The most significant events and developments reflected in the Wisconsin National Organization for Women collection includes the Equal Rights Amendment records. The Equal Rights Amendment Task Force and action files are extensive and cover the broad range of activities carried out by Wisconsin NOW in an attempt to get the Equal Rights Amendment passed. Petitions, telephone banks, letter campaigns to key legislators, and various campaign kits are included.
Another well-documented area is the development, advocacy, and support for women's reproductive rights. Wisconsin NOW participated in several “March for Women's Lives” in Washington, D.C. to protest anti-abortion laws. There were several task force files for the Reproductive Rights Task Force as well as many files on abortion and reproductive rights. Wisconsin NOW ran a successful campaign of Mother's Day signature ads and other publicity that dealt largely with reproductive rights and was a major membership draw for the organization.
Another strong component of the collection are the files related to homemaker's rights and displaced homemakers. There are several task force files, including the greeting cards sent to women when they were married about their lack of rights in the 1970s, and other literature urging women to join NOW and help improve their quality of life.
There is some documentation on bills in the state and federal legislatures compiled as part of information gathering for Wisconsin NOW's testimony. That documentation includes fact sheets, letters to representatives and “action alerts” by Wisconsin NOW. Much of the legislation covered dealt with the Equal Rights Amendment, reproductive rights, and homemaker's rights.
By the 1990s the files concentrate on the issues of lesbian rights and minority women's concerns. The task force files as well as issue and action files from that decade document marches and letter campaigns dedicated to these causes. NOW's ability to shift focus indicates the development of feminism as it grew and changed in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin NOW records are divided into six series: Administrative Files, State Business Files, Task Force Files, Issues and Action Files, Chapter Files, and Audio-Visual Materials. The original recordkeeping system at the Wisconsin NOW office filed the Task Force files with the Issues and Action files. They have now been separated for clarity.
The ADMINISTRATIVE FILES series consists of Issues and Administrative Policy manuals as issued by National NOW. It also includes National NOW's mailings to state leadership and notes and handouts from the national conference as gathered by state leadership. A large part of this series also consists of advertising by Wisconsin NOW including the yearly Mother's Day advertisements. This series also includes press releases and publicity from 1970 to 1990. The files are labeled by subject and are arranged alphabetically.
The STATE BUSINESS FILES series consists of state conference files, State Council meetings agendas and minutes, special committee minutes, state bylaws, correspondences of various Wisconsin NOW leaders, membership information (including membership drives and processing), fundraising, state resolutions, and state newsletters. The files are labeled by subject and are arranged alphabetically.
The TASK FORCE FILES series consists of the files created by the various task forces of Wisconsin NOW. Included also are resource files that were created to assist the task forces with their decisions and research. The files are labeled by subject and are arranged alphabetically.
The ISSUES AND ACTION FILES series consists of the files that were created in regards to action and research done by Wisconsin NOW for a variety of issues that were important to them. The files document actions such as pickets and marches that Wisconsin NOW took part in, including the 1992 “Take Back the Night.” Many of these files overlap with the TASK FORCE series. For example, there are several files by the Equal Rights Amendment Task Force in the TASK FORCE series. Likewise, there are many files regarding publications and coalitions on the Equal Rights Amendment in the ISSUES AND ACTION series. The files are labeled by subject and are arranged alphabetically.
The Issues and Action files reflect Wisconsin NOW's concerns beyond the nationally sanctioned task forces. Included are files such as the controversial “Operation Rescue” where anti-abortion activists blocked abortion clinics in the summer of 1990. In response Wisconsin NOW counter-protested and held “pledge a picket” where people donated a certain amount of money for each anti-abortion protestor arrested.
The CHAPTER FILES series consists of files related to the convening and dissolving of Wisconsin chapters as well as newsletters, minutes, and correspondences of each individual Wisconsin chapter. There is also some information regarding Wisconsin NOW's leadership visits to chapters that were starting up and other aid given to chapters. The files are labeled by subject followed by administrative chapter information and the files of state chapters.
The AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS series include six tape recordings containing public service announcements, political endorsements, and topical platforms, and one videorecording on the origins and history of Wisconsin NOW.
