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Zero Population Growth of Los Angeles, Inc.
Collection
URB.ZPG
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Zero Population Growth of Los Angeles, Inc. Collection
Creator:
Zero Population Growth of Los Angeles, Inc.
Identifier/Call Number: URB.ZPG
Extent:
13.49 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1960-1992
Date (bulk): 1972-1989
Abstract: The Los Angeles chapter of Zero
Population Growth (ZPG) was established in 1978. ZPG of Los Angeles' educational activities
include letter writing campaigns, donation of radio air time for public service
announcements and programs, and speeches given to community groups, high schools and
colleges. ZPG has also sponsored special events such as "Love Carefully Day" and "National
Condom Week" and outreach programs on family planning and O.P.T.I.O.N.S. (Options to
Pregnancy-Teen Information on Sexuality.) ZPG coordinates their efforts with other
population and environmental groups like Planned Parenthood and The Sierra Club. The records
of ZPG of Los Angeles document the activities, events, programs, and policies of Zero
Population Growth, Inc., as well as providing information regarding a broad variety of
social and environmental problems associated with continued increases in
population.
Language of Material: English
Zero Population Growth (ZPG) was formed in 1968. The organization has affiliations on the
national level in Washington, D.C., as well as state organizations which coordinate the
actions of the local chapters. Zero Population Growth of California was incorporated in
1971. The Los Angeles chapter of this grass roots organization was established seven years
later, in 1978.
Zero Population Growth, Inc. was concerned with larger issues relating directly to
population numbers such as abortion, teen pregnancy, immigration, family planning, and birth
control. The organization is also interested in issues which are seen as direct consequences
of the country's growing population. Environmental issues such as nuclear power, wilderness
and coastal preservation, pollution, air quality, and zoning controls are among those issues
ZPG links with population explosion.
ZPG of Los Angeles' educational activities include letter writing campaigns, donation of
radio air time for public service announcements and programs, and speeches given to
community groups, high schools, and colleges. ZPG has also sponsored special events such as
"Love Carefully Day" and "National Condom Week" and outreach programs on family planning and
O.P.T.I.O.N.S. (Options to Pregnancy-Teen Information on Sexuality).
ZPG also coordinates their efforts with other population and environmental groups like
Planned Parenthood and The Sierra Club.
The
Zero Population Growth of Los Angeles, Inc.Collection
documents the activities, events, programs, and policies of Zero Population Growth, Inc., as
well as providing information regarding a broad variety of social and environmental problems
associated with continued increases in population. It is significant to note that much of
the material found this collection is dated between 1980-1989, a time during which the
politics of this country took a decided swing towards the right. With Ronald Reagan elected
as president in 1980, the conservative forces of the nation found in him a spokesperson, and
ZPG found many of their ideals under attack. Reagan helped foster legislation which allowed
for cutbacks in federal funding to population related organizations, weakening of abortion
rights, weakening of rights of minorities (including women), and relaxation of the
Environmental Protection Agency's enforcement strength. There was also a strong political
movement against sex education, including family planning, in America's public schools. A
significant event during this time occurred at the United Nation's Fund for Population
Activities (UNFPA) International Conference on Population at Mexico City, Mexico, in 1984.
Here, the Reagan Administration announced to the world that the United States would no
longer fund global family planning efforts to such organizations who offered abortion
services to their clients. Another perceived nemesis was the Catholic Church, whose
viewpoints on population often ran counter to that of ZPG. The materials and opinions often
expressed by Elaine Stansfield as she went about the day-to-day business of running the Los
Angeles chapter reflect the effects of this change in the political climate.
The collection is arranged in nine series:
Printed Matter
(1966-1982),
Correspondence Files (1972-1982),
Administrative Files (1969-1990),
Legislative
Files
(1976-1982),
Publicity (1971-1981),
Oversized Materials (1978-1988),
Population-Affiliated Organizations (1967-1989),
Subject
Files
(1969-1989), and
Non-Manuscript Material
(1982-1989).
Series I,
Printed Matter, is divided into six subseries:
Project Files (1971-1985),
Subject Files
(1960-1982),
Reports Files (1972-1982),
Publications Files (1972-1982),
Newsletters
(1971-1983), and
Newspaper Clippings (1966-1982). The
subseries arrangement is based upon the activities of ZPG or the general types of material
as they were originally arranged at Zero Population Growth of Los Angeles' office. Documents
in this series include correspondence, newsletters, newspaper clippings, plans, publicity,
reports compiled by ZPG and other agencies, and surveys. The files in
Project Files and
Newsletters are arranged
alphabetically, and the remainder of the files in the series are arranged
chronologically.
Series II,
Correspondence Files, are arranged chronologically
according to source. Additional correspondence can be found in Series III.
Series III,
Administrative Files, contains the administrative
records documenting organizational structure, policies and procedures and include
constitutions, by-laws, financial ledgers and statements, handbooks, and minutes. Other
materials include those used to compile local newsletters, finished newsletters, and
committee files. The series has been divided into two subseries:
1984
Donation
(1971-1982), arranged alphabetically by title, and the
1989 Donation (1969-1990), arranged by ZPG chapter.
Series IV,
Legislative Files, includes agendas, bills,
resolutions, and voting records reflecting ZPG's lobbying efforts. Legislation on such
issues as immigration, population growth limits, and public funding of abortions for the
economically deprived are represented. The files are arranged alphabetically.
Series V,
Publicity, contains advertisements for magazines and
newspapers, press releases for radio spots, public relations primes and speech contact
reports. The files are arranged alphabetically by record type.
Series VI,
Oversized Materials, contains materials that require
special housing because of their size.
Series VII,
Population–Affiliated Organizations, contains the
files of several organizations which, while not directly affiliated with Zero Population
Growth, Inc., share as part of their missions concerns over population growth's impact on
the world. Notable examples include; the Ecology Center of Southern California; the Global
Tomorrow Coalition, (within which ZPG had membership); and The International Planned
Parenthood Federation and the United Nations. Similar organizations include The National
Audubon Society, The Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, Negative Population Growth, The
Population Institute, The Population Reference Bureau, and the Worldwatch Institute. The
documents include annual reports, articles, brochures, fact sheets, journals, mailers,
newsletters, pamphlets, and press releases. The files are arranged in alphabetical order by
organization.
Series VIII,
Subject Files, contains major subject areas
directly affected by population growth, but whose files were created by organizations or
persons other than those found in Series I and II. The subjects are: Animal Rights,
Environment, Family Planning, Immigration, Politics, Population, and Women's Rights. Most
areas have several sub-divisions. There is a wide variety of document types including
articles, brochures, journals, mailers, newspaper clippings, newsletters, pamphlets, papers,
and reports. This series demonstrates that the issue of population growth does not stand
alone, and it is therefore necessary for population oriented organizations to be involved
with areas beyond that of their initial field. The files are arranged in alphabetical
order.
Series IX,
Non-Manuscript Material, consists of nine audio
cassette tapes containing Werner Fornos addressing Californians for Population Stability;
Ecology Center of Southern California program "Environmental Directions" with Nancy Pearlman
interviewing various guests, 6 video cassette tapes containing ECSC's show "ECONEWS" with
Nancy Pearlman with various guests and topics; People for the American Way, 1 photograph on
animal rights, and 2 ZPG book bags.
Series I: Printed Matter, 1966-1982
Subseries A: Project Files, 1971-1985
Subseries B: Subject Files, 1960-1982
Subseries C: Reports Files, 1972-1982
Subseries D: Publications Files, 1972-1982
Subseries E: Newsletters, 1971-1983
Subseries F: Newspaper Clippings, 1966-1982
Series II: Correspondence Files, 1972-1982
Series III: Administrative Files, 1969-1990
Subseries A: 1984 Donation, 1971-1982
Subseries B: 1989 Donation, 1969-1990
Series IV: Legislative Files, 1976-1982
Series V: Publicity, 1971-1981
Series VI: Oversized Material, 1978-1988
Series VII: Population-Affiliated Organizations, 1967-1989
Series VIII: Subject Files, 1969-1989
Series IX: Non-Manuscript Material, 1982-1989
The collection is open for research use.
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
11/21/1989
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Zero Population Growth of Los Angeles, Inc., 07/1984
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival
Materials
guide.
Darcy Eaton, 1984
Subjects and Indexing Terms
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