Mary Emily Foy Collection, 1900 - 1981

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Summary

Creators:
Foy, Mary Emily
Abstract:
The collection contains information about, works by, and correspondence to and from Mary Emily Foy.
Extent:
8 folders
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Mary Emily Foy Collection, 1900-1981, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.614; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of newspaper articles from the Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles Herald & Express about Mary Emily Foy; articles written by Foy; a portrait photograph of Foy, and correspondence.

Biographical / historical:

Mary Emily Foy (1862-1962) was the daughter of Samuel Calvert Foy and Lucinda (Pet) Macy Foy, early Los Angeles pioneers. From 1880 to 1884, she served as the third Los Angeles City Librarian, the first woman to hold the position. She was also an educator who taught at Los Angeles High School.

Mary E. Foy is well known for her involvement in the California Woman's Suffrage Movement and with the Democratic Party. She was Vice President of the Political Equality League, Secretary of the Votes for Women Club, President of the California Woman's Democratic League, and a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1916 and 1920. In 1934, she ran unsuccessfully for Congress in the 15th Congressional District. At age 95, she was named the "California Democratic Woman of the Year" by the California Democratic party.

Mary Foy had a deep interest in history and archaeology. She was involved with the local chapter of the American Institute for Archaeology, the Southwest Society, was a founding member of the Southwest Museum, and organized the California Parlor of the Native Daughters of the Golden West. Foy founded the First Century Families, an organization whose members are descendants of Los Angeles settlers from its first 100 years. She wrote for the Jeffersonian, Woman's Bulletin, and the Los Angeles Herald & Express.

Source: Apostol, Jane. "Mary Emily Foy: 'Miss Los Angeles Herself.'" Southern California Quarterly, Summer 1996, pp. 109-138.

Acquisition information:
News clippings were part of the Braun Research Library vertical files. Additional materials were collected by Braun Research Library staff.
Processing information:

Initial processing by Braun Research Library Staff. Revised by James Foster, 2008. Biographical note completed by Jackie Zak, 2008. Revised by Molly Smith, 2024.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives and fill out the Researcher Application Form.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian 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.

Preferred citation:

Mary Emily Foy Collection, 1900-1981, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.614; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Location of this collection:
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027, US
Contact:
(747) 201-8448
rroom@theautry.org
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