Iowa Women's Archives
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, Iowa

IOWA COMMISSION ON THE
STATUS OF WOMEN

RECORDS, 1977-
1.75 linear feet

Collection Overview

History

The Iowa legislature created the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women (ICSW) in 1972.  The ICSW succeeded the earlier governors’ commissions on the status of women appointed by Governor Harold Hughes (1964-1968) and Governor Robert Ray (1969-1971).   The purpose of the ICSW is to advocate the interests of women in Iowa.  To that end, the ICSW conducts studies, develops educational programs, recommends legislation, and provides information to the public on issues involving women in Iowa. The commission submits an annual report to the legislature and governor.

The ICSW sponsors an annual writing contest to promote women’s history.  Students in the sixth through ninth grades research and write about women who have made significant historical contributions. Teachers choose the best essay in their class for submission, and the ICSW chooses the statewide winners each year.

Scope and Content Note

The Iowa Commission on the Status of Women records date from 1977 to the present and measure 1.75 linear feet.  The records are arranged in three series: Publications, Legislative correspondence, and Write Women Back into History Contest.

The Publications series includes brochures published by the ICSW about its history and mission, and on topics of interest to women such as sexual harassment in the workplace.  In 1984, the ICSW conducted public hearings on the feminization of poverty in Iowa and produced a report of their findings, which is included in this series.   It also includes a 1997 report summarizing the results of town meetings held across the state on the status of Iowa women.  A comprehensive directory of women’s organizations and a calendar featuring women who have made important contributions to Iowa complete the series.

The Legislative correspondence series includes memos, testimony, and letters written by ICSW staff members to various state and national legislators conveying their views on pending bills and issues.

The essays in the Write Women Back into History Contest series are organized by year of submission.  Within each year, they are organized alphabetically by the last name of  the subject of each paper. The winning essays are in a separate folder at the beginning of each year.  A subject analysis of all essays submitted is located in the Collections Analysis notebook in the IWA reading room.

Related Collections

Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame

Governor Ray's Commission on the Status of Women

Box List

Box 1

Publications

Brochures "The Feminization of Poverty… Is This Happening In Iowa?" report, 1984 "Status of Iowa Women" town meeting report, 1997 Directory of Women’s Organizations, 1977 Iowa Women in History calendar, 2004

Legislative correspondence

1985-2004 (2 folders)

Box 2

Write Women Back into History

Winning Essays, 1998-1999 Winning Essays, 2000 Nominated Essays, 2000

A-F G-L M-R S-Z

Winning Essays, 2001 Nominated Essays, 2001

A-C D-H I-M N-Z

Box 3

Winning Essays, 2002 Nominated Essays, 2002

A-G H-N O-Z

Winning Essays, 2003 Nominated Essays, 2003

A-F G-L M-R S-Z

Box 4

Winning essays, 2006 Nominated essays, 2006

A-K L-Z

 

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Iowa Women’s Archives, University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City IA 52242.
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Page created December 2005.