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National Organization for Women, Jacksonville, Florida, and Jacksonville Women's Movement Collection

 Collection — Container: M09-5
Identifier: M09-5

Scope and Contents

The collection contains subject files which chronicle the formative years and development of the Jacksonville, Florida chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Jacksonville Women's Movement from 1969 to 2002. Resources include printed materials, such as correspondence, publications, newspaper clippings, newsletters, publicity announcements and flyers of local activities, event programs, and early telephone and membership lists. The subject contents are primarily local in scope with some Florida and national coverage of marches and other events. General feminist literature and national NOW publications provide additional background information on relevant social and political issues. Of special interest is a scrapbook entitled "Jacksonville Women's Movement, 1970-1976," which provides documentation of the initial founding, and outreach efforts of the local women's movement, including NOW chapter organizational materials and questionaires sent to local political candidates. Other items in the scrapbook pertain to the Jacksonville Women's Political Caucus, Alliance for the Equal Rights Amendment, Options, Inc., the Rape Crisis Center, and Hubbard House. The collection also contains printed materials from the three anniversary reunions of the NOW Jacksonville chapter and Women's Movement held on August 28-30, 1986, August 26, 1990, and March 9, 1991. A videorecording of the March 9, 1991 reunion provides unique visual highlights of the event.

Dates

  • Created: 1969-2002
  • Other: Majority of material found in 1970-1976
  • Other: Date acquired: 01/01/2009

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research. For additional information and to make an appointment to view the collection, contact (904) 620-1533 or email: lib-special@unf.edu

Biographical or Historical Information

The Jacksonville, Florida chapter of the National Organization for Women was founded on August 26, 1970. On January 3, 1971, NOW Jacksonville was granted a national charter. Early functions of the organization included outreach and lobbying activities: forming consciousness raising groups; lobbying city officials to appoint more women to public boards and commissions; disseminating questionnaires to candidates running for local political office; producing a first newsletter (NOW, Jacksonville Call to Action); exploring day care services in Jacksonville; forming a speaker's bureau for lecture engagements and panels; sponsoring a symposium on abortion law; participating in national affirmative action projects; spearheading the local Alliance for Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment; helping to organize the Duval County Women's Political Caucus; and opening the women's self-help center, Options, Inc. In 1974, NOW Jacksonville started the Women's Rape Crisis Center, and in the next two years, helped to finance the opening of Hubbard House to provide counseling and aid to battered women. In October 1975, NOW Jacksonville officially separated from the Jacksonville Women's Movement, which incorporated as a separate organization. The materials were collected by Vicki L. Wengrow, the first Convenor of the NOW Jacksonville chapter and one of its founding Directors in 1970. Wengrow remained an activist in the Women's Movement and NOW Jacksonville for many years.

Note written by

Extent

5.80 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection contains subject files which chronicle the formative years and development of the Jacksonville, Florida chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Jacksonville Women's Movement from 1969 to 2002. Resources include printed materials, such as correspondence, publications, newspaper clippings, newsletters, publicity announcements and flyers of local activities, event programs, and early telephone and membership lists. The subject contents are primarily local in scope with some Florida and national coverage of marches and other events. General feminist literature and national NOW publications provide additional background information on relevant social and political issues.

Arrangement Note

Arranged by series; chronological within folder.

Source of Acquisition

Gift of Vicki L. Wengrow, 2009

Method of Acquisition

The materials were acquired by UNF Library Special Collections and University Archives on 01/01/1999.

Related Materials

NEWSLETTERS: NOW, Jacksonville call to action. Jacksonville, Fl.: Jacksonville NOW. Library holds: v. 1: no. 1-v.1:no. 16 (1970:Nov-1972:Nov. 1) Jacksonville women's movement. Jacksonville, Fl.: Jacksonville NOW. Library holds: 1973:Jan.1-1976:Mar. The Monthly pause. Jacksonville, Fl.: Jacksonville Women's Movement. Library holds: 1976:Apr.-1977:Aug. WOMEN'S HISTORY COLLECTIONS: Papers of the Women's Public Leadership Consortium. The purpose of this group was to provide a forum for Jacksonville women in higher education to exchange ideas on subjects of current interest and concern, to sponsor innovative programs for political education, and to encourage women's political and public leadership. The collection provides an overview of the group’s activities from 1979-1994. Women's History Month (Jacksonville, Fla.) Collection. This collection consists of twenty-four framed posters since their inception in 1986 to 2010, and other printed materials relating to Women's History Month activities in Jacksonville. The framed posters can be viewed on the third floor of the Library. The majority of the materials were donated to the Library by the Mayor's Commission on the Status of Women in 2007-2010. An extensive contents list is available for viewing at the Carpenter Library web site. Information about related materials is available at http://www.unf.edu/library/specialcollections/manuscripts/collections/National_Organization_for_Women.aspx

Title
National Organization for Women, Jacksonville, Florida, and Jacksonville Women's Movement Collection
Author
Collection Description/Finding Aid prepared by Eileen D. Brady.
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Part of the UNF Library Special Collections and University Archives Repository

Contact:
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville FL 32224 US
904-620-1533