Finding Aid for the Betty Jetter papers, 1981-1988
LSC.1983
Finding aid prepared by Stacy Wood, 2012; Sabrina Ponce, 2017; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1575
(310) 825-4988
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Finding aid last updated 20 November 2017.
Title: Betty Jetter papers
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.1983
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
3.0 linear feet
(2 boxes, 1 carton, 1 shoe box, and 1 flat box)
Date (inclusive): 1972-1993
Abstract: Betty Jetter was active in lesbian separatist communities and conversations, particularly with the Califia Community, which
organized feminist educational retreats. She was also a poet and participant in local lesbian politics. This collection contains
personal correspondence and material about Califia community organizing and feminist organization Sol Sisters, as well as
ephemera, photographs, and collected readings.
Language of Materials: Materials are in English.
Physical Location: Stored off-site at SRLF. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button
located on this page.
Creator:
Jetter, Betty, 1932-
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. All requests to access special collections material must be made in
advance using the request button located on this page.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Betty Jetter papers (Collection 1983). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Elizabeth S. Jetter, 2012.
Processing History
Processed by Stacy Wood, 2012. Description enhanced and further physical processing completed by Sabrina Ponce in 2017.
Sponsor
The
June L. Mazer Lesbian Archive at UCLA is an outreach and collection-building partnership between the
June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives , the
UCLA Center for the Study of Women (CSW) , and the
UCLA Library . These collections expand the pool of primary source materials available to researchers and to the community at large. This
partnership was initiated by CSW and is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to inventory, organize,
preserve, and digitize more than eighty Mazer collections pertaining to lesbian and feminist activism and writings.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography/History
Betty Jetter was active in lesbian separatist communities and conversations, particularly with the Califia community. She
was also a poet and participant in local lesbian politics.
Scope and Content
The bulk of the collection is made up of both audio and paper correspondence between Betty Jetter and her former lover, Joy
Howard. The correspondence deals with both women's experiences within the lesbian community as well as their opinions and
thoughts on contemporary political issues such as sadomasochism, lesbian separatism, and pornography. In addition, there is
a substantial amount of material about Califia Community retreats for women and the feminist group Sol Sisters, as well as
readings, poems, photographs, and ephemera created or collected by Betty Jetter.
Organization and Arrangement
Materials arranged by subject.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
COLLECTION CONTAINS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: Audiovisual materials in this collection will require assessment and possible digitization
for safe access. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Related Material
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Jetter, Betty, 1932- -- Archives.
June L. Mazer Lesbian Archive at UCLA.
June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives.
Lesbian activists--United States--Archives.
Box 2, Folders 1-17
Correspondence
circa 1981-1983
Scope and Content
Letters from Joy Howard to Betty Jetter discussing their relationship, lesbian oppression, patriarchy, academics, feminist
activism, motherhood, personal matters and other topics.
General note
Correspondence may be carefully removed from sheet protectors for consultation.
Box 4, Folder 1
Califia: Registration
1982-1983
Scope and Content
Registration forms and letters, directions to the campsite, rules and regulations as well as other pertinent information for
the duration of Califia Community, a feminist educational retreat which Betty Jetter participated in.
Box 4, Folder 2
Califia: Registration, special needs
1983
Scope and Content
Registration information for attendees of Califia with special needs or low income.
Box 4, Folder 3
Califia: Flyers
1983
Scope and Content
Mock-ups for Califia flyers.
Box 4, Folder 4
Califia: Rosters
1983-1984
Box 4, Folder 5
Califia: Evaluations
1983-1984
Box 4, Folder 6
Califia: Packets
May 1980
Scope and Content
Packet covering rules, regulations, activities and goals of the Califia Community.
Box 1, Folder 1
Sol Sisters: Newsletter mock-ups
January 1984-January 1986
Scope and Content
Mock-ups of the newsletter published by Sol Sisters, a group "organized for Social and Political purposes in order to create
a safe environment for women working towards a feminist reality."
Box 4, Folder 7
Sol Sisters: Newsletter guidelines
1984
Box 4, Folder 8
Sol Sisters: Mailing list
undated
Box 4, Folder 9
Sol Sisters: Questionnaires
undated
Box 4, Folder 10
Poems
1982
Scope and Content
Poems by Betty Jetter.
Box 4, Folder 11
Readings and published materials
circa 1972-1983
Scope and Content
Various published materials concerning lesbian culture and political issues including discussions of lesbian separatism and
sadomasochism, some of which were written by Jetter.
Box 4, Folder 12
Ephemera
circa 1981-1986
Scope and Content
Assorted materials including stickers, programs for events, and cartoons.
Box 4, Folders 13-17
Photographs
circa 1988-1990
Scope and Content
Photographs of Califia retreats, personal cruises and other social events.
Box 4, Folder 18
Journal
undated
Scope and Content
Handwritten excerpts of Betty Jetter's journal.
Box 3
Publications, audiocassettes, and ephemera
1975-1993
Scope and Content
Includes published novels, zines and buttons collected by Betty Jetter. Also includes three audio cassettes of readings and
performances as well as one documentary on VHS.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
COLLECTION CONTAINS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: Audiovisual materials in this collection will require assessment and possible digitization
for safe access. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Box 5
Audio Correspondence
October 1981-March 1982
Scope and Content
Includes 17 audio cassettes recording personal correspondence sent to Betty Jetter by Joy Howard. Also written on an empty
cassette case are the words "March 1, 1982 Joy to Me #16," but no corresponding cassette is included.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
COLLECTION CONTAINS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: Audiovisual materials in this collection will require assessment and possible digitization
for safe access. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Box 5
Telephone Tapes
October 1981-May 1982
Scope and Content
Includes 21 audio cassette recordings of telephone conversations between Betty Jetter and Joy Howard, with one tape including
a reading of Jeffrey Week's "Sexuality and Nuclear War."
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
COLLECTION CONTAINS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: Audiovisual materials in this collection will require assessment and possible digitization
for safe access. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Box 5
Psychic session
October 5, 1981
Scope and Content
One audio cassette containing "Past life with Joy Howard" on side 1 and "Summation by Helen Rosenstock - Her impressions of
Joy and myself" on side 2.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
COLLECTION CONTAINS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: Audiovisual materials in this collection will require assessment and possible digitization
for safe access. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
