HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG4129.AM: International Women’s Year, Nebraska Coalition
Records, 1974-1977
Organization for Equality of Women
Size: 0.5 cu.ft.; 1 box
HISTORICAL NOTE
President of the United States Richard Nixon designated the year 1975 as International Women’s Year in the United States on January 30, 1974. He called upon the Congress and the people of the United States, interested groups organizations, officials of the federal, state, and local governments, educational institutions, and all others who could be of help, to begin immediately to provide for the observance of International Women’s Year.
The aims of the International Women’s Year were to provide practical and constructive measures for the advancement of the status of women. An emphasis in the role of women in the economy, their accomplishments in the professions, in Government, in the arts and humanities, and in their role as wives and mothers were given.
The Nebraska International Women’s Year coalition was headed by Jean O’Hara, the NIWY Coordinator. Meetings were held in the Lincoln area approximately once a month. Conferences, dinners, and other activities were arranged for the observance of International Women’s Year.
In 1977, the International Women’s year organization held a National Women’s Conference in Houston, Texas. The main topics of this conference dealt with issues such as abortion and equal pay for women. Each state held elections to select delegates to attend the conference. The Nebraska Coalition selected 16 delegates and five alternates to represent their state.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection of the records of the International Women’s Year, Nebraska Coalition, is arranged in the two series: 1) National materials, 1974-1977; and 2) Nebraska materials, 1974-1977. The materials in this collection relate to the operations of the International Women’s Year, both on the national level and the Nebraska Coalition.
The records of Series 1 are national materials, specifically dealing with the organizing of the National Women’s conference in Houston, Texas on November 18-21, 1977. They are included to provide a broader context and to help explain the materials on the Nebraska Coalition. Series 2 contains records on the Nebraska Coalition of the International Women’s Year. These records include minutes, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and a chairperson’s scrapbook.
The collection is relatively small in bulk, but the Nebraska Coalition materials seem to be quite complete. These materials, used in context with the National materials, provide an accurate and fairly complete picture of the organization. The materials could be best used if researching topics such as the National Women’s Conference in Houston and women’s liberation movements in Nebraska.
INVENTORY
Series 1 – National materials, 1974-1977
Box 1
Folder
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- Correspondence, 1977
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- Press releases, 1974-1977
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- Publications, 1974-1977
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- Publications, 1974-1977 (cont.)
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- Newspaper clippings, 1977
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- Miscellany, 1975-1977 (Includes updates, information sheets, and agendas for the International Women’s Year Conference)
Series 2 – Nebraska materials, 1974-1977
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- Minutes, 1974-1976
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- Correspondence, 1974-1977
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- Press releases, 1974-1977
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- Brochures, 1977
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- Newspaper clippings, 1977
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- Chairperson’s scrapbook pages, 1977
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- Miscellany, 1974-1977 (Includes meeting agendas and programs, delegate information, and treasurer’s report)
Subject headings:
Abortion
Equal rights
Feminism
International Women’s Year
Women — Government policy
Women’s rights
PJEksa 07-1990
Revised TMM 04-12-2019