The Tarheel Voter,

lwvd Guide to the League of Women Voters of Durham (N.C.) Papers, 1947-1991 Processed by: Ian K. Lekus; machine-readable finding aid created by: Stephen D. Miller

This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.

Aleph Number: 001751739

Machine-readable finding aid derived from Microsoft Word 6.0 files. Date of source: February 2, 1997 Processed by: Ian K. Lekus February 2, 1997; Finding Aid encoded by Stephen D. Miller , David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. May 1, 1997 Description is in English. 12-31-2005 PUBLIC "-//Duke University::David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library//TEXT (US::NDD::::League of Women Voters of Durham (N.C.) Papers)//EN" "lwvd.xml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Also, the top level of the finding aid (above the dsc) changed to conform to current Rubenstein Library and NC EAD standards as laid out in the Inventory Style Guide and in the NCEAD Best Practice Guidelines. Within the dsc, dates for series were normalized. These changes were made by Michelle Belden. Also, container TYPE and LABEL attribute values were standardized according to the Rubenstein Library EAD 2002 manual and the NCEAD eadlocal.ent by Ruth E. Bryan.The tag list inside index was changed to indexentry by Ruth E. Bryan. June 29, 1998 Updated to EAD Version 1.0 from EAD Beta by Stephen Miller Guide to the League of Women Voters of Durham (N.C.) Papers, 1947-1991 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript LibraryDuke UniversityDurham, North Carolina

Descriptive Summary League of Women Voters of Durham (N.C.) Papers, 1947-1991 League of Women Voters of Durham (LWVD) 7.9 Linear Feet 4,300 Items Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog. English. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

However, patrons must sign the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.

Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Use Restrictions

copyright interests in the papers of the League of Women Voters of Durham (N.C.) have not been transferred to Duke University. For further information, see the section on copyright in the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], League of Women Voters of Durham (N.C.) Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Provenance

The bulk of the papers of the League of Women Voters of Durham (N.C.) was acquired by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library of Duke University as a gift from the League after ceasing operations in 1991. This donation followed the gift of a small collection of League papers from Dr. I.B. Holley of the Duke University History Department in 1975.

Processing Information

Processed by: Ian K. Lekus

Completed February 2, 1997

Encoded by Stephen D. Miller

This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.

The League papers included several scrapbooks, primarily consisting of newspaper clippings. Those clippings have been photocopied and are housed in the Scrapbook section of the Clippings Series. For that section, care should be taken by researchers to maintain the order of the clippings in those folders, which maintain the original order of scrapbook pages.

Board minutes, bulletins, financial records (particularly monthly treasurer's reports in the 1970s and 1980s), issue briefings and other papers were sometimes stapled together and sometimes kept unstapled in looseleaf binders before coming to the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Researchers unable to find financial records, political materials, or other papers for a given date are advised to check the Board minutes and bulletins for that date, where they may be housed.

Collection Overview

The papers of the League of Women Voters of Durham (LWVD) span the dates 1947-1991, with three main clusters of records: the mid-to-late 1950s, the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the late 1970s through the middle of the 1980s. The papers consist chiefly of newsletters, minutes of the Board and other meetings, administrative and financial records, publicity materials, newspaper clippings, and information related to the political work of the League. Most of the papers address the work of the Durham League, which was founded in 1946 and ceased operations in 1991. Scattered records document the activities of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina (LWVNC).

The League is best known as a non-partisan organization sponsoring voter registration and candidates' forums, and those activities are well-documented here. In addition, League members held meetings to discuss a broad range of other social and political issues, and from those debates formulated positions which the chapter lobbied for in the media and through various political channels. The issues discussed in depth and documented in the collection include school desegregation; the merger of the Durham city and county school systems; local bond issues; the Equal Rights Amendment; foreign trade; diplomatic relations between the United States and China; water and air quality; solid and toxic waste; and reproductive rights. The papers include some correspondence with local, state, and federal officials regarding these and other issues; however, correspondence in general comprises a small portion of the collection.

The papers document the League activities of various Durham women who became prominent in local and state politics. The papers also provide a window into racial politics in Durham, in particular through debates over school desegregation and the proposed merger of the city and county school systems. Voter registration materials and correspondence also shed light on this subject, including a few letters the League received condemning its attempts to register supposedly uneducated African Americans.

Subject Headings

These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.

League of Women Voters (U.S.). League of Women Voters of Durham (N.C.)--History. Women in politics.--North Carolina--Durham. Elections--North Carolina. Durham (N.C.)--Politics and government. Politics--North Carolina--Durham. Schools--North Carolina--Durham County. Segregation in education--North Carolina. Equal rights amendments--North Carolina. Environmental protection--North Carolina--Durham County. List of Series in Collection 1 Bulletins and Newsletters Series Durham North Carolina General 1-3 Office Series Administrative Financial Personal Photographs Publicity 4-5 Political Series Human Resources Natural Resources Government Voters Services General Correspondence Publicity 6 Clippings Series Scrapbook General 7 Oversize Material Contents of Collection Bulletins and Newsletters Series, 1951-1991

Chiefly the bulletins of the LWVD. Also includes scattered newsletters published by the LWVNC and materials relating to publishing the Durham bulletin.

1 Durham, 1953-1991 (15 folders) North Carolina: The Tarheel Voter, 1951-1974 (3 folders) The North Carolina Voter, 1984 Assembly Assignment, 1969-1973 General, 1975-1982 Office Series, 1952-1991

General records pertaining to the operations of the League of Women Voters.

The administrative subseries includes annual reports, minutes of annual meetings, minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors and the general membership, a list of presidents of the League, membership and officer records, bylaws and procedures, general League information, and other non-financial business records. The subseries also includes a scrapbook League members made to commemorate its victory in a local Ugly Office contest, as well as scattered papers of the League of Women Voters of North Carolina.

The financial subseries includes monthly treasurer's reports of League income and expenditures, annual financial reports and audits, notes and reports of the Finance and Budget Committees, records of League finance drives, ledgers, and scattered other paperwork documenting the financial affairs of the League.

The personal subseries consists of clippings, speeches, correspondence, press releases, and other materials spotlighting the activities of individual League members.

The photographs subseries consists of reprints of photographs of League members and events. Some photographs were taken by League members, while others are reprints of photographs originally appearing in Durham newspapers.

The publicity subseries includes meeting notes, pamphlets, speeches, and other materials publicizing the LWVD. For materials documenting work publicizing voter registration and other League activities, see the Political Series: Publicity Subseries.

1 Administrative: Board minutes, 1954-1969 (7 folders) 2 Administrative: Board minutes, 1970-1990 (10 folders) Annual meetings and reports, 1954-1990 (3 folders) Annual meetings: Photographs, 1986 Annual reports filed with LWVUS, 1968-1987 Board policies and guidelines, 1966-1981 Bylaws, 1952-1987 Calendars, 1973-1982 Copyrights, 1976-1977 Correspondence, 1964-1974 Evaluation,1977 General meeting minutes, 1954-1971 (2 folders) History: Presidents' list, 1982 LWVD: General information,1940s-1980s Policies, 1980-1981 League of Women Voters of North Carolina, 1965-1991 Meetings: Miscellaneous, 1963-1991 Membership: Officers, 1954-1991 Board program and calendar information, 1967-1978 Lists, 1953-1991 (2 folders) Information forms, 1985-1988 General, undated Miscellaneous,1954 State convention speeches,1973, 1985 Ugly Office Contest scrapbook, 1980-1981 3 Financial: (See processing note) Annual report, 1956-1957 Audits, 1967-1976 (2 folders) Budget Committee notes, 1978-1982 Correspondence, 1958-1959 Education Fund, 1972-1989 Finance Committee report,1957, 1977 (2 folders) Finance Committee notes and reports, 1987-1988 Finance Drive, 1968-1991, undated (11 folders) Ledger, 1979-1983(See also Oversize Material) (2 folders) LWV visa card: Memos and reports, 1989-1990 3 LWVNC memoranda, 1980-1982 Per-member payment policies and records, 1979-1991 Task forces on toxic waste, 1979-1981 Treasurer's reports: Budgets, 1954-1991(17) Memoranda, 1981-1989 Personal: Bell, Marilyn Bryant, 1984 Bradley, Gail, 1972-1982 Grant, Elizabeth, 1983 Meyer, Ruth Mary, 1979 McCreary, Margaret Jane, 1984 Ohlson, Grace, 1983 Photographs: Durham Street Arts Celebration: Voter registration booth, 1982-1983 Eno River Festival registration, undated Luncheon, undated Meeting of old and new board members: 1620 University Dr., 1983, Apr. 21 Newspaper photographs, 1954-1984, undated Publicity: 50th Anniversary LWVD profile,1969 Membership recruitment, 1977-1990 Pamphlets, 1967-1990, undated Planning and reports, 1957-1983 Press releases, 1967-1968 Speeches about LWVD, 1975-1982, undated Political Series, 1947-1991

The series consists of briefings and reports, correspondence, clippings, memoranda, position statements, planning notes, publicity materials advertising community forums sponsored by the League, and other papers documenting local, state, national, and international issues which the League took up for debate. The League maintained a strict policy of non-partisanship in local elections, and regularly sponsored candidates' forums and solicited candidates' answers to questions of local importance, answers reprinted in the Durham newspapers. However, the League's non-partisanship did not prevent it from taking stands on various issues (as distinct from backing candidates). Once League members reached consensus on an issue through extended study and debate, they frequently took vocal stands in support of their positions, including support for school desegregation in compliance with Brown v. Board of Education,free speech rights, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and legislation protecting the environment.

The series is organized into subseries according to the LWVNC program: Human Resources (education, the ERA, housing, social services), Natural Resources (planning and protection of air, land, and water resources), Government (procedural matters in government), Voters Services (registration, candidate questionnaires and forums, precint reporting), and General (primarily local and international issues not fitting into the state program).

The correspondence subseries consists of scattered letters documenting issues not covered in the above subseries.

The publicity subseries includes press releases and other materials pertaining to radio, television, and newspaper coverage of League activities.

4 Human Resources: Education: Competency test, 1978-1979 Drop-out Prevention programs, 1977 Durham School System merger,1950s-1990 (4 folders) Financing, bond issues, budgets, 1964-1982, undated General, 1953-1987, undated (4 folders) North Carolina education system reports, 1967-1968 Publications, 1967-1978 Reading, 1975-1978 Textbooks,1974 Equal Rights Amendment, 1973-1982 General, 1966-1975 Health Care, 1967 Housing: Durham study,1971 International Women's Year, 1975-1977 Title XX (Social Services), 1975-1976 Natural Resources: Acid Rain Foundation, 1981-1982 Clean Air legislation, 1976-1984 Durham Quality of Life Survey, 1974 Energy, 1977-1979 General,1981 Land Use: Policy and planning, 1971-1985, undated Solid Waste: Bottle Bill, 1973-1977 4 Solid Waste Management, 1983 Toxic Waste: Task Forces on Toxic Waste, 1979-1982 Utility companies, 1979-1985, undated Water and Sewer Facilities, 1963-1974 Water Quality: Region 208 Project, 1976-1978 Water quality, waste and sewage, 1981-1984 Water resources, 1959 Watershed protection, 1984-1990 Government: Gubernatorial veto, 1990 Gubernatorial succession, 1977 Reproductive Rights: Concurrence, 1982 5 Voters Services: Candidates forums, 1964-1990 (3 folders) Candidate questionnaires, 1952-1989 (3 folders) Legislative breakfasts, 1975-1989, undated (3 folders) Library registration, 1975-1976 News releases, 1981-1983 Photographs: Parade, 1956 Precinct reporting, 1980s President's coffee, 1981-1989 Publications, 1966-1980s Registration, 1972-1984, undated Reports, 1957-1982 Women's Vote Project, 1984-1985(See also Oversize Material) General: Action Committee: Reports and correspondence, 1980-1985 Campaign Finance Reform, 1974 Court watchers, undated Durham Bond Campaign, 1990 Durham committers, 1960s Durham Library, 1963-1980, undated Durham property values, 1956 Durham roads, 1953 Foreign trade, 1950s The Government story, 1969-1970 Here is Durham brochure, 1954-1979 League of Women Voters of North Carolina, 1953-1996 Meeting announcements: Miscellaneous, 1957-1988, undated 5 Miscellaneous,1950s Monitor programs,1977, 1983 Panama Canal Treaty, 1978-1979 Position statements, 1981-1990 Program: 1947-1983 Newsletter inserts, 1961-1969 Speakers bureau, 1956 State tax study, 1968-1985, undated Talent bank, 1979 UNICEF program, 1963-1983 Valentine, Tim: Interviews, 1983-1985 Women's Equality Day, 1990 Correspondence, 1955-1984 Publicity: Television,1957, undated Radio, 1956-1968, undated Newspaper and press releases, 1953-1962, undated Press releases, 1967-1968 Press releases and related information, 1970-1972 Voter information, 1977-1979 Voter registration, 1971-1972 Clippings Series, 1953-1991

The series consists of photocopies made from League scrapbooks and from loose newspaper clippings collected by League members. Most of the clippings are of articles appearing in the Durham Morning Herald and the Durham Sun.

6 Scrapbook, 1954-1973 (7 folders) 1953-1991 (7 folders) 132 Oversize Material Office Series: Financial: Ledger: Cash: misc.,1977-78 - 1981-82 Office Series: Financial: Ledger: Cash Disbursements,1982-83 - 1986-87 Office Series: Financial: Ledger: Cash Receipts,1982-83 - 1986-87 Political Series: Women's Vote Project,1984