The IWY-1977 Collection contains correspondence, photographs, publications, minutes of meetings, newspaper clippings, artifacts and oral history interviews. Five women who participated in the IWY-1977 deposited their,papers in the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the Fall of 1977. Jean Berg, Chair of the State Coordinating Committee, deposited the official records (or copies) of the Coordinating Committee, including correspondence, minutes of the meetings, and material from the National Commission. In addition, she donated her personal correspondence relating to the IWY-1977. Peggy Keilholz, a member of the State Delegation, donated publications, artifacts, correspondence and the minutes from the Delegation's meetings. Ann O'Donnell, Chair of the Missouri Delegation and a member of the Coordinating Committee, gathered handouts at the IWY-Houston meeting and donated these along with copies of the briefs from the delegation's suits. Patricia Rice, member of the Coordinating Committee and reporter for the Post-Dispatch covering the Houston meeting, deposited flyers, publications, and press material. Martha Shirk, staff writer for the Post-Dispatch, added more flyers, publications and press releases. In addition, the collection contains 5 oral history interviews with: Lois Barrett; who organized a charter bus for the non-delegate caucus to go to Houston; Jean Berg; Peggy Keilholz; Ann O'Donnell; and Wilda Worley, alternate delegate to Houston; who was eventually seated when one of the regular delegates left.
The United States Congress authorized IWY-1977 under Public Law 94-167 and funded both state and national meetings by a grant through the National Commission on Observance of International Women's Year. The Missouri grant totaled $59,854.00. A Missouri State Coordinating Committee was appointed, with Jean Berg named as Chair. The Coordinating Committee conducted the Missouri State Meeting and handled the state grant. The Missouri State Meeting in Observance of International Women's Year was held at Washington University, St. Louis, June 3-5, 1977. At this meeting, individuals registered to vote for delegates to the national meeting and attended workshops to pro- pose recommendations to improve the status of women. The delegation which was elected, committed themselves to an anti-abortion and for the most part, anti- ERA platform, while the recommendations, which were passed, favored both pro- choice and the ERA. Attempts to challenge the Missouri Delegation as being unrepresentative of the women of Missouri were rejected by the National Commission.
The Delegation itself, filed unsuccessful suits charging that the recommendations were not passed by the majority of the registered voters and therefore invalid. The Missouri Delegation also decided to conduct their meetings in private and so the Coordinating Committee refused to finance their transportation or mailing expenses for these meetings and in fact returned $14,000 of the Missouri Grant.
In October an Ad-Hoc Committee was formed to send a non-delegate caucus, committed to abortion rights and the ERA, to the Houston meeting to represent Missouri. Following the Houston meeting, the State Delegation concentrated on preparing a minority report to submit to Congress along with the majority report.
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1
1. University of Missouri-St. Louis IWY Campus Coalition, correspondence, flyers, and poster, 1974-1975
2. International Women's Day in St. Louis, committee minutes and reports, 1974-1975
3. International Women's Day in St. Louis, programs, 1975
4. Internaitonal Women's Day in St. Louis, promotional material handed out at booths, 1975
5. St. Louis International Women's Year Newsletters, 1975
6. National newsletters and circulars, 1974-1975
7. Newspaper Clippings, 1974-1975
8. Decade for Women, 1975-1985
9. International Women's Day flyer, 1980
10. St. Louis Women's Fair, correspondence, flyers, poster, 1975
11. St. Louis Women's Fair, minutes and reports, 1975
12. St. Louis Women's Fair, honorary sponsors and donors, 1975
13. St. Louis Women's Fair, budget, 1975
14. St. Louis Women's Fair, bills, 1975
15. St. Louis Women's Fair, Cash Receipts, 1975
16. St. Louis Women's Fair, Cash Reimbursment forms, 1975
BOX 2
17. St. Louis Women's Fair, Lists, 1975
18. St. Louis Women's Fair, Publicity and press releases, 1975
19. St. Louis Women's Fair, exhibitors-crafts, 1975
20. St. Louis Women's Fair, exhibitors-problem solvers, 1975
21. Manual for State and Territorial IWY Coordinating Committees (from the National Commission)
22. Feb-Nov 1977, Circular Letters, National Commission to State Commissions
23. 1976-1977,National Commission newsletters, updates and releases to State Commissions
24. Jan-Apr 1977,National Commission Agenda Letters, Numbers 1-29, to State Commissions
25. Feb-Oct 1977, Mo. State Coordinating Committee, minutes and agendas
26. Feb-Apr 1977, Correspondence, Mo. State Coordinating Committee
27. May 1977, Correspondence, Mo. State Coordinating Committee
28. June 1977, Correspondence, Mo. State Coordinating Committee
29. Jul-Dec 1977, Correspondence, Mo. State Coordinating Committee
30. "Operation Outreach", mailing lists and related correspondence
BOX 3
31. Apr-May 1977, "Speak Outs" reports, correspondence, lists
32. Finances and Budget, Mo. State Coordinating Committee
33. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Registration Forms, lists, and letters
34. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Roster of Attendance
35. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Nominee forms
36. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Nominations and Ballotting results
37. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Arts and Humanities Workshop
38. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Childcare Workshop
39. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Credit and Insurance Workshop
40. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Displaced Homemakers Workshop
41. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Education Workshop
42. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Employment Workshop
43. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Female Offenders Workshop
44. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, International Interdependence Workshop
45. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Law and Family Economics Workshop
46. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Older Women Workshop
47. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Racism/Sexism Workshop
48. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Reproductive Decisions Workshop
49. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Victims of Violence Workshop
50. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Women in Elective and Appointive Office Workshop
51. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Women's Health Workshop
52. Missouri State Meeting--Reports and Recommendations
53. Missouri State Meeting--Official Report of the Chair of the Coordinating Committee
54. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Report Request
55. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Flyers, handouts, and miscellaneous from Mo. State Meeting
BOX 4
56. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Speeches and remarks, Mo. State meeting
57. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Financial Aid request letters
58. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Arrangements
59. Missouri State Meeting June 1977, Invitations and Regrets
60. Missouri State Delegation, Jun-Aug, 1977, Challenges to Mo. State Delegation
61. Missouri State DelegationJun-Dec, 1977. Coordinating Committee and Mo. State Delegation, Correspondence
62. Jun-Nov 1977, Missouri State Delegation,minutes
63. Alternate Resolutions and amendments of the Mo. State Delegation
64. Jun-Nov, Missouri State Delegation,corrnspondence, lists, circulars
65. Missouri Delegation, legal briefs
66. Sept-Nov 1977, Citizen's Review Committee Newsletter
67. Sept-Nov 1977, Ad-Hoc Steering Committee and IWY Non-delegates, correspondence, flyers, newsletters
68. Other State IWY meetings, newsletters, flyers
69. Speeches and remarks, Houston Meeting Nov 1977
70. "Proposed National Plan of Action", Houston Meeting Nov 1977
71. International Interdependence Resolution and background information, Houston Meeting Nov 1977
72. Substitute resolutions, Houston Meeting Nov 1977
73. Convention Packet, schedule of events, delegates list, invitations, Houston Meeting Nov 1977
74. Information bulletins, calendars, programs, maps, Houston Meeting Nov 1977
75. Press Information, Houston Meeting Nov 1977
76. "National Women's Conference Daily Bulletins" No. 1-3, Houston Meeting Nov 1977
77. Handouts--flyers, leaflets and miscellaneous, Houston Meeting Nov 1977
78. Handouts--sample newspapers, Houston Meeting Nov 1977
79. "Daily Breakthrough", Houston Meeting Nov 1977
80. The Conscience of the Conference: Report of the Missouri Delegation
BOX 5
81. Indiana State Meeting Report, International Women's Year 1977
82. Proposed National Plan of Action
83. The Year that Became a Decade, 1976
84. "Resolutions adopted by Delegates to the National Women's Conference"
85. To Form a More Perfect Union
86. Newsclippings, Houston meeting, 1977
87. Newsclippings, Missouri, 1977
88. Newsclippings, Missouri, 1977
89. Artifacts, includes a printing block and a couple of ribbons
90. Photographs, 228.1-228.32
BOX 6
91. 16mm Film, Decade of Our Destiny14 min., 1977
92. Oral history tapes
T228.1 Jean Berg, 2 tapes
T228.2 Ann O'Donnell, 1 tape
T228.3 Lois Barrett,1 tape
T228.4 Peggy Keilholz, 2 tapes
T228.5 Wilda Worley, 1 tape
BOX 7
93. Registration forms for June 1977 meeting
INDEX
Equal Rights Amendment
International Women's Year
St. Louis Women's Fair
WESTERN HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
8001 NATURAL BRIDGE ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
whmc@umsl.edu