Collection Guide
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Sisterspirit Records
MSS.2019.09.17
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: Sisterspirit Records
creator:
Sisterspirit
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.2019.09.17
Physical Description:
11 boxes
14.25
Date (inclusive): ca. 1983-2019
Physical Description: Good overall. Materials were in donor's garage.
Abstract: This collection consists of 11 boxes of administrative/business records, photographs, meeting minutes, ephemera, and financial
records. The date range for this collection is 1983-2019.
This collection is arranged into 6 series: I. Administrative Records, II. Bookselling at San Jose State University, III. Coffeehouse
Events, IV. Photos, V. Press and Publicity, and VI. Ephemera and Personal items. At the folder level, items are arranged by
alphabetical and chronological order.
In 1984, 4 women – Mary Jeffrey, Marilyn Cook, Karen Hester, and Amy Caffrey – founded Sisterspirit Bookstore, a women's bookstore
and coffeehouse where women could socialize and enjoy live music. The group's mission statement was: "To promote women's culture
and community in the South Bay Area, to help unify and strengthen the South Bay women's community and provide a multicultural
information center to enable networking with other women's groups and communities. To develop and promote educational projects
responsive to human, civil, and women's rights. To teach and promote women's culture by providing a meeting place for all
women, by providing space and support for local women's artistic works, by providing information on women's history, women's
music, women's literature, etc. by providing a women's bookstore and coffeehouse. To work in solidarity with other women's
organizations on projects and events which support women's issues and culture." By 1985, Sisterspirit became a fully-fledged
non-profit organization, selling books and records by mail.
By 1986, Sisterspirit joined with the Billy DeFrank Center and opened a physical bookstore, in which they held regular coffeehouses
with live music or author book-signings. Sisterspirit also sold books for students at San Jose State University. Sisterspirit
became a space for women and LGBTQ+ people in San Jose. At Sisterspirit's height, the bookstore was open seven days a week,
with over 5,000 titles, along with 40 regular volunteeers.
However, by the early 2000s, Sisterspirit had lost much of their support. With an on-going recession and the South Bay rapidly
becoming more expensive, it became harder to get volunteers and to keep their space at the Billy DeFrank Cemter. Moreover,
many of the books that were once exclusive to Sistersprit could be bought online or at chain bookstores. By August 2010, Sisterspirit
sold off the last of their materials and closed. Sisterspirit was the only bookstore in the United States to be run for over
two decades by an all volunteer staff.
Sources:
https://www.queersiliconvalley.org/sisterspirit-story/
https://www.mercurynews.com/2010/08/30/san-jose-lesbians-and-feminists-mourn-loss-of-sisterspirit-books
Collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives 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. Copyright restrictions
also apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational
purposes.
Sisterspirit Records, MSS-2019-09-17, San Jose State University Library, Special Collections & Archives
Collection processed by Elena Castaneda in August 2022.
Billy DeFrank LGBT Silicon Valley Community Center Records, MSS-2004-06-07
This collection of a regional, pioneering feminist LGBTQ+ bookstore consists of 11 boxes of administrative/business records,
photographs, book-signing and performance material, book-selling information, meeting minutes, financial records, and framed
materials. Also includes posters, broadsides,stickers, buttons, and other realia. The date range for this collection is 1986-2019,
but the bulk of the material falls between 1990-2002. This collection could be useful for researchers interested in the history
of feminist/queer spaces in the South Bay.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Feminism -- United States -- History
Women's bookstores
Bay Area Nonprofit Organization
LGBT studies -- California
Gay rights -- California -- San Jose
San Jose (Calif.) -- History