IOWA WOMEN’S ARCHIVES

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA LIBRARIES

IOWA CITY, IOWA

TITLE:»IOWA WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS

»RECORDS, DATES:»1972-1999

QUANTITY:»13 linear feet and audiovisual material and artifacts

ACQUISITION:	The »records (donor no. 20) were donated by Roxanne Barton Conlin in 1975 and 1976, and by Victoria Herring in 1998 and 1999.»
ACCESS:	The »records are open for research.
ARTIFACTS:	In boxes 31 and 32.
AUDIOVISUAL:	Twenty-eight audiocassettes shelved in audiocassette collection (AC002-AC013, AC506-AC519). Two videocassettes shelved in videocassette collection (V215-V216).
PHOTOGRAPHS:	In boxes 29 and 30.
COPYRIGHT:	Copyright has not been transferred to the University of Iowa.
PROCESSED BY:	Your name, year»Special Collections staff; Catherine E. Rymph, 1993; Daniel Goldstein, 1998-99; and Sharon M. Lake, 2000. [Word 7 IWPC.doc]

»History

Begin text here:»In February 1973, Roxanne Barton Conlin, then assistant to the Iowa Attorney General, attended the first national convention of the National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) in Houston. Upon her return to Des Moines she began efforts to organize a statewide chapter of the NWPC. On June 3, 1973, approximately forty women met in Conlin's home to discuss this possibility. A state-wide convention was planned and held in September in Ames. Six hundred and fifty persons attended. Workshop topics included lobbying strategies, help in running a campaign, rape laws, employment rights, welfare, and child care. During the convention's business meeting, the membership established the structure and goals of the organization. Among the founding members of the IWPC were Mary Louise Smith, Minnette Doderer, Jean Lloyd-Jones, Cristine Wilson, Louise Noun, Sonja Egenes, and Dagmar Vidal.

The IWPC was founded as a bipartisan organization, with the goal of providing women with a political education and increasing women's political participation and representation. In 1973 the IWPC released a report showing that women held only 6.7 percent of all elected offices in Iowa. The IWPC also worked for the passage of legislation which benefited women, focusing on issues such as welfare, rape, sex discrimination, sex bias in education, the rights of homemakers, and equal access to credit and insurance.

The structure of the IWPC was as follows: A state chairwoman presided over the organization. Statewide committees (such as Structure and bylaws, Legislation, Priorities, and Publicity) were composed of IWPC members from across the state. Administrative decisions were made by the Steering Committee which was composed of delegates from each local caucus, "at-large" delegates from across the state, and a black and a Chicano representative.

In the early 1970s, the IWPC was composed of approximately thirteen local caucuses; by the late 1970s, there were over thirty-five local caucuses. These local chapters had their own officers and bylaws and worked on local as well as state and national issues. Local caucuses encouraged women to serve on local boards and commissions and to run for city and county offices. These chapters provided women with the political education and information needed to make them qualified and confident to run for public office. Several local caucuses published their own newsletter.

Initial enthusiasm for the IWPC was pronounced. During its first year, the IWPC reported a membership of around 1,000 and a mailing list of approximately 2,000. In 1974, Conlin estimated caucus membership to be around 5,000. State and local meetings consistently reported having twice the expected attendance.

Iowa held the largest state convention in the nation in 1973, and the IWPC remained the largest state chapter of the NWPC until 1980 when it was surpassed by California and Texas. During the 1970s, the IWPC was considered a model organization by liberal activists in the women's movement across the country. Its early success was attributed to its bipartisan nature.

The annual legislative goals of the caucus were a major focus, and the IWPC was instrumental in the passage of significant changes in the state’s inheritance tax laws (which previously required housewives and farmwives to pay taxes on joint property inherited from their husbands because they were not viewed as contributors to the estate); changes in the state's rape and sexual abuse statutes (to eliminate the provision which required corroborative testimony in rape trials, to eliminate references to victims of sexual assault in the code as “she,” to protect rape victims from being questioned about their past sexual histories, and to include marital rape as a crime); the state Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) by the legislature in 1979; and legislation requiring gender balance in the composition of state commissions.

In 1973, the Iowa Women's Caucus Research and Education Center (IWCREC) was founded as a tax exempt branch of the IWPC. As its name implies, the IWCREC focused on educational and research (rather than political) work. The IWCREC was involved in grant-funded projects relating to welfare and the public schools. In the late 1970s, it began a summer leadership camp for high school girls, and sponsored an ambitious series of conferences entitled “Women 2000”in nearly twenty communities around the state.

In 1974, the Win With Women Campaign Support Committee was established to raise money to contribute to women candidates. It was separated from the IWPC in order to comply with legal requirements governing organizations that make financial contributions to political candidates; in addition, this step made contributions to the fund eligible, as political contributions, for tax credit. Although the Committee meetings and minutes were separate from the IWPC, Win With Women was governed by the Executive Committee of the IWPC, and their meetings were held on the same day in the same location—one following the other. At these meetings, the committee decided which candidates should receive contributions, and how much each should receive, in accordance with the policies established by the IWPC membership. In later years, a lobbyist was also paid from this fund.

Although the IWPC advocated the inclusion of women of all races and backgrounds within the organization, the precise meaning and application of this goal was a subject of continued controversy. Some members advocated explicit affirmative action programs and the selection of delegates to represent various "special interests" within the organization. Others felt that an open membership policy was adequate and feared the diffusion of the organization's goals. The IWPC's efforts were criticized by some African-American women who felt that their concerns and participation were not central to the work of the IWPC.

Another ongoing controversy centered on the criteria for endorsing candidates and for contributing to their campaign funds. During the early days, IWPC campaign contributions were limited by scarce funds. Members debated whether the IWPC should endorse and fund any woman running for office or only those women who promoted certain women's issues. They also considered the issue of whether or not male candidates who supported women's issues and had female employees as paid members of their campaign staffs should be eligible for IWPC endorsement and/or funds. It was decided that male candidates could be endorsed by the IWPC but that the distribution of scarce funds would be limited to women candidates. Later, when funds increased, male candidates were also financially supported by the IWPC. Co-endorsements were made at times when the caucus believed that both candidates running would support their agenda. This policy was also controversial at times, as Republican women charged that the caucus was inclined to favor Democrats. The records reveal a great deal of discussion and concern over the issue of candidate endorsement.

The IWPC steadily declined in membership throughout the 1980s and 1990s, although its influence at the legislative level continued to be significant, and the annual auction was a successful fundraising event through 1990. The caucus continued to sponsor workshops, lobby in Des Moines, and network with organizations having common concerns. Local caucuses ceased to exist as the 1980s wore on; state conventions shrank in size and scope; the state newsletter was published less frequently; and the enthusiasm and energy that had marked the early days was no longer evident. The 1996 member handbook lists approximately 170 members. The organization disbanded in 1999.

Elections for chair were held in the fall; hence for each calendar year, there were two chairs. Chairing the state-wide organization have been: Conlin (1973-1975); Margaret "Peg" Anderson (1975-1977); Nancy Norman-Uhl (1977-1979); Nancy Sweetman (1979-1981); Alice Claypool (1981-1983); Linda Kirkman (1983-1984); Katherine Ella (1984-1985); Betty Baird (1985-1987); Chris Michalek (1987-1989); Anne Webber (1989-1991); Nancylee Ziese (1991-1993); Janet Fife (1993-1995); Victoria Herring (1995-1997); and Christine (Tina) Manbeck (1998-1999).

A more detailed chronological history of the caucus can be found in the 1996 Member Handbook, in Box 17 of the collection. A history of the early caucus (1973-1975) was the subject of a Master’s Thesis which is on file at Iowa State University: “A New Dimension in Political Participation: The Women’s Political Caucus” by Barbara Louise Burrell (Call Number ISU 1975 B941 in Parks Library, Parks General Collection).

Scope and Content Note

Begin text here:»The Iowa Women's Political Caucus records contain materials dating from 1972 to 1999 and measure 13 linear feet. The bulk of the material dates from June 1973 (when the first IWPC meeting was held) until 1984 (when a strong campaign was mounted to mobilize women voters to turn out for the precinct caucuses and elections). The records from the 1970s depict an organization bursting forth with a vision and engaged in many activities designed to realize it; the 1980s records are of an organization reaping the benefits of those earlier activities, reflecting on its successes, and considering its future. The 1990s records show an organization in decline—there are few records beyond Steering Committee minutes, annual convention minutes, and occasional newsletters; in other words, established mechanisms continued to operate, but nothing new was being generated. The IWPC collection is strong in its documentation of the second wave women's movement; the issues confronted by middle class women; the priorities, goals, and rhetoric of the movement; and the successes as well as divisions and controversies within it. It demonstrates the vibrancy, energy, and vision of these women, and documents the networks they established as they strove to accomplish their goals. The collection includes a series of studies, questionnaires and surveys that document the condition of Iowa women and the makeup and characteristics of IWPC members. See the 1985 Penultimate Iowa Women’s Political Caucus Membership Questionnaire; “A Day with Dee Jepsen;” the “Decade of Action;” the Des Moines Police Department Questionnaire; and the Battered Women survey.

The IWPC collection is arranged in the following series: Administrative files, Committees, Conventions and conferences, Correspondence, Elections and political activities, Events and activities, Fundraisers, Local caucuses, Membership, Newsletter, Newspaper clippings, Position papers, Topical files, Iowa Women’s Caucus Research and Education Center (IWCREC), National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC), Other organizations, Photographs, and Artifacts.

The original bylaws, as well as subsequently amended versions, can be found in the Administrative files.

The Committee series has a fairly complete record of Steering Committee meetings from 1973-1995 including agendas, minutes, attachments, and attendance lists for many, but not all, of the meetings. The legislative priorities are also of interest, especially in the mid-1970s where they document not only the priorities but the activities and progress being made towards the passage of the desired legislation.

The IWPC held annual conventions and sponsored numerous conferences. The Conventions and conferences series contains material pertaining to these events including organizational materials, brochures, and the minutes of the state conventions where general business (such as officer elections, committee reports, and discussion of caucus priorities) was discussed by the membership. The Conventions series includes typed transcripts of the 1973 and 1974 convention business meetings. In addition, the collection contains twelve audiocassette recordings of the 1973 convention. Seven of these tapes are recordings of the Sunday business meeting (a transcript of which is located in the Convention series noted above). Other tapes include the keynote address by Sissy Farenthold and tapes of several of the workshops.

Conlin's correspondence with legislators and individual members of the IWPC, and various requests for information from Iowa residents as well as from persons outside the state is found primarily in the Correspondence series (additional correspondence arranged topically is found in other series and subseries). Many individuals who wrote to Conlin were extremely supportive and appreciative of her work and the work of the caucus. Others were quite critical. One such letter (October 3, 1973) from Evelyn Davis expresses the writer's concerns about the domination of the IWPC by white women and the failures to seriously include women of other races and their concerns.

Statistics on women candidates and office holders in statewide offices in Iowa, as well as on the gender make-up of state and county boards and commissions are highlights of the Elections and political activities series. This series also documents the concerted effort the IWPC made during the 1984 precinct caucuses and elections, and contains records on the controversial question of candidate endorsement.

Most of the material in the Events and activities series is from the 1980s. Of particular interest is the women’s concerns poll in “A Day with Dee Jepsen,” and the founder’s questionnaire in “A Decade of Action.”

The main fundraising activity of the IWPC was an annual auction held from 1980 to 1990. The Fundraising series includes extensive materials relating to this high profile and successful event.

The Local caucus series includes an organizing manual as well as a practices and procedures manual written by Conlin. It also contains material on thirty-four local caucuses. This material varies in size and scope from caucus to caucus, but the materials on the Polk County and Black Hawk County caucuses are most extensive. (The bulk of the Polk County Women’s Political Caucus records are held in a separate collection in the Iowa Women’s Archives.) The local caucuses files provide extraordinary access to women’s grass roots political activity in the state. The breadth of these records is complemented by the marvelously detailed reports contained in some of the files.

Of particular interest in the Membership series is the “1985 Penultimate Iowa Women’s Political Caucus Membership Questionnaire” and the membership handbooks which include the history of the caucus as well as lists of the officers and active members.

The Newsletter series contains issues from 1973 to 1995 of the IWPC newsletter which was eventually (although not initially) called "Caucus Comments." While some issues are missing, it is a fairly comprehensive collection.

Newspaper clippings are sorted by date. Many are from the Des Moines Register, but other Iowa newspapers are represented as well. The collection includes reports and editorials of the activities of the IWPC, women legislators, legislation favored by the IWPC, and topics of interest to the IWPC. Topics covered include the ERA, abortion, the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas controversy, affirmative action, welfare, comparable worth, and children’s issues. Note that there are many clippings in individual files as well.

Position Papers were generated by the IWPC to assist in the passage of legislation. They are a rich source of the views and priorities of the caucus. Additional position papers can be found scattered throughout the collection in Steering Committee meeting packets, topical files, and legislative priorities.

The Topical files contain materials primarily related to issues with which the IWPC was associated. This series is arranged alphabetically by topic. It includes questionnaires related to rape and physical abuse, and a number of hard to find academic papers and analyses on sexism in education, employment, and women’s history. Also included are nine folders of Conlin's longhand drafts of letters, newsletter articles, and brochures.

The Iowa Women's Caucus Research and Education Center series consists of the bylaws, articles of incorporation, minutes, and tax materials of this organization. This series also contains materials assembled for grant proposals to the Iowa Humanities Board for several projects, as well as materials relating to the IWCREC's association with a television project on education. There are extensive records relating to “Women 2000,” IWCREC’s most ambitious conference, including some evaluations from attendees and correspondence with the Iowa Humanities Board. An educational program complete with slides and audiocassette entitled Recovering our Past: The Struggle for Woman’s Suffrage, developed by the Feminist History Research Project in 1974, is also part of this series.

The IWPC was an affiliate caucus of the National Women's Political Caucus (founded in 1971). This series consists of one linear foot of material relating to the NWPC and the IWPC's association with it. Materials relating to their conventions (1973-1985), mailings, newsletters, and steering committee are part of this series. Also included is material relating to a challenge by Betty Friedan to the selection of national steering committee delegates at the 1973 convention. The Credentials Committee folders are the most unusual and important of the NWPC materials. They date from the years that Peg Anderson served on the committee and reveal the internal workings of the NWPC and some of the conflicts among its members. Speeches given at the 1977 convention as well as public service announcements for the NWPC are catalogued with the audiocassettes.

The Other organizations series gives an insight into only a few of the many organizations with which the IWPC collaborated and was associated. Of particular interest are a questionnaire from the Criminal Justice Minority Employment Research Project of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee regarding the affirmative action practices of the Des Moines police department, as well as the extensive file on the Iowa Welfare Coalition. This series offers a more comprehensive view of the network in which the women’s movement was imbedded.

The Photographs contain some national as well as many state and local leaders of the women’s movement. Many were taken at conferences and events sponsored by the IWPC.

The Artifacts collection has a large selection of buttons with political and feminist slogans such as “Uppity Women Unite” and “Every Mother is a Working Mother,” T-shirts and sweatshirts, and a large IWPC banner that can be seen in the video footage of workshops.

It is important to recognize that materials on any given topic may be found in widely separated folders. For example, information on the Girls Leadership Camp is located in a folder in the Events and Activities series of the collection; but it is also found in many of the financial, state convention, and steering committee folders in the Organization section.

Related Collections

Peg Anderson

Polk County Women’s Political Caucus

Roxanne Conlin

Box no. Description

Box 1

Administrative files

Bylaws

Original, 1973

1975, 1981-1982, 1994

Finances

Account book

1982-1985

1985-1987

Budgets, statements, and treasurer’s reports

1973-1975

1976-96 (scattered)

Disbursement of funds to candidates, 1976

Employment tax forms, 1977

Taxes (contributions), 1973

Office management

1976-1979

1980-1995

Originals of copied materials, 1983-1984 (2 folders)

Personnel

Executive director evaluations (Peg Cass), 1981

Executive director job description, 1977, 1981

Lobbyist, Jean Williams, 1982-1986

Lobbyist, Judie Hoffman, 1992, 1994

Purpose, undated

Resumes of workshop presenters and speakers, undated

Telephone tree, 1977

Box 2

Committees

Elections and rules, 1973

Executive, 1981-1984

Finance, 1973-1977

Goals and objectives, 1983

Legislative

General

1974-1975

1976-1980

1981-1982

Day care task force, 1974-75

Education programs bill, 1973

Legislation pending, 1973-74 (2 folders)

Legislation proposed, 1974

Omnibus Bill on Legal Treatment, 1974

Priorities

1974

1975

1976

Box 3

1977-1994 (18 folders)

Sex discrimination, 1974

Membership, 1974-1975

Priorities, 1973-1974 (2 folders)

Publicity

Press releases, 1974

Steering

Organizational meeting, June 3, 1973

Mailings to

1973-October 1974

November 1974-November 1975 and 1997

Minutes, 1976

Box 4

Minutes, 1977-1987 (13 folders)

Box 5

Minutes, 1988-1995 (5 folders)

Attendance forms, undated

Members, 1984-1985

Structure and Bylaws

General, 1973-1974 (2 folders)

Conventions and Conferences

Conventions (IWPC State)

1973

Convention packet

Correspondence with elected officials

Mailings (2 folders)

Minutes

Organizing meeting, July 8, 1973

Saturday evening session [shelved in audiocassette collection AC004]

Sissy Farenthold address [shelves in audiocassette collection AC002]

Sunday business meeting [shelved in audiocassette collection AC005-011]

Transcript of proceedings

Workshops

Child care [shelved in audiocassette collection AC003]

How to run and win [shelved in audiocassette collection AC012]

How to Lobby [shelved in audiocassette collection AC013]

Miscellaneous (2 folders)

1974

Brochures and handouts

Correspondence

General

Elected officials

Minutes

Organizational material

Pre-registration list

Box 6

Registration list

Suggestions

Transcript of proceedings

1975

Conference packet and information on workshops

Minutes and other business

1976-1984 (8 folders, lacking 1980)

Box 7

1985

1986 (1 folder)

Videocassettes

Mary Louise Smith keynote speech, “The National Outlook

for Women” [shelved in the videocassette collection: V215]

(VHS, 33 minutes)

Panel Discussions/Presentations [shelved in the videocassette collection: V216]

“Running for Office,” Rhonda Menke and Joe Shannahan (VHS, 25 minutes)

“Campaign Finance, ”Peggy Huppert (VHS, 25 minutes)

“Marital Rape,” Roxanne Ward and Rep. Johnie Hammond (VHS, 45 minutes)

1987-1997 (five folders)

Conferences

“So You Want to Be in Politics,” January, 1974

General

Evaluations

“I’m Not a Woman’s Libber but…,” April 1975

Handouts for “Women in Continuing Education,” October 1975

“We the People: A Look at Out Parties,” October 1981

Pay equity in the marketplace conference, keynote speaker Nina

Rothchild; panel 1 Carpenter, Corderman, David; panel 2 Binnie,

Doderer, Kramer [1985?] (2 ½ hours) [shelved in audiocassette

collection AC510-511] (see also Photographs, Box 30)

Miscellaneous conferences and workshops, 1976-1993

Correspondence

Congresspeople, 1973-1975

Individual members, 1973-1976

Legislation, 1973-1974

Requests for information, 1973-1974 and 1978-1980 (2 folders)

Box 8

State and federal, 1980-1984

Miscellaneous

1973-1974 (2 folders)

1978-1979

1983-1984

Elections and Political Activities

Boards and commissions

State, 1974

State and county, 1979, 1981

Candidates (national), 1984

Congressional candidate’s questionnaire, 1974

Conlin, Roxanne B., gubernatorial campaign, 1982

Endorsement

Guidelines and debate, 1974

Procedures, 1976

Guidelines from NWPC, 1983-1984

Iowa, 1984 and undated

National, 1984

General information for candidates, 1974

“Iowa Campaign Finance Disclosure Act, Questions and Answers”, undated

Iowa Caucus Project [also called the “Purple Ribbon” project], 1984 (see

also Precinct caucuses, 1984, Box 9)

Iowa state-wide offices

Women candidates, 1974 (2 folders)

Women office holders, 1974?, 1975, 1986, and undated

Legislation, federal, 1983-1984

Box 9

Lobbying Proposal, 1988-89

Maps, 1980-1984

National, 1984

Precinct caucuses

1974

1984 (3 folders, see also Iowa Caucus Project, Box 8)

Requests for support, 1974

Statements to state party platform committees, 1984

Voter registration, 1984

Win With Women

Establishment of fund, 1974

1983

1984

Financial disclosure reports

1974-1975

1984

Events and Activities

Citizen lobbying workshop, 1981

A Day with Dee Jepsen, 1983

General

Speeches

Box 10

Women’s concerns poll

Decade of Action, 1983

Anniversary celebration

Iowa Women’s Political Caucus founders’ questionnaire

Media awards

Predictions for 1993

Retreat, July 23-24, 1983 (see Box 4 for minutes of Steering Committee

Meeting held at retreat)

Equal pay for work of comparable value workshop, 1983

Exhibit on women in government at state capitol, 1993-1994

“Feminist Forum” television show, 1974-1975

Girls Leadership Camp, 1983-1984 and 1987 and undated

“Good Guys Awards,” 1987

Iowa Girl Scout Legislative Day, March 1984

Phyllis Fry Memorial Fund, 1984

Twentieth Anniversary, 1993-1994

Miscellaneous, 1976-1996

Fundraisers

Auction

1980 (2 folders)

1981

Box 11

1982-1987 (10 folders)

Box 12

1988-1990 (4 folders)

1996

Auction items, 1980

Auctions, 1980s

Books, 1978

Coloring book, 1981

Cookbooks

1978

Box 13

1979

“Dinners for Winners”, 1981, 1983 (2 folders)

Mary Louise Smith tribute, 1984

Merchandise reports, 1978-1979

Receipts, 1978

Strategies, 1979-1982

Story County with Pat Schroeder, 1983

Miscellaneous, 1976-1997 and undated

Local Caucuses

Organization

Affirmative action

Plan sent, 1973

Plan, 1981

Evaluations, 1983

Application for affiliate caucus approval, undated

Ballots concerning delegates [1975]

Correspondence, 1973, 1989

“How to” organizing manual for caucus leaders, undated

Mailing to local caucus coordinators, 1973

Officer lists, 1974-1978 (2 folders)

Box 14

Organizing local caucuses, 1973-1975

Practices and procedures manual, undated [1973-1974]

Benton County, 1974-1982

Black Hawk County, 1974-1975

Boone County, 1974

Buena Vista County, 1976-1977

Cass County, 1975-1977

Cherokee County, 1977

Clinton County, 1973-1977

Crawford County, 1985

Dallas County, 1973-1982 (scattered)

Davis County, 1975

Delaware County, 1974-1976

Dubuque, 1973-1974

Fayette County, 1974, 1976

Grinnell, 1974

Grundy County, 1974-1975

Iowa Valley, 1982

Jasper County, 1974-1976

Johnson County, 1974-1976

Lakes Caucus for Informed Women, 1975, 1977, 1980 [northwest counties

of Emmet, Clay, and Dickinson]

Lee County, 1981-1984

Linn County,1974-1976, 1981

Marshall County, 1975, 1982

Muscatine County, 1974-1975

North Iowa, 1974-1984 (folder 1)

Box 15

North Iowa, 1974-1984 (folder 2)

Northeast Iowa, 1975

Ottumwa area, 1973-1977

Polk County [see also Polk County Women’s Political Caucus Collection]

Application for affiliation, bylaws and priorities, 1973-1974

Fliers and mailings, 1973-1975

Membership lists, 1974-1976

Newsletters

1973-1975 (scattered)

1976-1982 (scattered)

Pottawattamie County, 1974-1975

Scott County, 1973-1977, 1979

Siouxland, 1974-1982 (scattered)

Southeast Iowa, 1974-1976

Story County, 1974-1984 (scattered)

West Central, 1982-1984

Winnishiek County, 1975-1976

Box 16

Membership

Form letters, 1973-1974 and undated

Lists

1973, 1983, 1984-1985, 1995-1997 and undated (4 folders)

Committee volunteers, undated

Convention attendance, 1974

Convention pre-registration, 1973

Delegates to state steering committee, 1974-1975

Official lists

Sent to local caucuses, 1973

Sent to NWPC

1973

1974-1975 (drafts)

1983

Miscellaneous, 1973-1974 (2 folders)

“The 1985 Penultimate Iowa Women’s Political Caucus Membership

Questionnaire,” 1985

Box 17

Handbook [with history]

Originals, 1985

1979-1996, (scattered) (2 folders)

Holiday greeting, 1983

Reporting forms, 1985 and undated

September 1973-Nov/Dec 1975

"Caucus Comments"

January 1976-October/November 1981 (scattered) [shelved in map case:

drawer 3]

1982-1995 (14 folders)

Newspaper clippings

1973-1974 (2 folders)

1974 (folder 1)

Box 18

1974 (folders 2 and 3)

1975 (2 folders)

1976

1977-1990

1991-1996

Undated

Box 19

Position papers

1973-1974

1975

1980-1983 (4 folders)

Undated

Adoption, 1973-1975?

Childcare, 1973-1975?

Rape, 1973-1974

Topical files

Academic freedom, 1981

Affirmative action

1975-1981

“City of Des Moines Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Plan,”

1979

Des Moines Human Rights Commission, “A Study of the City’s 1972 Affirmative Action Program,” 1978

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)

1973-1981 (3 folders)

Box 20

“Iowa ADC Characteristics,” 1972, 1974

Brochures and pamphlets

First printed brochures, 1973

Miscellaneous brochures, 1973-1976

Campaign finance reform, 1989

Child care

1972-1975

1975-1980 (2 folders)

Child care barrier planning council reports, 1979, 1980

Conlin, Roxanne B., drafts

Newsletter information

October 14, 1973

1974

Original practices and procedures manual [1973-1974]

Miscellaneous

June to October 28, 1973

1973-1974 (4 folders)

Divorce, 1979, 1981

Box 21

Domestic violence

Battered women survey, undated

Physical abuse questionnaire, 1975

Education

1973-1982 (scattered, 2 folders)

A Look at Women in Education, Department of Health, Education, and

Welfare, 1972

Area educational agencies, 1975

“Dick and Jane as Victims: Sex Stereotyping in Children’s Readers,” 1972
Equal Rights for Women in Education, Education Commission of the

States, 1975, 1977

Iowa Civil Liberties Union’s formal charge of sex discrimination against

the Des Moines Independent School District, 1973

“Jack and Jill” booklet on sex role stereotyping, 1972 AAUW

Report of the 17^th Annual Conference on Human and Civil Rights in

Education, undated

“Sex Bias in Educational TV,” S. S. Truse, 1973

“Sex Equity in Vocational Education in Iowa,” League of Women

Voters, 1981

“Sex Role Stereotyping: An Analysis of Houghton Mifflin Series,”

M. McCue, 1973

Sex stereotyping in children’s readers and TV programs, 1974

“Sex Stereotyping in Elementary Physical Education Reference

Materials,” I. Bowers, 1973

Sexism, 1973 and undated

“Sexism in Education: A Report on Elementary Schools,” National

Organization for Women Education Task Force, Ames, Iowa, 1974

Title IX, 1974-1983 (scattered)

Tuition tax credits, undated (see also Other organizations: Iowa Coalition for Public Education, Box 29)

Workshops and materials for teachers on non-sexist education, undated

Employment

1973-1977

Box 22

“A Descriptive Analysis of the Utilization of Women in the City of Des

Moines,” K. Schilling [late 1970s]

Comparable worth, 1984

Flex-time, 1975-1979

Flex-time surveys (Iowa), 1973, 1975

Job Sharing, 1982

“Learned Helplessness: Some Observations of Women in the Labor

Force and their Implications for Social Work,” E. Wattenberg, 1974

Women Employed reports, 1977

Women workers, 1970-1975

Veterans’ preference, 1978-1982 (scattered)

Equal Rights Amendment

1972, 1976

Material from organizations opposed, 1974-1975

Material in support, 1974

Testimony of Louise Noun before Iowa General Assembly, 1979 or 1980

Testimony of Mimi Winslow before Senate Judiciary Committee, 1978

Families

Family Protection Act, 1979-1981

Iowa's White House Conference, 1980

Feminization of poverty, 1981-1982

Health care, 1984

History

Address by Dr. Dorothy Schwieder on women’s suffrage and Carrie

Chapman Catt, undated [shelved in audiocassette collection

AC512-513; begins near end of side 2]

Bibliographies, undated

“A Brief History of Women in the Iowa Legislature,” 1976

“Legislative Highlights, 1884-1983,” undated

Newspaper clippings, 1973, 1976, 1984

“Women in State Legislatures,” S. Blessman, 1984

Homemakers

1973-1981 (scattered)

Roxanne Conlin, “The Legal Status of Homemakers in Iowa,” 1975

Displaced, 1978-1979

Income tax check-off, 1974

Box 23

Inequality of Sacrifice: the Impact of the Reagan Budget on Women, 1982

Inheritance tax, 1974

International Women’s Year, 1975

Interns, 1974

Introduction to the Women’s Movement, 1973

Iowa Welfare Association Conference, 1974

Juvenile justice

1974

1977-1980

“A Plan for Polk County’s Juvenile Justice System,” 1981

Media

Women and advertising, 1973?

Women and the media task force, 1973-1975

Peace, 1982

Pornography, 1983-1984

Rape

1974, 1978-1981

Ruth Harkin testimony, 1975

Questionnaire, 1973

Speakers' Institute, undated

Statistics on Iowa women, 1980

Welfare

“Discrimination against women: the case of government benefits,”

S. M. Buttrick and V. S. Lies, undated

“Perspective on Welfare,” S. Cline, undated

Iowa Women's Caucus Research and Education Center (IWCREC)

Articles of Incorporation, 1974

Bylaws, undated

“An Answer to a Man’s Question” [script for skit], undated

“Changing Lives: Options and Opportunities” conference, 1976-1977

Grant proposals and correspondence with Iowa Board for Public

Programs in the Humanities

Planning and correspondence with participants

Donations

NWPC Women’s Appointments Project, 1978

Workshop at San Jose NWPC Conference, 1977

Grant proposals, 1973-1975

Box 24

Hoenk, Paul--television project (public schools), 1974

“Impact of Religion on Public Policy Issues” grant proposal, 1978

Position paper project, 1978

Pre-activation training by Iowa Board for Public Programs in the

Humanities, 1975

Primer for school board members and administrators on sexism, undated

Recovering our Past: The Struggle for Woman’s Suffrage, Feminist History

Research Project, 1974 (see also slides and audiocassette that accompany

text; slides in Box 3o) [audiocassette shelved in audiocassette collection

AC506]

“Shaping the Workplace: 2000 Conference,” 1988

Status report, July, 1974

Tax material, 1974

“Women 2000” Conference

Additions to proposal, long-hand, undated [1975-1976]

Budgets and correspondence with Iowa Board for Public Programs

in the Humanities (IBPPH), 1975-1977

Final assessment and reports to IBPPH, 1975

Grant proposals and responses, 1974-1977

Organizational matters and correspondence, 1975-1976

Individual sessions

Atlantic, 1976

Burlington, 1975

Cedar Falls, 1975

Cedar Rapids, 1976

Clinton, 1976

Council Bluffs, 1975

Davenport, 1975

Dubuque, 1975

Estherville, 1976

Fayette, 1976

Fort Dodge, 1976

Marshalltown, 1976

Mason City, 1975

Mitchellville, 1976

Muscatine, 1976

Newton, 1976

Ottumwa, 1975

Pella, 1976

Perry, 1975

Sioux City, 1975

Miscellaneous, 1974-1975

Box 25

National Women's Political Caucus

Bylaws

1973

1980, 1983, 1984

Candidate recruitment campaign, 1995-1996

Conventions

1973

General materials

Friedan, Betty, challenge to delegate selection

1974

General

"Putting on a Convention"

1975

General materials

Iowa bid

1977 (3 folders)

Keynote speeches (see also NWPC Convention: 1977: folder 3 for

text on speakers) [shelved in audiocassette collection AC514-519]

Patsy Mink, Jill Ruckelshaus, Janet Hayes, and Frances “Sissy”

Farenthold [AC514]

Liz Carpenter and Leona Egeland [AC515]

Gloria Steinem [AC516]

Mary Louise Smith, Susanne Wilson, and C. Delores Tucker

[AC517]

Arabella Martinez, Barbara Mikulski, March Fong Eu, and

LaDonna Harris [AC518]

Paquita Vivo and Mary Crisp [AC519]

1979 (2 folders)

1981 (folder 1)

Box 26

1981 (folder 2)

1983

1985 (3 folders)

Correspondence, 1973-1974

Credentials Committee, 1977, 1979 (4 folders)

Democratic Party, 1975

Elective strategies, 1973-1974

Finance, 1973-1974

Box 27

Information requests, 1982, 1983

Iowa membership reports, 1982-1984 (3 folders)

Leadership mailings, 1981-1983 (4 folders)

Legislation

1973-1975

1983-1984

Federal, 1981-1982

Mailings

State and local caucus leaders, 1973-1975

Box 28

Miscellaneous, 1972-1974

Membership brochures, undated [late 1980s, 1993, 1998]

Newsletters (national)

February/March 1973-March 1974

April 1974-May 1975

Miscellaneous, 1977, 1984, 1988

Organizational chart, 1981

Organizing packet for state caucuses, undated [1973?]

Personnel, 1983

President’s message, 1991

Press clippings, 1982-1983

Priorities, 1973

Public service announcements, undated [shelved in audiocassette collection

AC508]

Reports from IWPC, 1973

Republican party--rule 29, 1974

Resolutions (state and national), 1981

State chapters

1973

1974

1975

Undated

Steering Committee

General, 1983-1984

Meeting, 1974-1975

Membership lists, 1973

Minutes, 1973-1975

Miscellaneous, 1974

Vice-chair report of Rita Triviz, 1978

Box 29

Other organizations

Book Peddlers, 1984

Citizen’s Advisory Council on the Status of Women, 1972

Des Moines police department, questionnaire from the University of

Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1982

ERA Iowa, 1992

Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 1982-1983

Iowa Coalition for Public Education

1981-1982

Statewide survey on tuition tax credits, 1982 (See also: Topical Files: Education: Tuition Tax Credits, Box 21)

Iowa Commission on the Status of Women, 1973-1988 and undated

Iowa Democratic Party, 1975

Iowa Inter-Church Consortium for Governmental Concerns, 1978-1982

Iowa Mother’s Association, 1974

Iowa National Organization for Women, undated

Iowa Ripon, 1984

Iowa Welfare Coalition, 1974-1978

Non-Iowa Women’s Political Caucus newsletters, 1984

Planned Parenthood, 1981, 1983 and undated

Poor Peoples Press, 1981-1982

Rural America, 1981-1982

Women and Work Task Force, 1982-1984

Women Employed Institute, 1983

Women’s Vote Project [5 30-second public service announcements

encouraging women to vote; shelved in audiocassette collection AC507]

Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) 3^rd annual Women of

Achievement Awards keynote address by Letty Cottin Pogrebin, 1984

(30 minutes) [shelved in audiocassette collection AC509]

Photographs

1976-1980 (7 folders)

1984 (Katherine Ella, Linda Kirkman, Monica McFadden, JeanWilliams)

Celebrities for Auction, 1987 (Barbara Boxer, Geraldine Ferraro, Barbara

Mikulski, Pat Schroeder)

Box 30

National Women’s Political Caucus Convention, 1985 (negatives only)

National Women’s Political Caucus Steering Committee with Peg Anderson

(undated)

“Outreach ‘84” Auction, 1984 (slides)

Pay equity in the marketplace conference, 1985? (photos and negatives)

(See audiocassette collection AC510-511 for tapes of conference)