National Organization for Women Whatcom County Chapter records, 1972-1977

Overview of the Collection

Creator
National Organization for Women Whatcom County Chapter
Title
National Organization for Women Whatcom County Chapter records
Dates
1972-1977 (inclusive)
1974-1977 (bulk)
Quantity
0.5 linear feet.
Collection Number
XOE_CPNWS0134now (collection)
Summary
The National Organization for Women (NOW), Whatcom County Chapter formed circa 1973 in Bellingham, Washington. The chapter’s mission was to promote full and equal participation of women in mainstream society. The records span the dates 1972-1977 and include administrative and program materials, and publications and clippings.
Repository
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English.
Sponsor
Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the Washington State Legislature to the Washington Women's History Consortium. Funding for encoding the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The National Organization for Women (NOW), Whatcom County Chapter, formed circa 1973 in Bellingham, Washington following the formation of the Washington State Chapter of NOW in 1972. The Whatcom County Chapter’s mission was to promote full and equal participation of women in mainstream society.

The chapter held regular meetings and fundraisers and, beginning in 1974, distributed a monthly newsletter to its members. The group also created task forces and facilitated workshops focused on women’s issues such as sexual violence and discrimination in educational systems. Other areas of focus were the image of women in society, equal rights, housing and financial concerns, and reproductive rights.

The group dissolved in 1977 due to decreasing membership and participation. This collection documents the activities of a progressive group of women and men in Whatcom County during the seventies and highlights feminist activism in Northwest Washington.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The National Organization for Women (NOW) Whatcom County Chapter Records span the dates 1972-1977 and document the activities of a local feminist group and their pursuit of equal rights and improving women’s situation within society.

Administrative materials span the period of 1972-1977 and contain the bylaws of the Washington State Chapter of NOW, and documents regarding the formation of the Whatcom County Chapter, handwritten meeting minutes, membership applications and mailing lists, and instructions and sample stationary.

Program materials span the years 1974-1976 and contain correspondence, flyers and notices, questionnaires, interviews, instructions, and reports about the organization’s various advocacy efforts. The materials include records of the chapter’s Sexual Violence/Rape Task Force and documents related to their coordination with the Seattle Chapter in conducting workshops about sexual discrimination in educational systems. There are also materials related to the chapter’s work with NARAL to support the pro-choice movement and advocate for abortion and reproductive rights. Other materials include brochures advocating equal rights, improving the image of women in society, and efforts to create shelters for battered women and ensure adequate childcare for women in need.

Publications date from 1974-1977 and include an incomplete set of Women’s Newsletter, the official NOW Whatcom County Chapter publication. There is also one issue of the NOW Snohomish County Chapter newsletter, newspaper articles about NOW activities and other relevant women’s issues, various clippings and notes, and three non-NOW women’s newsletters: Priorities, Northwest Passage, and The Spokeswoman.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

National Organization for Women Whatcom County Chapter records, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The National Organization for Women Whatcom County Chapter records are organized according to the following series arrangement:

  • Series I: Administrative Materials 1972-1977
  • Series II: Program Materials 1974-1976
  • Series III: Publications and clippings 1974-1977

Custodial History

Unkown

Processing Note

During processing, duplicate materials were removed and some newspapers of inadequate condition were replaced with preservation copies.

Processing Note

About Harmful Language and Content

To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see the following Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I:  Administrative Materials, 1972-1977 Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Bylaws for the Washington State branch of NOW
 1972-1973
1/2
Materials about the formation of the NOW Whatcom County Chapter
 circa 1972
Membership
1974-1977
Box/Folder
1/3
Applications
 undated
1/4
Mailing lists
 1974-1977
Box/Folder
1/5
Minutes and Reports
 1976 June-November
1/6
Instructions for addressing the press and sample stationary
 undated

Series II:  Program Materials, 1974-1976 Return to Top

This series contains cooerspondence from the Feminist Coordinating Council regarding equal rights, the Washington State Women's Council and the Coalition of Women and Religion regarding housing, and a brochure advertising the Chrysalis Women's Union Cooperative at Fairhaven College.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/7
Sexual Violence/Rape Task Force materials
 1974
1/8
Sexual violence and educational systems
 1974
1/9
NARAL - Right to Choose
 1976
1/10
Equal rights
 1976
1/11
Image of women
 1975-1976
1/12
Housing and childcare
 1976
1/13
Women and banking
 1976
1/14
Reference materials
 circa 1974-1975

Series III:  Publications and clippings, 1974-1977Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/15
Women's Newsletter - NOW Whatcom County Chapter official publication
 1974-1977
1/16
NOW Snohomish County Newsletter
 1976 August
1/17
Newspaper articles
 circa 1970s
1/18
Clippings
 circa 1970s
Non-NOW women's publications
1974-1976
Box/Folder
1/19
Priorities
1975 August
1/20
Northwest Passage
1974 July/August and 1975 August
1/21
The Spokeswoman
1976 July 15

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Abortion -- Law and legislation -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
  • Feminists -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
  • Sex discrimination -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
  • Women -- Crimes against -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
  • Women -- Social Conditions -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
  • Women -- Societies and clubs -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
  • Women -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
  • Women in community organization -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
  • Women social reformers -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.
  • Women's rights -- Washington (State) -- Whatcom County -- History -- Sources.

Corporate Names

  • National Organization for Women Whatcom County Chapter (creator)

Finding aid prepared by Rozlind Koester
2007

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