National Organization For Women, Toledo, Ohio, & National Chapter Records, 1972-2004, MSS-035

Size: Approximately 3.5 linear ft

Provenance: The Toledo chapter of the National Organization for Women donated its records to the Ward M. Canaday Center in 1986, 1989, 1995, and 2010.

Access: open

Related Collections:

Collection Summary: Collection contains records of the local, state, and national chapters and includes meeting minutes; newsletters and other publications; bylaws; and annual conference programs. Subjects include job discrimination; affirmative action; ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment; Title IX compliance; and the Toledo group's association with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Local 544.

Subjects: Labor, Politics and Government, Women

Copyright: As copies of Federal records, copyright probably does not apply to entries in this volume. The original application files are part of Record Group 15, Records of the Veterans Administration, in the National Archives. Researchers bear full legal responsiblity for the acquisition to publish from any part of said collection per Title 17, United States Code. The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections may reserve the right to intervene as intermediary at its own discretion.

Completed by: Denise D. Green, February 1987. Additions by Barbara A. Shirk, August 1989 and July 1995. Addition by Zachary Dehm, March and April 2010. Revised by Tamara Jones, February 2013; last updated: June, 2014

Introduction

Founded in 1966, the National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest women's rights organization in the U.S. NOW reported 260,000 members in nine regional chapters, 50 state chapters and over 800 local chapters in 1986. (Encyclopedia of Associations 1987, v.1, p. 1456). NOW seeks full equality for women in all areas of American society; especially in politics, education and business.

The Greater Toledo Chapter of NOW has been a vocal, effective force in Northwest Ohio politics, industry and culture since 1972. The Toledo NOW records provide extensive evidence of chapter achievements, interests and activities.

There are no restrictions on the use of, or access to, this collection.

Organizational History

1972, July	Toledo, Ohio, Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) founded
1973	Toledo NOW Participated in campaign for Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) ratification in Ohio
1974	Continued campaigning for National ERA ratification; hosted Ohio NOW annual convention in Toledo, Ohio
1976	Participated in Southwyck Charity Bazaar and Old West End Festival; continued campaigning for ERA and reproductive rights of women
1977	Sponsored Toledo ERA "walkathon" and abortion "speakout;" participated in Toledo Public Schools Title IX Advisory Committee
1978	Joined with other NOW chapters at rally against Akron, Ohio ordinance regulating abortion clinics and in ERA rallies and ratification extension campaign. Toledo NOW hosted Ohio NOW annual convention
1979	Led campaign against Toledo city Maternal Health ordinance; sponsored ERA "walkathon" and series of consciousness-raising groups
1980	Labor Task Force formed to coordinate Toledo NOW helping with job discrimination complaints; continued anti-Maternal Health Ordinance and pro-ERA campaigns
1981	Joined nationwide "Stop Human Life Amendment Campaign;" held final Toledo ERA rally and walkathon; continued consciousness-raising groups
1982	Supported candidacies of Marcy Kaptur and Richard Celeste
1983	Supported Linda Furney's campaign for city council

Scope and Content Note

The collection is arranged in three series. Series one is Toledo NOW records of monthly meetings, rallies, task forces, a University of Toledo student NOW group, social events, annual political activities, the chapter newsletter and relations with Toledo area women's organizations. A substantial part of the records document Toledo NOW campaigns for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA); for Title IX compliance; and Toledo NOW's association with American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Local 544.

Series two consists of Ohio and regional NOW materials, including minutes, annual conference programs, newsletters, legislative lobbying, pro-choice and pro-ERA materials. Series three is national NOW materials, including nationwide bylaws; national conference programs; task force activities; boycotts; lobbying and extensive abortion rights; job discrimination; affirmative action; and ERA campaign literature.

The Toledo NOW records primarily date from 1972 to 2004, with some older and/or undated material. These records should prove to be a valuable resource for research into women's rights and politics in Northwestern Ohio.

Folder List

1		Toledo Chapter
			75th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment
	1			Correspondence, printed material, statements
	2			Photographs
			American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (A.F.S.C.M.E.), Local 544
	3			Annual Reports, 1976-1977
	4			Constitution
				Correspondence, 1976-1977
	5				Incoming
	6				Outgoing
	7			Executive Board minutes, 1973-1978
	8			Membership meeting and Steward's Council minutes, 1973-1977
	9			Newsletter, 1976-1977
	10		A.F.S.C.M.E., A.F.L.-C.I.O., Ohio P.E.O.P.L.E. Convention, 1975
	11		Awards and Proclamations
	12		Bylaws
			Campaign in support of ERA
				General
	13				1972-1977
	14				1978-1980
	15			ERA Awareness Week, Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 1981
				Marches and rallies
	16				Countdown rally for ERA ratification, June 30, 1981
	17				National ERA march, July 9, 1978
	18				National March for Women's Equality/Women's Lives, March 9, 1986; April 9, 1989
	19				National NOW-ERA walk, Aug. 23, 1980
	20				Toledo Walkathon for ERA, Sept. 24, 1977
	21				Toledo Walkathon for ERA, Sept. 26, 1981
	22			Petition campaign
	23			Statement on failure of ERA, June 30, 1982
			Candidates Night
	24			1973
	25			1974
	26			1975
	27			1977
	28		City Council candidates survey, 1983
			Clippings
	29			1980s
	30			1990s
	31			2000s
	32			Undated
			Correspondence
	33			1973
	34			1974
	35			1975
	36			1976-1977
	37			1978
	38			1979
	39			1982-1989
	40			1987-1989, 1992, 1995
	41			1993-1995
	42		Divorce Equity, Inc., Cleveland Heights, Ohio
	43		Essay Contest, 1990-1993
	44		How to run a meeting or conference
	45		League of Women Voters of Toledo-Lucas County
	46		Lists of Suffragists, Suffragettes, Voters, and Others
	47		Lysistrata Project, 3/3/03
	48		Magazines
	49		Male Chauvinist Pig Award
	50		Membership survey, 1980

2			Minutes (both general and board meeting minutes)
	1			1973
	2			1974
	3			1975
	4			1976
	5			1978-1979
	6			1980
	7			1981-1982
	8			1983-1984
	9			1995
			Miscellaneous artifacts
	10			Bumper stickers, buttons, pins
	11			Cartoon strip, post card, ribbon, "A Call to Action" (VHS)
	12			Scrapbook (folder also contains notes)
	13		National and local press releases, 1974-1984
	14		New members and membership lists, 1975-1983
	15		New members meeting, 1978-86 (includes overview of Toledo NOW history)
			Newsletters
	16			1974
	17			1975
	18			1976
	19			1977
	20			1978
	21			1979
	22			1980
	23			1981
	24			1982
	25			1983
	26			1984
	27			1985-1989
	28			Miscellaneous
	29			n.d.
	30		N.O.W. history
	31		Ohio Women's Hall of Fame
	32		Old membership lists, 1972-1982
	33		Organization for Rehabilitation through Training
	34		Organizational charts
	35		Pamphlets
	36		Pattern for NOW letters and logo
			Photographs
	37			Anti-Iraq War Protest, Jovenes Campaigns, STWW PIX (on CD; some photos inaccessible)
	38			Pro-choice March, 4/25/04 (Washington, D.C.)
	39			Pro-choice - Miscellaneous (autographed, undated)
	40			Rallies and miscellaneous historic photos
	41		Press releases, 1980s-1990s
	42		Pro-choice activities, 1975-1986
	43		Protest against violence against women, 1975-1994
	44		Rallies
	45		Sex discrimination in the workplace, 1975-1983
	46		Sex discrimination lawsuits and motions
	47		Sexual harassment - suits, clippings, announcements, 1980-1994
	48		Speaker's Bureau
	49		Survey results
			Task forces
	50			Employment Compliance
	51			Media
	52			Rape
3				Sexuality, Lesbianism and Gay Rights
	1				General
	2				1975 controversy
	3			Toledo Area Battered Women
	4			Women and Religion
	5		Tenth anniversary celebration, 1972-1982
			Title IX
	6			Complaints, how to file
	7			Dayton, Ohio, schools
	8			Explanatory materials, clippings, background papers, 1971-1976
	9			National NOW Task Force on Title IX
	10			Ohio NOW Title IX materials, 1975-1976
	11			Sexism and Education
	12			Title IX Update 1984, 1979
	13			Toledo City Advisory Committee on Sex Equality in Education
	14			Toledo Public Schools Compliance
	15		Toledo Area Coalition for Affirmative Action
	16		Toledo Area Coalition for a More Effective Ohio Civil Rights Commission
	17		Toledo Area Women's Organizational Network (W.O.N.), 1982
	18		Toledo Area Women's Organizations Coalition, 1978
	19		Toledo Coalition against Government Interference; chapter pro-choice activities, 1981-1984
	20		Toledo Issue 6: Maternal Health/Abortion Regulation Ordinance, 1979-1980
	21		Treasurer's reports, chapter finances and insurance, 1973-1984
	22		University of Toledo Chapter - membership lists, 1982 Chapter
	23		Winkle Coalition, 1989
	24		Women '74 conference
	25		Women Against Violence - Take Back the Night Rally
			Women's Equality Day
	26			August 26, 1973
	27			August 26, 1974
	28			August 26, 1976
		Ohio Chapter
			Board minutes
	29			1972-1973
	30			1974
	31			1975-1976
	32			1982-1983
	33			1984-1995
	34		Bylaws, 1974-1984
	35		Campaign to pass ERA, 1973-1974
	36		Chapter directories, 1979, 1984, 1994
	37		Child Support Bill, 1985
	38		Columbus chapter action report, 1984
			Conferences
	39			Toledo, Ohio, June 24, 1972; Nov. 16-17, 1974
	40			Cleveland, Ohio, Nov. 19-21, 1976
	41			Toledo, Ohio, Nov. 17-19, 1978
	42			Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 16-18, 1979
	43			Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 13, 1980
	44			Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 12-13, 1981
	45			Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 11-12, 1982; Oct. 23-24, 1993
	46		Feminist readings - bibliography and catalog
	47		Freedom of Choice, Ohio (coalition of pro-choice groups)
			Great Lakes Regional NOW
	48			Board Meeting minutes
	49			Conference, Chicago, Illinois, Nov. 16-18, 1984
	50		Legislative alerts, 1984
	51		Midwest NOW chapters, regional conferences, newsletter, announcements, 1972-1977
	52		Midwest Regional NOW Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, May 1-2, 1976
	53		Newsletters, 1976-1977
	54		Ohio AFL-CIO
	55		Ohio Civil Rights Commission
	56		Ohio Gay Rights Parade
	57		Ohio General Assembly Bills 1983-1984 - squeal rule and pro-ERA
	58		Ohio politics, 1982
	59		Ohio State Labor and Employment Task Force
	60		PAC state regulations and operating manual
	61		President's newsletter, 1982-1984
	62		Pro-choice, reproductive rights, human life amendment
	63		Protest against Akron abortion ordinance, 1978
	64		Sample newsletters of Ohio NOW chapters
	65		Survey of Ohio banking industry and state bank action
	66		Unfinished agenda of 1975 Governor's Task Force Report for the Implementation of the ERA
		National NOW
	67		1984 Presidential campaign
	68		Abortion and clinic violence campaign, 1983-1989
	69		Archives
			Board Minutes
	70			1973-1978
	71			1982-1984
	72			1993-1994

4	1		Bogus Abortion Clinics, 1985-1987
	2		Bylaws, 1976
	3		Proposed Bylaws changes, 1973-1978
	4		Chapter convening/chartering guidelines and services to chapters, model bylaws
	5		Civil Rights Act of 1984
	6		Committee to Combat Racism
			Conferences
	7			Los Angeles, CA, Sept. 3-6, 1971
	8			Houston, Texas, May 24-27, 1974
	9			Philadelphia, A, Oct. 24-27, 1975
	10			Detroit, MI, Apr. 22-24, 1977
	11			Washington, DC, Oct. 6-9, 1978
	12			Washington, DC, Oct. 10-12, 1981
	13			Miami Beach, Florida, 1984
	14			New Orleans, Louisiana, July 19-21, 1985
	15			Denver, Colorado, June 13-15, 1986
			Equal Rights Amendment
	16			National campaigns, 1980-1983
	17			National outreach campaign kit
	18			Pro-ERA materials, 1972-1979
	19		First Women's State of the Union Address - Jan. 13, 1977 (Karen DeCrow, President)
	20		How to influence legislators and legislation
	21		Insurance legislative action
	22		J.P. Stevens boycott campaign, 1977-1980
	23		Karen Silkwood case
	24		Legal aid and labor law materials
	25		Legal Defense and Education Fund
	26		Lesbian/gay rights 1984 project
	27		Lesbian rights resource kit, 1982
	28		Membership recruitment forms, ads, pamphlets, press releases
	29		National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year
	30		National NOW chapter phone banks guidelines and chapter directory, 1980
	31		National political activity and 1984 national political conventions
	32		NOW materials order form and list
	33		Pay equity cases
	34		Political Action Committee, 1984
	35		Pregnancy Disability Bill, 1978
	36		Sears, Roebuck & Co. vs. NOW, 1974-1975
	37		Stop Human Life Amendment campaign, 1982
			Task forces
	38			Labor Unions
	39			Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations
	40			Minority Women and Women's Rights
	41			National Politics, 1975
	42			Prostitution
	43			Volunteerism
	44			Women and the Arts
	45			Women and Poverty
	46			Women and Religion
			Walkathons
	47			Aug. 27, 1977
	48			1983
	49		Why women work
	50		Women and business
	51		Women and employment
	52		Women and Social Security
	53		“Women Can Make the Difference,” January 1982
	54		Women's employment groups
	55		Women's Truth Squad on Reagan, 1982-1984
		Clippings
	56		Toledo
	57		Ohio
	58		National
	59	Miscellaneous, 1977-1994