League of Women Voters of Baltimore City Records
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Scope and Contents
The collection documents the administrative actions, advocacy, programs and legislative positions, voters services, and history of the League of Women Voters of Baltimore City. The collection includes organizational records related to the League’s functions, histories of the League, meeting minutes and records, annual reports, League finances, Voters Guides, Newsletters and other League publications, research materials relating to the League’s programs and advocacy work, League studies and fact sheets, membership files, voter services files, outreach and education materials, photographs and scrapbooks, and audiovisual and digital materials documenting League events, outreach, and speeches.
The materials are mainly textual and include correspondence, minutes, planning materials, publications, reference materials and ephemera, newspaper clippings, League studies and reports, handbooks, and other documents. Also present are photographs and negatives, scrapbooks, VHS tapes, audio cassette tapes, CD-ROMs, and 3.5 inch floppy disks.
Dates
- 1919-2019
Creator
- League of Women Voters (Baltimore, Md.) (Organization)
Language of Materials
Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. This collection contains audio-visual and digital materials that may need further processing or special equipment to allow use. Scrapbooks are oversize and in delicate condition. Some scrapbooks have loose materials, but are largely intact. These are stored flat to ensure the materials remain intact.
Conditions Governing Use
To the extent that they own copyright, the donor has assigned the copyright of this collection to the University Foundation. However, copyright for some items in this collection may be held by their respective creators.
Historical Note
Founded in 1920 after the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, the League of Women Voters grew out of National American Women's Suffrage Association. It is a voluntary and nonpartisan association that works to affect public policy through education and advocacy. The League chooses local, national, and international issues for study, positions, and action as a part of the League Local, National, and State Programs. The League of Women Voters aims to promote citizen participation in government issues.
During elections, the League of Women Voters produces Voters Guides, provides information about voting, assists in voter registration drives, and hosts forums and debates for candidates. They also create educational programming and outreach activities to teach about the voting and election process.
Over the years, the League of Women Voters of Baltimore City has researched, debated, and advocated for a variety of local social political issues such as transportation, housing, environmental concerns, campaign reform, urban renewal, city government, education, police relations, civil rights, and many others. The League researches and produces Fact Sheets and studies regarding their research; conducts community forums on local, state, and national issues; distributes informational brochures and pamphlets, and provides information to the public about government on the national, state, and local levels.
Note: All historical information was collected from the contents of the archival collection and from the League of Women Voters of Baltimore City website.
Extent
52.88 Linear Feet (54 containers)
Abstract
The League of Women Voters of Baltimore City is a nonpartisan political organization which works to research and educate the public of local, state, and national policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The League provides Voters Services and education through its programs. This collection documents the history and administrative functions of the League of Women Votes of Baltimore City. It includes administrative files, annual meeting materials, research reports and studies, publications, Voters Services documentation, program planning documentation, outreach and educational materials, scrapbooks and photographs, newspaper clippings, and audiovisual materials related to the administration and work of the League of Women Voters of Baltimore City.
Arrangement
Collection is organized into 14 series. These series include:
- Founding Documents and History, circa 1919-1989
- League Administration Files, circa 1942-2003
- Minutes, 1928-1988
- Annual Reports and Annual Meetings, 1945-1987
- Presidents Files and Speeches, 1927-1975
- Board of Directors and Officers, 1952-1985
- Membership Files, circa 1951-1991
- Finances, 1922-2000
- Voter Services, 1957-2002
- Programs, Issues, and Advocacy, circa 1927-2002
- Women's Fair and Women Together, 1973-1983
- Publications, 1943-2000
- Photographs and Audiovisual Materials, 1973-1988
- 2019 Additions
The 2019 Additions (1921-2019) series is organized into 10 subseries.
- Administration, circa 1921-2013
- Board of Directors and Board Meetings, 1970-2011
- Annual Reports and Meetings, 1980-2010
- Finances, 1987-2008
- Membership, 1985-2019
- Voter Services, 1980-2011
- Programs and Advocacy, 1955-2014
- League Guides and Newsletters, 1959-2018
- Scrapbooks and Photographs, 1922-2009
- Audiovisual and Digital Materials, 1987-2006
Custodial History
The Board of the League of Women Voters deposited their collection with the Baltimore Region Institutional Studies Center (BRISC) at the University of Baltimore in January 1976. The records transfer was handled by Jane Seipp in April of that year. Additional records were transferred to the archives in 1992 and 2003 and accessioned by Thomas Hollowak. The collection was donated to the University of Baltimore Foundation on July 30, 2019 by Nancy Lawler, League Co-President. Additional records were transferred to the archives in 2019.
Appraisal
The 2019 Addition to the collection was appraised during processing. Materials weeded include duplicate materials, restricted and personally identifiable information, including certain financial information.
Processing Information
Collection partially processed by archives staff in 1976. Additional accruals processed in 1992 and 2003. Collection reprocessed by Laura Bell and Christopher Moore in 2019.
Creator
- League of Women Voters (Baltimore, Md.) (Organization)
- Title
- Finding aid for the League of Women Voters for Baltimore City Records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid created by Laura Bell (2019)
- Date
- December 2019
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Baltimore Studies Archives Repository
H. Mebane Turner Learning Commons, Room 104
1415 Maryland Avenue
Baltimore Maryland 21201 USA
410-837-4253
specialcollections@ubalt.edu