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Pennsylvania National Organization for Women (PA NOW) papers
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Held at: Bryn Mawr College [Contact Us]Bryn Mawr College Library, 101 N. Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr 19010
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Bryn Mawr College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The Pennsylvania National Organization for Women (PA NOW) is a nonprofit women's rights advocacy group founded in 1971. PA NOW is a division of the National Organization for Women, the largest feminist organization in America. The National Organization for Women was founded in 1966 and has over 500,000 members and 550 branches in 50 states. NOW also has its own, non-partisan, political action committee (NOW/PAC) that supports candidates in federal elections. Many state organizations and local chapters of NOW also have political action committees which support candidates for state and local government offices.
The National Organization for Women focuses on six core issues: promoting abortion rights and reproductive freedom; achieving economic equality; ending sex discrimination; championing civil rights; promoting diversity and stopping racism; and ending violence against women. NOW members participate in rallies, marches, counter-protests, lobbying, class-action lawsuits, and political organizing to advocate for their causes.
References: panow.org and now.org
The Pennsylvania National Organization for Women papers contain materials pertaining to PA NOW's activities and women's rights issues. The types of materials include newspaper clippings, articles, magazines and publications, correspondence, meeting notes, activism materials and kits, t-shirts, as well as national, state, and regional conference materials. A majority of the records date from 1975-1996.
The papers contain information on these major subjects: abortion, affirmative action, children, civil rights, education, the Equal Rights Amendment, feminism, the gender gap, health issues and health care, insurance rate equality, labor issues and rights, LGBT rights, women and the media, the state of Pennsylvania's NOW political action committee, pornography, poverty, religious and right wing activism, reproduction, violence against women, welfare, and women's rights.
Donor: Pennsylvania National Organization for Women
People
- Thomas, Clarence
- Simpson, O. J.
- Thornburgh, Dick
- Smith, D. Brooks (David Brookman)
- Hill, Anita Faye
- Freind, Stephen F.
Organization
- Pennsylvania State University
- Promise Keepers (Organization)
- National Organization for Women
- Ku Klux Klan (1915- )
- National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights
- NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund
Subject
- Women -- Education
- Women athletes
- Women and religion
- Women and the military
- Sexual harassment
- Sexual minority community
- Women's health services
- Women -- Societies and clubs
- Women's rights
- Abortion
- Child welfare
- Contraception
- Child Care
- Child support
- Discrimination in education
- Discrimination in housing
- Divorce
- Sex instruction
- Abused women
- Affirmative action programs
- Abortion -- Moral and ethical aspects
- Abortion services
- Body image
- Child Abuse
- Automobile insurance
- Birth control
- Health insurance
- Gay rights
- AIDS (Disease)
- Pornography
- Pay Equity
- Domestic partner benefits -- Law and legislation
- Discrimination in medical care
- Equal rights amendments
- Emergency contraceptives -- United States
- Family violence
- Gay liberation movement
- Feminism
- Right-wing extremists
- Same-sex marriage
- Sex discrimination against women -- Law and legislation
- Sex discrimination in education
- Sex discrimination in insurance
- Sex role in the work environment
- Sex crimes
- Pro-choice movement
- Pro-life movement
- Prostitution
- Public welfare
- Racism
- Rape
- Rape in marriage
- Reproductive health
- Reproductive Rights
- Family policy
- HIV infections
- Publisher
- Bryn Mawr College
- Finding Aid Author
- Marianne Hansen, Jennifer Hoit, Heather Davies, Melissa Torquato
- Finding Aid Date
- 2014 June 20
- Access Restrictions
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This collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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The Pennsylvania National Organization for Women papers are the physical property of Bryn Mawr College Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the issuing organization, legislative body, or authors or authors' heirs and assigns.