Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Guide to the League of Women Voters Records, 1911-1979
MS 1268MS 1269MS 1269AMS 1270MS
1271MS 1272MS 1273MS 1274MS 1275MS 1276MS 3585
No online items
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Title: League of Women Voters Records,
Date (inclusive): 1911-1979
Collection number: MS 1268
MS 1269
MS 1269A
MS 1270
MS 1271
MS 1272
MS 1273
MS 1274
MS 1275
MS 1276
MS 3585
MS 1269
MS 1269A
MS 1270
MS 1271
MS 1272
MS 1273
MS 1274
MS 1275
MS 1276
MS 3585
Creator:
League of Women Voters, 1921-
Extent: 46 lft.
Repository:
California Historical Society, North Baker Library
San Francisco, California 94105-4014
Language:
English.
League of Women Voters
PARTIALLY ARRANGED COLLECTION: Inquiries concerning these materials should be directed,
in writing, to the Director of Library & Archives.
Copyright has not been assigned to The North Baker Research Library. All requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the
Library Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The North Baker
Research Library 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.
[Identification of item], League of Women Voters Records. [MS 1268, MS 1269, MS 1269A, MS
1270, MS 1271, MS 1272, MS 1273, MS 1274, MS 1275, MS 1276, or MS 3585], California
Historical Society, North Baker Research Library.
Following the triumphant campaign for California suffrage in 1911, many politically active
women joined the California Civic League. Guided by a conscious design of drawing together
on terms of equality representatives of as many social groups as possible for the specific
purpose of study and service in the field of politics and civics, league members embarked on
an aggressive reform program.
Impressed by their achievements, feminist Carrie Chapman Catt encouraged the California
Civic League to merge with the recently formed League of Women Voters. The California women
agreed to the merger, and in 1921 adopted the name California Civic League of Women Voters.
(Their name was later changed in 1925 to the California League of Women Voters, and to the
League of Women Voters of California in 1946.)
The new league stressed the need for non-partisan politics in order to prepare the new
woman voter to be an efficient voting citizen. Reacting strongly to the aftermath of World
War One and the Teapot Dome Scandals, the league directed their efforts toward international
cooperation to prevent war, and needed legislation for effective government. Launching on a
full program of political education, they conducted study sessions, offered lecture series,
explained ballot selections, interviewed public officials and published the results.
Not as radical as the earlier suffrage organizations in either tactics or philosophy, the
League nevertheless initiated an effective program by combining education and activism.
Among their early successful efforts was the 1923 radification of the Child Labor Laws; the
1937 reorganization of California education; the 1937 fight for the right of women to sit on
juries; and, the 1945 establishment of the Department of Mental Hygiene.
Since the 1940s the League has developed an increasingly sophisticated organization on the
national, state and local level. While their voter educations programs have received the
most publicity, members have also been active gathering facts on issues, discussing them and
consequently, reaching a League consensus. Once a position was agreed upon, it became part
of the action program and was referred to as a Continuing Responsibility.
Previous to the 1970's feminist movement, the League was one of the few political
organizations open only to women. The League was in the unique position to provide women
with the opportunity to develop leadership skills, to gain organizational knowledge, and to
maintain an extensive social network. Inheriting the strong tradition of female reformers of
the last two centuries, the League is still considered a watchguard against political
corruption.
The League of Women Voters extensive collection consists of over fifty years of
correspondence, minutes, reports, financial records, audio tapes and a documentary film.
Included are League publications, printed materials and newspaper clippings depicting the
development and achievements of the League throughout the 20th century.
The organizational records are grouped into three primary categories. The San Francisco
Center or the League of Women Voters of San Francisco, consists of a history of the center,
minutes, reports and various published articles. Local League records comprise a substantial
portion of the collection, often including the original membership application. The Board
reports, annual conventions and Continuing Responsibilities of the League of Women Voters of
California make up the third major category.
The list of Continuing Responsibilities is an impressive list of the major social issues in
California from the 1920's through the 1970's. Diverse campaigns for political reforms such
as the 1932 founding of the California Institute for Women at Tehachapi; the 1940's fight
for the revision of the State Constitution; the 1950's debates over United States
participation in the United Nations; the 1960's struggle for fair housing, education and
voter registration; and, the 1970's confrontation with urban pollution and city
planning.
Well documented also are the voter education programs. Workshop notes, lecture series and
printed materials are contained in the collection. There are also samplings of the manner in
which the League questioned candidates on campaign issues; how they presented the ideas to
the public; and, the process by which they tabulated voter trends.
The documentary film, We Will Not Do Nothing, is a capsulized view of how the League
approaches issues from the initial process through the election itself. It is an account of
the 1970 Hunter's Point initiative for improved education. Coupled with the printed
materials, the film offers an additional perspective into the workings of the League and its
relationship with the public.
General Information about the League, such as the by-laws, budgets and membership lists is
also available. An interesting addition are the notes of the various committee members
explaining methods of how to conduct meetings, draw out personalities and manage difficult
situations. Much of the correspondence is concerned with strategies but there are occasional
letters responding to the attacks directed at the League for some of its less popular
stances.
This collection is extremely valuable for anyone interested in the history of the League of
Women Voters, history of womens' organizations, civic reform of the 20th century and
California history. A general knowledge of United States history would be helpful in order
to place some of the events and issues into historical context. This is particularly true
for such controversial issues as the United Nations and California's Proposition 14 in
1964.
- Brown, Edmund, 10/4/60 (TLS) 2/9/60 (TLS)
- California Institute for Women at Tehachapi, 1932-1934
- California--Politics and Government
- Prisons--California
- San Francisco--Government
- Woman--Employment--California
- Women in California
- California--Politics and Government
- Prisons--California
- San Francisco--Government
- Woman--Employment--California
- Women in California
- California--Politics and Government
- Discrimination in Housing
- Education--San Francisco
- Feinstein, Dianne, 11/5/70 (TLS)
- Moscone, George, 7/23/68 (TLS) 7/10/69 (TLS) 7/27/71 (TLS)
- Murphy, George, 8/23/66 (TLS) 10/4/68 (TLS) 2/27/69 (TLS) 3/23/70 (TLS)
- San Francisco--Public Schools
- United Nations--San Francisco
- Women in California
- Acheson, Dean, 2/28/50 (TLS)
- Alioto,Joseph, 5/14/68 (TLS)
- Brown, Edmund, 9/11/59 (TLS) 9/19/60 (TLS)
- Discrimination in Education
- Discrimination in Housing
- Education--San Francisco, 1960-1969
- Hoover, Herbert, 3/4/59 (TLS)
- Moscone, George, 11/14/64 (TLS) 3/26/68 (TLS) 9/24/71 [UNK]
- San Francisco Center
- San Francisco--Government
- Shelley, John, 11/15/52 (TLS) 7/21/64 (TLS) 2/10/64 (TLS)
- 11/9/64 (TLS) 6/8/65 (TLS)
- United Nations--San Francisco
- Water Supply-San Francisco
- Women in California
- Johnson, Lady Bird, 6/12/65 (TLS)
- Moscone, George, 5/8/70 (TLS) 5/28/71 (TLS)
- California--Politics and Government
- Discrimination in Housing
- Education--San Francisco
- San Francisco--Government
- San Francisco--Public Schools
- United Nations--San Francisco
- Water Rights--San Francisco
- Water Supply--San Francisco
- Women in California
An incomplete set of the
California State
Bulletin
has been transferred to the Library's Periodical File.
The original photographs have been transferred to the photograph
collection.