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Oregon Women's Political Caucus (OWPC) records

 Collection
Identifier: Coll 369

Scope and Contents

Founded in 1971, the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus (OWPC) was a state-wide women’s political organization that mirrored the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) at a state level. Along with fighting to right women’s issues, the OWPC also strove to achieve equal human rights for all people, regardless of sex, color, race or religion, as reflected in this collection.

This collection contains materials from 1971 to 1999 from a wide range of donors including Gretchen Kafoury (the co-founder of the OWPC), Margie Hendrikson, Eleanor Davis, Sara Lichtenstein and Merry Demarest. For more information on Oregon women’s political history, be sure to look through the individual collections of the women listed above, as well as the Oregon National Organization for Women (NOW) collection.

The collections contain correspondence, reports, financial papers, publications, conference proceedings, and training materials, along with many subject files.

Collection is organized into the following series: Series I: Campaign Materials and Endorsements Series II: OWPC Organization Series III: Conventions/Meetings/Events Series IV: NWPC Series V: Organizations/Issues/Laws Series VI: Subject Files Series VII: Bylaws and Directories Series VIII: Publications Series IX: Ephemera/Miscellaneous Series X: Correspondence

Dates

  • 1971-1999

Creator

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. Collection includes sound recordings, moving images, and digital files to which access is restricted. Access to these materials is governed by repository policy and may require the production of listening or viewing copies. Researchers requiring access must notify Special Collections and University Archives in advance and pay fees for reproduction services as necessary.

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

Founded in 1971, the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus (OWPC) was a state-wide women’s political organization that mirrored the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) at a state level. The OWPC primarily focused on helping women interested in running for office within the Pacific Northwest. As their mission statement states, the OWPC was created to “promote equitable representation of women and women’s interests in the decision-making process of government by maximizing the inclusion and involvement of women in political activities through education and action.” Along with fighting to right women’s issues, the OWPC also strove to achieve equal human rights for all people, regardless of sex, color, race or religion, as reflected in this collection.

In 1979, the OWPC created the Oregon Women’s Campaign School in order to educate and support potential Oregon women candidates. Today, the Oregon Women’s Campaign School is held biennially in early spring/late winter in Portland, Oregon and helps prospective Oregon women obtain positions at the local, state and national levels.

Separate, smaller groups of the OWPC were created as the caucus grew in the 70’s and 80’s, such as the Portland Area Women’s Political Caucus (PAWPC) and the Lane Women’s Political Caucus (LWPC). Eventually these groups regressed back into one major caucus, the OWPC, before the Oregon caucus disbanded completely.

Currently about 18 state chapters still exist within the NWPC, including California, New York and Arizona. And since the founding of the NWPC and OWPC in 1971, there has been a dramatic increase in women elected officials.

Extent

46 linear feet (33 containers) : 26 record storage boxes, 4 manuscript boxes, 2 half manuscript boxes, and 1 oversized box

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Founded in 1971, the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus (OWPC) was a state-wide women’s political organization that mirrored the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) at a state level. Along with fighting to right women’s issues, the OWPC also strove to achieve equal human rights for all people, regardless of sex, color, race or religion, as reflected in this collection.

This collection contains materials from 1971 to 1999 from a wide range of donors including Gretchen Kafoury (the co-founder of the OWPC), Margie Hendriksen, Eleanor Davis, Sara Lichtenstein and Merry Demarest. For more information on Oregon women’s political history, be sure to look through the individual collections of the women listed above, as well as the Oregon National Organization for Women (NOW) collection.

The collection contains correspondence, reports, financial papers, publications, conference proceedings, and training materials, along with many subject files.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into the following series:

Series I: Campaign Materials and Endorsements

Series II: OWPC Organization

Series III: Conventions/Meetings/Events

Series IV: NWPC

Series V: Organizations/Issues/Laws

Series VI: Subject Files

Series VII: Bylaws and Directories

Series VIII: Publications

Series IX: Ephemera/Miscellaneous

Series X: Correspondence

Related Materials

This collection is part of the Oregon Women's Political History Collection, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries.

General

Finding aid must be updated for clarity, and boxes reorganized to arrange folders as they are listed. Presently, folders are in the wrong boxes and the finding aid does not show any signs of organization. 2020 January 23

Processing Information

Collection processed by Austin Pliska, 2013.

This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.

Title
Guide to the Oregon Women's Political Caucus Records
Status
Revise Description
Author
Austin Pliska and Kira B. Homo
Date
2013
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

Contact:
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR 97403-1299 USA