Content Description
Biographical/Historical note
Arrangement
Provenance
Preferred Citation
Publication Rights
Access
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
University of California, San Francisco Archives & Special Collections
Title: Donna Shimp Papers and Environmental Improvement Associates Records
Creator:
Shimp, Donna
Creator:
Environmental Improvement Associates
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.2001.33
Physical Description:
16 Linear Feet
(11 cartons, 2 boxes and 1 oversize box)
Date (inclusive): 1975-2002
Content Description
Mrs. Shimp's records include both her personal papers as a tobacco-control activist and the records of her and her husband
Benjamin's consulting group Environmental Improvement Associates (EIA). Mrs. Shimp was the first employee to achieve a smoke-free
workplace through litigation when she won a lawsuit against her employer New Jersy Bell in 1976, and subsequently embarked
upon a career in anti-smoking activism, while continuing to work for New Jersey Bell.
The records contain biographical information and press stories about Donna Shimp and legal documents and correspondence related
to Shimp v. New Jersey Bell. Records and papers related to Mrs. Shimp's anti-smoking activism as the founder of Environmental
Improvement Associates include a large and diverse series of correspondence and subject files, documenting Mrs. Shimp's collaborations
and role as a leader in advocating for smoke-free workplaces. Mrs. Shimp's correspondence also helps to collect the experiences
of workers across the country in conflict with employers and unions in seeking smoke-free workplaces.
Books and pamphlets published by EIA are included along with draft and background information and records regarding orders
and printing.
A subseries of legal cases specifically documents legal actions where Mrs. Shimp and EIA provided advice, references or inspiration.
Other groups of records document anti-smoking activism by the American Lung Association and associated regional chapters and
participants in various conferences and workshops attended by Mrs. Shimp, including the World Conferences on Smoking and Health.
Biographical/Historical note
Donna Shimp was first employed as a Service Representative by New Jersey Bell in 1961. In 1975, having developed acute allergic
reactions to second-hand tobacco smoke prevalent in her office, she pursued legal action against New Jersey Bell. Mrs. Shimp
won her case against New Jersey Bell using the argument that she had a common law right to a safe workplace.
Mrs. Shimp, along with her husband E. Benjamin Shimp, subsequently established the non-profit organization Environmental Improvement
Associates. Under the aegis of EIA, they published several books and manuals to aid others in eradicating smoking from workplaces.
Their publications include
How to Protect Your Health at Work (1976),
Smoke-Free Work Areas (1977) and
Improving the Work Environment (1994) and others.
Mrs. Shimp became actively involved in anti-smoking advocacy, advising many people in their pursuits of smoke-free workplaces,
attending conferences and giving speeches regularly over the ensuing 25 years.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following order:
Series I: Biographical information 1975-2000
SeriesII: Shimp v. New Jersey Bell 1975-1994
Series III: Environmental Improvement Associates 1976-2001
Series IV: Audio cassettes 1976-1983
Series V: Posters and graphics 1976-1990
Series III: Environmental Improvement Associates is arranged into several subseries consisting of Foundational documents,
Correspondence and subject files, Programs and speeches, Publications, Legal cases for which Shimp/EIA provided advice or
reference, and material related to the American Lung Association.
Provenance
The Donna Shimp Papers and Environmental Improvement Associates records were donated by Donna Shimp in 2001.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Donna Shimp Papers and Environmental Improvement Associates Records, MSS 2001-33, Archives & Special
Collections, UCSF Library & CKM.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the Library & Center for Knowledge Management. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Archives & Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Library & Center for Knowledge Management as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Access
The collections is open for research. The UCSF Archives and Special Collections policy places access restrictions on material
with privacy issues for a specific time period from the date of creation. Access to records that contain personal and confidential
information about an individual or individuals is restricted for 75 years from date of creation or until the death of the
individual mentioned in the records, whichever is longer. Access to medical records is restricted for 100 years from the latest
date of the materials in those files. Restrictions are noted at the file level. This collection will be reviewed for sensitive
content upon request. Contact the UCSF Archivist for information on access to these files.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Smoking -- Law and Legislation
Passive smoking