutes, 1988-1990

         Education committee, 1987

         Executive committee, 1990 and undated

         Keyperson committee, 1987

         Political action committee (PAC), 1986-1987

                                         Budget documents, 1985-1986

     Correspondence, 1985-1987

Box 3

 

     Meetings, conventions, and seminars

    1985-1987

     Bridge-the-Gap seminar, 1985-1986

    Washington, DC meeting correspondence, 1988
    Winter convention and exposition, 1990

Campaigns for office

Parliamentarian

Brochure draft, contract and budget, 1988 and undated

Candidacy statement and letters of intent, 1987 and undated

Letters of support, 1987-1988

Notes and correspondence, 1988 and undated

Vice-president

Candidacy statement and letter of intent, 1990 and undated

Letters of support, 1990

President-elect

Candidacy statement and letter of intent, undated

Letters of support, 1990-1991

                                    Presidency

Farewell address, 1993
                                                      Interviews and profiles, 1988, 1991-1993 and undated

Letters of appreciation, 1993 (includes one photograph of Conlin)

Message to membership, 1993

"President's Page" (Trial), 1993 and undated

"A Women's Bill of Rights" poster (with congratulatory messages), undated

Printed material, 1985-1986

 

Box 4

                                    Reports

       "Bitter Harvest:  Dangerous Farm

                                                     Machinery,” undated

     "Report On:  An Assessment of the Needs of Plaintiff Lawyers," 1988

     State-by-state legislative update, 1986

     Tort reform research material, undated (4 folders)

     Trial advocacy course, 1989-1990 and 1996

Audiovisual materials

Audiocassettes [shelved in audiocassette collection]

Debate:  Epstein v. Shapo (90 minutes), 1992 [AC294]

The Public Law Radio Show (interview), 1993 [AC295]

Videocassettes [shelved in videocassette collection]

A Celebration of Justice, (VHS), 1992 [V72]

Meeting in San Francisco (news report) (VHS, 15 minutes), 1993 [V73]

Presidency inauguration speech (VHS, 9 minutes), July 30, 1992 [V74]

Trial demonstration (basic course), 1988

Tape I (VHS, 2:30:00) [V75]

Tape II (VHS, 14:20) [V76]

Trial Masters Forum (opening statement) (VHS, 41:59), 1991 [V77]

Appointment calendars

1972-1973

1974

 

Box 5

1975

1976

1977

1978

1980

1984-1986

                                Assistant State Attorney General of Iowa

Air pollution

Airplanes, 1970

Automobiles, 1970

Treatise, 1970

Committee on the Office of Attorney General (National Association of Attorneys General), 1970-1972

Court cases

Hawkeye Realty Co., Betty Anderson and George Hill Jr. vs. Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 1970

Iowa Civil Rights Commission vs. City of Cedar Rapids Police Department Civil Services Organization and Police Pension Board, 1973

Iowa Civil Rights Commission vs. C. R. Peterson Realty Company, 1970

C. R. Peterson-petitioner vs. Leo Oxberger, judge of the fifth judicial district in and for Polk County, Iowa-respondent, 1972

Iowa Civil Rights Commission and Heriberto Zamara vs. Massey Ferguson Inc., 1972

Iron Workers Local #67 and William Reed vs. John Hart and Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 1971

Joan Parr, Judy McCarthy and Iowa Civil Rights Commission vs. Cedar Rapids Community School District and Cedar Rapids Board of Education, 1969

 

Box 6

Leo Griggs and Iowa Civil Rights Commission vs. Wilson-Sinclair Company, 1970

Plumbing fixtures anti-trust case form letters, 1970

Pottawattamie County Department of Social Services and Board of Social Welfare vs. Elliot Landau and Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 1973

State of Iowa vs. Harvey Bartz and Arnold Buechele, undated

State of Iowa vs. Arnold Buechele, [1975]

State of Iowa vs. David Kieth Feddersen, 1975

State of Iowa vs. Quentin Linus Hanan, 1969

State of Iowa vs. John Harrington, 1970

State of Iowa vs. James Helter, 1969

State of Iowa vs. Frank Sebben, 1970

State of Iowa vs. Henry Steenhoek, Jesse Wright and Gary Wright, 1970

State of Iowa vs. Donald Taylor, 1974

State of Iowa vs. Dale Thomas Armstrong and Shirley Buttolph, 1969

State of Iowa vs. Frank R. West and Robert E. Lee, 1977

 

 

 

Wilson and Co., Inc. a Delaware corporation and Frank Harvey-plaintiffs vs. The Honorable Leo Oxberger, judge of the fifth judicial district of Iowa-defendant, 1970

Notes, undated (2 folders)

Fair employment, 1971

Federal aid to elderly, 1972

Human rights

Correspondence, 1973

Handicapped, 1973-1974

HEW (Department of Health, Education and Welfare), 1977

 

Box 7

Presentation by the Iowa Manufacturers Association Human Rights Committee to Minority Groups Study Committee, 1973

Iowa Civil Liberties Union roast of former Attorney General Richard Turner, 1980

Job interview requests, 1970-1972

Legal notes, undated

Memo:  response to last attack of external activities, undated

Opinions

Disabled accessibility, 1973, 1976

Height and weight requirements for employment, 1974

Job discrimination, 1972-1976

Legal status of women and marriage, 1974 and undated

Sex discrimination in high school industrial arts programs, 1974 and undated

Pending legislative bills for review, 1975-1976

Rape

Correspondence, notes and newspaper clippings, 1973-1975

Research paper by LeAnn Roling, 1975

Sex discrimination

Ms. Lorene Bunner-complainant vs. J. I. Case-respondent

Transcript of the proceedings, 1973 (2 folders)

 

 

Box 8

   Complaint against Roxanne Conlin by Ms. Lorene Bunner to 

        The Iowa Bar Association, 1973-1976

Grinnell Baseball Association, 1974-1975

Highway commission, 1974-1975

Ella May Jones (Des Moines school district), 1973

Legislation, 1977

Termination of participation in Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS), 1976

                                Association of Trial Lawyers of Iowa (ATLI)

Constitutional challenge materials, 1988

Correspondence

1984-1986

1986

1987-1988

Legislation

1985-1986

1986-1987

 

Box 9

Legislative Day, 1985

Materials sent to legislators, 1985-1987

Correspondence

Drug letters, 1969

1970

1971-1972

Miscellaneous newsletters, 1972-1973

1973

January

February

March

April

 

Box 10

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

                                    1973

December

1974

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

 

Box 11

November

December

1975

January

February

March

April

May

 

Box 12

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

1976

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

1977

January-March

 

Box 13

March-May

June-July

August-September

October-December

1978

January-February

March

April-May

 

Box 14

June-September

October-December

1979

January-March

April-June

July-September

October-December

 

Box 15

1980

January-March

April-June

July-September

October-December

1981

January-March

April-May

June-August

 

Box 16

1982-1983

1984

January-June

July-September

October-December

1985

January-May

June-August

September-December

 

1986

January-March

 

Box 17

April-May

June-July

August-September

October-December

1987

January-March

April-October

1989

1990

1996-98

 

 

Box 18

Undated (2 folders)

Law practice

Audiovisual materials

Audiocassettes [shelved in audiocassette collection]

"The Civil Justice System:  Can it be Saved?," 1993 (30 minutes) [AC296]

"Defensive Medicine," 1993 (15 minutes) [AC297]

Ex-convict suggestions for prison reform ("addressed to Mrs. Roxanne Conlin, the next governor of Iowa"), undated [AC298]

Homemakers' rights ("Today" show), 1978 (10 minutes) [AC299, side 1]

Interview - Mary Jane Odell weekly, 1979 (30 minutes) [AC299, side 2]

Iowa Women's Political Caucus (keynote speech), 1979 (30 minutes) [AC300]

"Making the Opposing Expert Tell the Truth," (30 minutes), 1991 [AC301]

Million dollar arguments (Gail vs. Western Convenience Stores), undated (60 minutes) [AC302]