Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

MS 652
Iowa Women's Political Caucus Collection, 1973-2008, undated

Descriptive summary

creator:
title:	Iowa Women's Political Caucus Collection
dates:	1973-2008, undated
extent:	4.95 linear feet (3 records center cartons, 2 document boxes, and 1 half-document box)
collection number:	MS 652
repository:	Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

Administrative information

access:	Open for research
publication rights:	Consult Head, Special Collections Department
preferred citation:	Iowa Women's Political Caucus Collection, MS 652, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

Abstract

The Iowa Women's Political Caucus (IWPC) formed in 1973 in connection with the National Women's Political Caucus. IWPC members promoted and participated in activities that raised public awareness of political issues, including the Equal Rights Amendment, reproductive rights, education, labor and civil rights, and other gender-related concerns. The IWPC also devoted much attention to increasing the number of women in elected offices, lobbying elected officials in Iowa, endorsing candidates, and networking. This collection contains newsletters, correspondence, materials from national conferences, news clippings, minutes, membership lists, budgets, treasury reports, membership handbooks, correspondence, candidate profiles and questionnaires, and subject files. The bulk of the collection contains materials related to the Iowa Women's Political Caucus (IWPC) but also contains materials from the National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) and a small number of records from the National Organization of Women (NOW). Topics covered in the collection include the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), abortion, education, labor and civil rights, and other gender-related concerns.

Historical note

Betty Joan White, who gathered the materials in this collection, was active in the Iowa Women's Political Caucus and served for several years on its Steering Committee.

In the summer of 1973, forty women met in Des Moines to form the Iowa Women's Political Caucus (IWPC) under the leadership of Roxanne Barton Conlin. The non-partisan group's stated purpose was "... to awaken, organize, and assert the vast political power represented by women, who constitute the majority of voters...To reach out to every woman across the state, to assure her of her first class citizenship and full and equal participation in the political process" (from the IWPC Membership Handbook, 1994). The IWPC began serving as a state organization in connection with the National Women's Political Caucus, also founded in 1973 by noted feminists such as Bella Abzug and Gloria Steinem.

IWPC members promoted and participated in activities that raised public awareness of political issues, including the Equal Rights Amendment, reproductive rights, education, labor and civil rights, and other gender-related concerns. The IWPC also devoted much attention to increasing the number of women in elected offices, lobbying elected officials in Iowa, endorsing candidates, and networking. The new organization proved to be extremely popular, as the first annual State Convention in September 1973 drew seven hundred women from across the state, and in 1974, the IWPC hosted two hundred women at the "So you want to be in Politics" workshop in Des Moines.

In 1974 the IWPC opened an office in Des Moines and, in order to comply with legal requirements, formed two separate organizations: the Win With Women Campaign Support Committee, which could raise and contribute money to political candidates, and the Iowa Women's Caucus Research and Education Center (IWCREC), a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, funded only by contributions and grants.

In 1977, the IWPC and IWCREC sponsored the first Girls' Leadership Camp, a retreat for high-school girls that has been held each June since then. The IWPC began another annual tradition in 1980, when they hosted an auction of items donated by members, businesses, and celebrities. This event would become the major fundraiser for the organization until 1990, and would again be revived in 1996.

Following the defeat of the Equal Rights Amendment on November 4, 1980, the IWPC continued to promote equal rights, but primarily on the state level. Several IWPC members also sought elected offices during the 1980s, including the organization's founder, Roxanne Barton Conlin, who unsuccessfully ran as the Democratic candidate for governor in 1982.

From the mid-1980s and into the 1990s, the IWPC maintained its emphasis on networking, endorsing candidates, and political activism, and they also sponsored events at Iowa State University with the Ames-ISU YWCA. Several members also worked closely with the National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) by attending national conferences. In 1991, Sharon Rodine, of Ames, Iowa, became president of the NWPC, and hosted the 20th anniversary celebration of the NWPC in Washington D.C.

The organization disbanded in 1999.

Collection description

This collection (1973-2008, undated) contains newsletters, correspondence, materials from national conferences, news clippings, minutes, membership lists, budgets, treasury reports, membership handbooks, correspondence, candidate profiles and questionnaires, and subject files. The bulk of the collection contains materials related to the Iowa Women's Political Caucus (IWPC) but also contains materials from the National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) and a small number of records from the National Organization of Women (NOW). Joan White, who was active in the IWPC, and served for several years on the Steering Committee of the IWPC, collected these materials, and therefore the collection emphasizes her activities and contains her correspondence. Topics covered in the collection include the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), abortion, education, labor and civil rights, and other gender-related concerns.

Records for the IWPC include minutes of the Steering Committee, membership lists, budgets and treasury reports, membership handbooks, correspondence and mailings, news clippings, newsletters, procedures, by-laws, legislative priorities, and questionnaires and candidate profiles filled out by political candidates. The newsletters contain brief articles on political campaigns, events, activities and actions pertinent to women and occasionally contain entries by women candidates and office holders. Most of the news clippings are about political issues affecting and of interest to women at the time.

Records relating to the NWPC consist primarily of newsletters, correspondence, and materials from national conferences, and records for NOW relate mostly to the state organization in Iowa and the Ames chapter. White also collected news clippings and information on various issues related to gender and politics, which can be found in the Subject Files.

The collection also contains a few items related to the Ames-ISU YWCA from the 1980s, including newsletters, programs, and other membership and activity related materials.

For a related collection, the University of Iowa Libraries' Iowa Women's Archives also holds records of the Iowa Women's Political Caucus.

Related materials

For a related collection, the University of Iowa Libraries' Iowa Women's Archives also holds records of the Iowa Women's Political Caucus.

Organization

The collection is arranged alphabetically, with the exception of Box 5, which holds oversized materials and is alphabetized separately.

Container list

Box	Folder	Title	Dates
1	1	Agendas	1975
1	2	Agendas	1990-1996
1	3	Annual auction programs	1981-1990
1	4	Annual Report	1996
1	5	Ames-ISU YWCA: Bylaws and budget	1981-1985
1	6	Ames-ISU YWCA: Membership and committees	1982-1985
1	7	Ames-ISU YWCA: Newsletters and programs	1984-1986
1	8	Ames-ISU YWCA: Planning retreats	1985-1986
1	9	Ames-ISU YWCA: Read-a-thon	1985
1	10	Ames-ISU YWCA: Transfer of Alumni Hall (documents)	1985
1	11	Ames-ISU YWCA: "Women of Achievement" calendar	1986
1	12	Anniversary retreat	1984
1	13	Brochures	1982-1983
1	14	Brochures	1989-1993
1	15	Brochures	undated
1	16	Brochures	undated
1	17	Bylaws for IWPC	1981-1983, undated
1	18	Bylaws for IWPC	1987-1990
1	19	Campaign finance disclosure	1989
1	20	Candidate lists	1988
1	21	Candidate lists	1990
1	22	Candidate profiles	1974
1	23	Candidate profiles	1976
1	24	Candidate profiles: ERA in other states	1976
1	25	Candidate profiles	1978
1	26	Candidate profiles	1980
1	27	Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women in Politics	1993
1	28	"Caucus Comments" (IWPC Newsletter)	1976-1981
1	29	"Caucus Comments" (IWPC Newsletter)	1982-1989
1	30	"Caucus Comments" (IWPC Newsletter)	1990-1986
1	31	Committees	1996
1	32	Conference information	1992-1995
1	33	Congressional/statewide: non-targeted	1982
1	34	Congressional/statewide: targeted	1982
1	35	Correspondence	1975-1983
1	36	Correspondence	1986-1990
1	37	Correspondence	1990
1	38	Correspondence	1989-1997
1	39	Correspondence: Joan White	1996-1999
1	40	"The DFT Report" (News from the NWPC Democratic task force)	1992-1995
1	41	Endorsement guidelines history	1976-1984
1	42	Endorsement sample letters and forms	1988
1	43	Endorsements (of candidates)	1982
1	44	Endorsements	1984
1	45	ERA Fund	1980-1982
1	46	Executive Committee of IWPC	1983-1984
1	47	Fundraisers	1983
1	48	Fundraisers	1992, 1996
1	49	Girls Leadership Camp: brochures, correspondence, camp materials	1981-1987
1	50	Girls Leadership Camp: photographs and slides (2 B&W 5x7, 2 B&W 3x10, 2 color 3x5, and 40 color slides)	1985, undated
1	51	Good Guys Event	1987
1	52	Guidelines for endorsement and correspondence	1984
2	1	"How to get your Bearings, How to get a Job," by Dr.Judith Conlin Johnson	1988
2	2	Iowa Male House Candidates	1988
2	3	Iowa Male Senate Candidates	1988
2	4	"Iowa Minority and Women Business Enterprises Directory"	1985
2	5	Iowa Primary Candidates	1984
2	6	Iowa State University: Women’s Week	1975-1985
2	7	Iowa Voting Charts and Analysis	1978
2	8	Iowa Women House Candidates	1988
2	9	Iowa Women Senate Candidates	1988
2	10	"Iowoman" newsletter	1975-1980
2	11	IWPC: Finances	1992-1996
2	12	IWPC: Information for lobbyists	1976-1978
2	13	IWPC: Iowa-related brochures	1973-1984
2	14	IWPC: Meeting minutes	1981-1983
2	15	IWPC: Priorities	1975-1987
2	16	IWPC: Procedures and Guidelines	1973-1992
2	17	IWPC: State Conventions	1974-1983
2	18	IWPC: State Convention	1984
2	19	IWPC: State Convention	1985
2	20	IWPC: State Convention	1986
2	21	IWPC: State Convention	1987
2	22	IWPC: State Conventions	1988-1989
2	23	IWPC: State Steering Committee	1975-1987
2	24	IWPC: Treasury and budget reports	1976-1985
2	25	Leadership for Tomorrow Conference	1987
2	26	Legislation Candidate Training Event	1988
2	27	Legislation Voting Charts	1983
2	28	List of Primary Election winners	1996
2	29	Local caucus chairs	1976
2	30	March 4th Fundraiser	1985
2	31	Membership Handbooks for IWPC	1979-1994
2	32	Membership information	1987-1994
2	33	Membership lists	1976-1982
2	34	Organizations	undated
2	35	"National Directory of Women Elected Officials"	1981
2	36	"National Directory of Women Elected Officials"	1985
2	37	"National Directory of Women Elected Officials"	1989
2	38	"National NOW Times"	1980
2	39	"National NOW Times"	1981
2	40	"National NOW Times"	1989
2	41	National Organizations	1988
2	42	National Organization for Women (Iowa): newsletters, pamphlets, other materials	1980-1981
3	1	News clippings	1974-1985
3	2	News clippings	1982
3	3	News clippings	1988
3	4	News clippings	1994
3	5	News clippings	undated
3	6	News clippings	1992-1997
3	7	News clippings	1989
3	8	News clippings on candidates	1990
3	9	NWPC: Agendas	1982
3	10	NWPC: Correspondence	1975-1977
3	11	NWPC: Correspondence	1982-1989
3	12	NWPC: National convention	1977,1985
3	13	NWPC: National convention, "Win With Women"	1983
3	14	NWPC: National convention, "Win With Women"	1983
3	15	NWPC: National convention	1984
3	16	NWPC: National convention	1989
3	17	NWPC: National convention	1992-1997
3	18	NWPC: News clippings	1991-2001
3	19	Politics workshop	1980
3	20	Precinct Caucus Survey	1984
3	21	Press Releases	undated
3	22	Press Releases	1978-1982
3	23	Press Releases	1994-1996
3	24	Questionnaires	1974
3	25	Questionnaires	1980-1990
3	26	State legislative candidate profiles	1984
3	27	State targeted candidates	1982
3	28	Stationary	undated
3	29	SCWPC: Budget reports and membership lists	1988-1994, undated
3	30	SCWPC: By-laws	1981, undated
3	31	SCWPC: Correspondence	1989-1995
3	32	SCWPC: Legislative activities	1974-1993
3	33	SCWPC: Minutes of meetings and handwritten notes	1981-1994
3	34	SCWPC: News clippings	1981-1995
3	35	SCWPC: Newsletters	1981-1992
3	36	SCWPC: Special events	1984-1995
3	37	Subject File: Divorce and marriage laws	1977, undated
3	38	Subject File: Education and childcare	1974-1981, undated
3	39	Subject File: Labor issues and civil rights	undated
3	40	Subject File: Reproductive rights and abortion	1979-1989
3	41	Subject File: Ronald Reagan and defense spending	1983-1988, undated
3	42	Subject File: Title IX (equality in education)	1975, undated
3	43	Susan B. Anthony fundraiser	1984
3	44	"Techniques for Organizational Effectiveness," by Claire Fulcher and Mary Grefe	1973
3	45	U.S. Congress candidate profiles	1984
3	46	Victoria L Herring, IWPC president	1995-1997
3	47	Women Agenda Conference	1988
3	48	Women Congressional Directory	1993
3	49	Women elected to office	1982
3	50	"Womenews" (newsletter for the Iowa State University Committee on Women)	1978-1982
3	51	Women in politics data	1975-1982
3	52	"Women’s Political Times" (newspaper)	1976, 1978
3	53	"Women’s Political Times" (newspaper)	1981-1982
3	54	"Women’s Political Times" (newspaper)	1983-1984
4	1	"Women’s Political Times" (newspaper)	1985-1886
4	2	"Women’s Political Times" (newspaper)	1987-1990
4	3	"Women’s Political Times" (newspaper)	1991-1998
5	1	IWPC Legislative Committee: records, voting lists, legislative platforms	1974-1983, undated
5	2	IWPC: Newsletters	1974-1975
5	3	News clippings, pamphlets, and fliers for the Equal Rights Amendment	1975-1982, undated
5	4	News clippings: Profiles of Iowa House and Senate members	1975
5	5	News clippings	1984
5	6	National Organization of Women, Ames, IA Chapter (newsletters, pamphlets, fliers, misc.)	1980-1981
5	7	Roxanne Conlin and the 1982 Gubernatorial Election (newsclippings and fliers)	1982
5	8	Subject File: Reproductive Rights	1980-1985
5	9	"Who Likes Women and Why," article by Carol Travis	1973
6	1	ERA in Iowa	1992-1993, 2008
6	2	IWPC Articles, Conventions, and Committee Notes	1985-1994, not dated
6	3	IWPC Stationary	undated
6	4	Iowa Women’s Meeting, Final Report	1977
6	5	NWPC Training Workshop, Convention	1991, 1993
6	6	Political Pamphlets, Leadership Camp Pamphlets	1985-1995, undated
6	7	Win With Women Campaign, IWPC	1993-1995
6	8	Win With Women Campaign IWPC	1996