Jackson
County Historical Society
Archives
& Research Library
Women’s History Collections (4/06)
The Jackson County Historical Society
began actively assembling a more comprehensive collection of materials focusing
on women’s history in 1997. Specifically, the Society began soliciting
archival materials of individual women and women’s organizations in order to
preserve and make available primary source material on the women of the
greater Kansas City metropolitan area. The project initiated after research
revealed that the contributions of women to the development of American
culture and its institutions had not been adequately included in most history
accounts. Further, what has been
retained is in fragmented locations, and not easily accessible to the public. A determination to reverse this trend, and
to reserve the 20th century women’s legacy in the Kansas City
region, prompted Historical Society volunteers Barbara Potts (a former mayor
of Independence and executive director of the Historical Society), and Jane
Fifield Flynn (a former administrator of Kansas Citys Landmarks Commission,
president of Historic Kansas City Foundation and author of two books Kansas
City Women of Independent Minds and Kansas City Style: A Social and
Cultural History of Kansas City as Seen Through Its Lost Architecture) to
launch this venture. Thus, the
Jackson County Historical Society began its work to fill a major void in the
recorded history of the metropolitan Kansas City region. Potts said, “The preservation of the
history of women’s contributions to our community is very important to future
generations ability to understand the women of the 20th century.” Flynn
added, “We have long suspected that invaluable primary sources were being
lost to us because of inattention to the historical perspective of women. [The women’s history collections at the
Jackson County Historical Society] will provide the first opportunity in our
area to gather together in one location the documentation of the
contributions made by individual women and women’s organizations, which
reveal the presence of not only city fathers but city mothers.” Efforts
to increase awareness of the importance of women in the history of Kansas
City And Jackson County has led to the collection of a number of prominent
women’s collections. A broad range of original materials comprise these
collections, which includes among other types of historical objects: letters,
diaries and journals, memoirs, scrapbooks, reports, minutes, memoranda,
labeled photographs, speeches, audio- and videocassettes, slides, films, and
oral history interviews. Represented
here are the personal, business and professional papers of women who have
contributed to the heritage of the greater Kansas City metropolitan from all
walks of life. Pioneers, politicians,
writers, teachers, suffragettes, artists, homemakers, athletes,
businesswomen, journalists, and volunteers are among those represented in
these collections: A
American Association of University Women, Independence
Chapter, 1940-1994 Association for Women in Communications (formerly Theta
Sigma Phi), Kansas City Chapter, 1914-1990s Association of High School Women, Independence Chapter Association of Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City B
Blanch Barnes Scrapbook Collection Matilda Caroline Bidstrup Papers, 1874-1939 Black Women of Justice, Inc. Papers Beulah L. Boone Papers, 1760-1960s Dolly Breitenbaugh Papers, 1848-1948 Evelyn Duncan Brown Papers Skiley Briggs Papers, 1860s-1970s Business and Professional Women’s Club Records,
1930s-1960s Dorothy Pierson Butler Papers, 1910-1970s Dorothy Butler Scrapbook Collection, 1973-1976 C
Anna Parker Campbell Scrapbook Collection Central Exchange Records Adrienne Christopher DAR Scrapbook Collection, 1932 Church Women United, Independence Chapter Church Women United, Kansas City Chapter Alberta Wilson Constant Papers, 1855-1978 Mize and Lucy Conway Papers, 1856-1962 D
Nancy DeLaurier Papers Mary Mildred DeWitt Scrapbook Collection E
Englewood Live and Learn Club scrapbook Loula Grace Erdman Manuscript, 1966 Nancy M. Erlich papers, 1830s-1980s F
Jane Fifield Flynn Papers, 1990s to present Mrs. Frank (Pauline) Fowler Papers, 1940s-1970s G
Nadine Harness Garner Family Papers, 1960s-1970s Susannah Gentry Papers, 1880s-1980s Mrs. George (Claude) Gorton Papers, 1919-1975 Greater Federation of Women’s Clubs, Independence
Chapter Mary Fitzgerald Green Papers, 1890-1964 H
Mrs. Horace S. (Georganne) Hedges, 1950s-1980s Hickman Mills Homemakers Club Scrapbook Collection,
1918-1978 Mollie Hughes Scrapbook Collection, 1880-1900 Hyatt Manuscripts (recipes), 1871-1940 I
Independence Garden Club Scrapbook Collection, 1945-1972 Independence Young Matrons, 1941-present J
Miss Cammie Johnson Papers, 1941-1935 Lizzie Price Johnson Papers, 1860s-1930s K
Edna Virginia Kinnamann Papers, 1779-1960s L
League of Women Voters-Tri County Chapter Landon and Mary Graham Minor Laird Papers, 1930s-1940s Anna Marie Lentz Papers, 1880-1940s Margaret Bird Luce Scrapbook Collection, 1883-1933 M
Gilda Zoe Harrell-Gilda Manning Papers, 1941-1999 Ruby Short McKim Papers/McKim Studio Records (see also www.rubyslegacy.com and www.mckimstudios.com) Mattie Rhodes Center Records Mid-Continent Council of Girl Scouts Records Grace Minor Papers, 1830s-1988 Berta E. Montgomery Scrapbook Collection, 1906-1909 P
Carole Roper Park Papers Sallie Jane Parker Papers, 1880-1918 Mary Paxton Study Class Records, 1890s-1980s Phi Omicron Society-Rho Sigma Phi Chapter Mayor Barbara J. Potts Papers, 1980s-2001 R
Rho Sigma Phi (formerly Phi Omicron Sorority) Hazelle Hedges Rollins Papers, 1930s-1950s S
Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Papers Mary Gentry Shaw Family Papers, 1851-1972 Mathilda Dallmeyer Shelden Scrapbook Collection,
1914-1929 Sorsis Club Papers Sybil Burris Snyder Papers, 1924-1974 Stratler-Mifflin Papers, 1910-1930s T
Ethel Tiffy Scrapbook Collection V
Mrs. John Van Brunt Papers, 1906-1941 W
Mrs. George P. Wallace Scrapbook Collection Westport Ballet Theater Papers Ann Prewitt Wright Scrapbook Collection Y
Lucy Sparks Yantis Papers, 1850s-1960s Z
Mary Mercer Zick Scrapbook Collection The women’s history collections at the Jackson
County Historical Society are available for research by the public. The Society collects, preserves, and makes
available to researchers materials that provide a broad insight into the
county’s civic, social, cultural, economic, and educational development. Individuals and organizations interested
in preserving their collections at the Jackson County Historical Society’s
Archives facility are encouraged to follow this two-step process: STEP ONE Begin the process by taking a few moments
to survey their records and write down as much of the following as possible: Name (and any previous names) of the
creating individual or institution The quantity of materials (an approximate
number of folders, boxes, or drawers) The dates the materials cover The types of materials (artifacts,
correspondence, diaries, photographs, reports, etc.) STEP TWO
Contact
the Jackson County Historical Society to discuss your interest in making a
donation. Jackson
County Historical Society Archives,
Research Library and Bookshop 112
West Lexington Ave, Ste 103 Independence,
MO 64050 816.252.7454 816.461-1510
(fax) |