Scope and Contents
The Kafoury collection is comprised of a variety of materials collected by Kafoury throughout the 1970s and early 1980s that are related to various women's groups and causes.
Series I: Organizations/Political Groups contains correspondence, newsletters and general subject files regarding various organizations and political groups that Kafoury associated with.
Series II: Bills/Legislation/Laws consists of correspondence, publications and notes regarding House and Senate bills and laws.
Series III: Conferences is composed of materials collected from major conferences for women's organizations such as NOW and OWPC between 1973 and 1980.
Series IV: Correspondence is comprised of letters between Kafoury and other women's groups members.
Series V: Publications contains newspapers, magazines and newsletters that relate to women's groups and their ideals.
Series VI: Subject Files is composed of correspondence, publications and notes that relate to women's groups and causes.
Dates
- 1971-1983
Creator
- Kafoury, Gretchen Miller (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.
Biographical / Historical
Gretchen Kafoury, an Oregon equal rights activist, was born in Walla Walla, Washington in 1942. She graduated with a BA in Music from Whitman College in 1963. From 1964 to 1966, Kafoury lived in Iran as a Peace Corps volunteer. Upon her return to the U.S., she began teaching English as a Second Language in Portland, both at Grant High School and Portland State University. During her time as a teacher, Kafoury became active in volunteer political activities, working on Robert Kennedy's presidential and Wayne Morse's U.S. Senate campaigns in 1968.
In 1970 she helped found the Oregon chapter of the National Organizaton for Women (NOW) and the Oregon Women's Political Caucus (OWPC) in 1971. From 1971 to 1975, she served on the Metro 4-C Council and she continued to lobby for several women's groups. In 1972, Kafoury aided in the Mink for President Committee, which supported the Hawaiian native, Patsy Mink, in her attempts to get on the presidential ballot. In 1974, Kafoury worked on Barbara Robert's gubernatorial campaign. In 1975, she began working as an EEO consultant.
Kafoury served as a State Representative for Oregon from 1977 to 1982, filling the seat her husband had left to continue onto the Senate. During her time as a State Representative, Kafoury's key issues were health care, domestic violence, mental health and nurse practitioners. In 1985, Kafoury was elected as a Multnomah County Commissioner for NE Portland. She continued to hold priority on health care and mental health, but added poverty, homelessness, criminal justice and teen health centers to her key issues.
From 1991 to 1998 Kafoury served on the Portland City Council. She became an instructor in 1999 and she earned her Masters in Public Administration at Portland State University in 2000. Since 1999 she has taught classes related to community development, homelessness and poverty at PSU.
Extent
19.5 linear feet (14 containers)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Gretchen Kafoury co-founded the Oregon chapter of the National Organization of Women in 1970 and the Oregon Women's Political Caucus in 1971. She served as an Oregon State Representative (1977-1982), as a Multnomah County Commissioner (1985-1990) and on the Portland City Council (1991-1998).
This collection is comprised of a variety of materials collected by Kafoury throughout the 1970s and early 1980s that are related to various women's groups and causes.
Arrangement
Collection is organized into the following series:
Series I: Organizations/Political Groups
Series II: Bills/Legislation/Laws
Series III: Conferences
Series IV: Correspondence
Series V: Publications
Series VI: Subject Files
Processing Information
Collection processed by Austin Pliska, 2012.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Kafoury, Gretchen Miller
- Legislators -- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oregon -- Politics and government Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Oregon NOW (Organization)
- Oregon Women's Political Caucus
- Politics and Politicians Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Women Subject Source: Archiveswest
- Women -- Political activity -- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Women's rights -- Oregon Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the Gretchen Kafoury Papers
- Status
- Revise Description
- Author
- Austin Pliska
- Date
- 2012
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English
- Sponsor
- Funding for production of this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) administered through the Oregon State Library.
Repository Details
Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository
