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Older Women's League (OWL), Santa Clara County Chapter Records
MSS-2015-06-23
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: Older Women's League (OWL), Santa Clara County Chapter Records
Identifier/Call Number: MSS-2015-06-23
Physical Description:
3 boxes
(2.42 linear feet)
Date (inclusive): 1977-2013
Date (bulk): 1990-1996
Abstract: The Older Women's League (OWL), Santa Clara County Chapter Records documents thirty years of the history of the OWL Santa
Clara County Chapter. The records include OWL publications, the minute records of the Board of Directors, correspondence,
scrapbooks, photographs, event documents, newsletters, news clippings, financial records, and ephemera.
The Older Women's League (OWL), Santa Clara County Chapter Records documents thirty years of the history of the Santa Clara
County Chapter of OWL (SCCC-OWL) that was founded in 1982. Contained in this collection are publications, newsletters, articles,
event files, organizational records, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera that document the history of OWL on a national,
state, and local level. These records demonstrate how OWL sought to protect the civil rights of older women across the country
through grassroots advocacy. While the material primarily focuses on news, events, conferences, and administrative records
of SCCC-OWL, state and national documents are also included.
The publications contain books and newsletters created by OWL or related organizations relevant to OWL's mission and values.
Featured prominently are the annual Mother's Day Reports, Grey Papers, and two decades of SCCC-OWL newsletters. Single topic
books were published to highlight particular issues important to OWL's cause such as caregiver protections, health education,
prevention of elder abuse, and end of life control.
Similarly, the conferences, events, and programs focused on preventing and mitigating problems faced by older women. Reports
and proceedings from national conferences are included, such as the White House Mini-Convention (Growing Numbers, Growing
Force) where OWL was founded. Local conferences and events presented by SCCC-OWL feature prominently, especially the 1996
Conference on Mid-Life and Elder Abuse.
Organizational records from SCCC-OWL include correspondence between board leadership, public relations, by-laws, and membership
lists. Additional multimedia is included containing photographs of OWL members and two documentaries on the history and mission
of OWL.
The Older Women's League (OWL), Santa Clara County Chapter Records are arranged into four series and organized alphabetically
then chronologically: Series I. Publications, 1977-2007; Series II. Conferences, Events, Programs, 1982-2008; Series III.
Organizational Records, 1978-2008; Series IV. Multimedia, circa 1980-2005.
Founded in 1980 after the White House Mini-Conference held in Des Moines, Iowa, the Older Women's League (OWL) was created
by Tish Sommers and Laurie Shields as a grassroots advocacy group for older women. The mission of OWL was to support older
women through ensuring that caregivers received appropriate legal support, ending discrimination in employment and job training,
and preventing federal budget cuts to programs that would affect older women's access to healthcare. OWL would go on to contribute
to national and local healthcare reforms, including legislation such as the COBRA Act and the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987.
Publications documenting the civil rights issues that older women faced were published on a monthly and yearly basis aimed
at both members of the organization and legislators. These records were compiled by Rena Speer Modell, the first president
of OWL's Santa Clara County Chapter. Modell later stepped down as president after two years in office, but remained a prominent
member of the board of directors over the following years. The local chapter of OWL operated out of Santa Clara, CA. In addition
to their monthly newsletter, the OWL Santa Clara County Chapter hosted and contributed to several conferences including the
1996 Conference on Mid-Life and Elder Abuse held at San José Community College.
OWL's national organization was formally dissolved in 2017, but several local chapters in California are still in operation.
This collection is open for research.
Copyright has 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. Copyright restrictions may apply to digital reproductions of the
original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Older Women's League (OWL), Santa Clara County Chapter Records, MSS-2015-06-23, San José State University Library Special
Collections & Archives.
Collection processed by Eilene Lueck on 3/22/2022.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Older Women's League (U.S.) -- Santa Clara County ChapterWomen's rights -- California -- San Francisco Bay Area
Civil rights -- United States
Women -- Political activity -- California
Women's rights -- United States -- History -- 20th century