Summary Information
Out and About Women Records
1980-2012 (bulk 1980-1992)
La Crosse Mss DQ; PH 7140; Audio 1961A; AE 996; VCA 828-VCA 831
2.2 cubic feet (2 records center cartons and 1 archives box), 0.1 cubic feet of photographs (1 folder) and 0.4 cubic feet of posters (1 oversize folder and 1 roll), 8 audio recordings, 1 film (16 mm), and 4 videorecordings (1/2-inch)
UW-La Crosse Murphy Library / La Crosse Area Research Ctr. (Map)Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Records, mainly from 1980 to 1992, of Out and About Women, a feminist non-profit organization which produced shows of women artists in the La Crosse, Wisconsin area. The collection documents Out and About Women's role in cultural production in a college town, as well as the women's community and LGBT rights in La Crosse.
There is a restriction on use of this material; see the Administrative/Restriction Information portion of this finding aid for details.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-lx00dq ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
The La Crosse, Wisconsin organization Out and About Women was formed in the summer of 1980 after a group of women attended the National Women's Music Festival in Champaign, Illinois. The original group consisted of six women and was organized to bring female performers, primarily musicians, and women's culture to the La Crosse area. The group was non-profit and depended on donations, fundraising, and ticket sales to hire acts.
In the 1980s over twenty concerts and cultural events were produced by Out and About Women as well as several fundraisers including the annual Tux Party. The group started with a benefit dance on July 3, 1980, followed by their first production on July 13, 1980 including Ardy Tibby, a humorist/story teller, and feminist poet Chocolate Waters. The first two events were at Mother's, a local gay bar (women were also welcome as customers). Other female acts over the years were Alive!, Kay Gardner, Teresa Trull/Julie Homie, Nancy Vogel, Robin Flower, Kate Clinton, Gayle Marie, Holly Near, Ferron, Cris Williamson, and Musica Femina. The venues for the entertainers included the bar Tattoo, its successor bar Tattoo II, UW-La Crosse, and Mill Road Café in Galesville.
The Tux Party began in 1980 as a birthday party and was held annually until 1991. The event in 1983 became a fundraising event for Out and About Women. At the event, usually a women's only event, most participants came dressed in tuxes bought from a local tux store's backstock while others arrived in prom dresses. The last and twelfth Tux Party was in 1991 when few women were able to make the party because of a heavy snowstorm.
Out and About was supported by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and its Women's Studies program (which became an official academic unit in 1987). The University provided space for many productions and the Women's Studies department co-sponsored some events. Two of the women involved with the organization, Mary O'Sullivan and Joyce “Joy” Holthaus were active in the La Crosse women's community: both women served on the board of the LGBT Resource Center of the Seven Rivers Region, and in 1985 Holthaus was asked by Governor Tony Earl to serve on the Wisconsin Governor's Council on Lesbian and Gay Issues. The newsletter Leaping La Crosse News, that started in 1979 as NLFO (National Lesbian Feminist Organization), included a calendar and features on Out and About Women events. The final concert produced by Out and About Women was "Daughters of Africa" on February 1, 1991. By this time there were only four members and women's music was more readily available at local venues, festivals, and concerts in other cities.
Chronology:
| 1980 July 3 |
Benefit dance
|
| 1980 July 13 |
Chocolate Waters with Ardy Tibby and Bonnie
|
| 1980 November 15? |
1st Tux Party
|
| 1981 February 19 |
Local Talent Night
|
| 1981 May 12 |
Nancy Vogl, Robin Flower and Barbara Higbie with Bonnie Jasicki
|
| 1981 July 10, 31? |
Open mikes
|
| 1981 October 23 |
Alive!
|
| 1981 November 14 |
Kay Gardner
|
| 1981 December 6 |
Teresa Trull with Julie Homi
|
| 1982 December 17 |
3rd Tux Party
|
| 1982 January 28 |
Gala Benefit and Celebration
|
| 982 February 17 |
Ginni Clemmens
|
| 1982 March 24 |
Holly Near with Adrienne Torf and Carrie Barton
|
| 1982 May 5 |
Meg Christian (bus to Stevens Point)
|
| 1982 May 15 |
Bonnie Jasicki
|
| 1982 July 16 |
Ginni Clemmens
|
| 1982 November 5 |
Kate Clinton
|
| 1982 December 3 |
Betsy Rose and Cathy Winter with Lynn Zampino
|
| 1983 August 20 |
Benefit Rummage Sale
|
| 1983 September 22 |
Gayle Marie with January Martinelli and char
|
| 1983 November 5 |
Toshi Reagon (cancelled)
|
| 1983 November ? |
4th Tux Party
|
| 1984 February 25 |
Ann Reed
|
| 1984 May 5 |
Meg Christian
|
| 1984 May 11 |
Kate Clinton
|
| 1984 October 14 |
Ferron
|
| 1984 October 28 |
Casselberry-DuPreé
|
| 1984 November 17 |
5th Tux Party
|
| 1984 December 9 |
Betsy Rose
|
| 1985 February 24 |
Listening Party
|
| 1985 April 19 |
Ronnie Gilbert
|
| 1985 May 11 |
Musica Femina
|
| 1985 September 27 |
Kate Clinton
|
| 1985 October 12 |
Cris Williamson and Tret Fure with Carrie Barton
|
| 1985 November 10 |
Debbie Fier / Kate Clinton?
|
| 1987 March 13 |
Deidre McCalla
|
| 1988 April 17 |
April Bishop
|
| 1989 October 4 |
Lunch Box/Soap Box Women's Music presentation
|
| 1989 October 13 |
Sonia Johnson
|
| 1989 November 18 |
10th annual Tux Party
|
| 1990 November? |
11th Tux Party
|
| 1991 February 1 |
Daughters of Africa
|
| 1991 November? |
12th (final) Tux Party
|
Scope and Content Note
The Out and About Women Records are arranged in four series: ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS; ARTISTS and EVENTS; SUBJECT FILES; and VISUAL MATERIALS.
The ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS series includes organizational information on Out and About Women, as well as correspondence, press kits, and other publicity materials for various performers.
The ARTISTS and EVENTS series includes publicity and production related materials for Out and About Women events, such as venue arrangements, performer contracts, technical riders, ticket sales information, and related audio recordings for a few of the artists. In some instances (for example, the Robin Tyler file), press materials were separated into university publicity and alternative, women's, and lesbian/gay publications by the performer.
The SUBJECT FILES series includes materials related to women's music and lesbian and gay issues such as materials from women's music conferences and festivals, the 1987 and 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, and board materials for a regional LGBT resource center. Materials specific to the lesbian and gay community in La Crosse, Wisconsin are also included.
The VISUAL MATERIALS series includes press photos of women artists, event posters, a film, and videorecordings of a women's conference.
Administrative/Restriction Information
The Wisconsin Historical Society does not own the copyright to most images and documents in its collections. It is the user's responsibility to determine whether a proposed use violates copyright, and if so, to obtain permission from the copyright holder. In some cases, WHS has written agreements with copyright holders. In others, copyright has lapsed. Often, it is not clear who owns copyright. Users are legally liable for complying with the provisions of the law. For more information on copyright, consult the U.S. Copyright Office publications.
Presented by Mary F. O'Sullivan for Out and About Women, La Crosse, Wisconsin, May 15, 2017. Accession Number: M2018-034
Processed by Alison E. Bridger and SLIS 875-001 class, March 2018, and Julia Wong, March 2022.
Contents List
|
La Crosse Mss DQ
|
Series: Administrative Records
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
1
|
Articles of incorporation, 1984
: Includes "Purpose," originally found in a ledger.
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
2
|
Charitable organization reports, 1984-1997
|
|
|
Correspondence
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
3-4
|
General, artist information, 1980-1990, 1999
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
5
|
Advertising, publicity, 1983-1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
6
|
Event venues, 1980, undated
|
|
|
Financial records
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
7
|
Bank passbooks, 1981-1988
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
8
|
Chronological accounts, 1980 June-1985 November
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
9
|
Financial statements, 1981-1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
10
|
Ledger, 1980-1983
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
11
|
Fundraising, grants, 1981-1986
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
12
|
Grant proposals, information, 1981, 1993
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
13
|
Logos and art originals, 1981-1982
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
14
|
Mailing, media, and event lists, undated
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
15-16
|
Meeting notes, 1984, circa 1988-1992
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
17
|
Receipts, ticket sales, 1980-1988
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
18
|
Sales permit, 1986-1996
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
19
|
Stationery, undated
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
20
|
Surveys, 1985?
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
21
|
T-shirt sales, 1981
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
22
|
Unemployment compensation, 1985
|
|
|
Series: Artists and Events
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
23
|
Adam, Margie, 1980-1983
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
24
|
Alexander Noelle, 1985
: Tricia Alexander and Lori Noelle.
|
|
|
Audio 1961A/7
Side
A
|
"Woodstock," 1981
Side A (4:18) on 1 audio disc (45 rpm)
|
|
|
Audio 1961A/7
Side
B
|
"Here We Go Again," 1981
Side B (3:06) on 1 audio disc (45 rpm)
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
26
|
Bishop, Heather, 1988
|
|
|
PH 7140
Oversize Folder
1
|
Press packet
|
|
|
La Crosse Mss DQ
Box
1
Folder
27
|
Casselberry-DuPreé, 1984, 1986
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
28
|
Christian, Meg, 1982, 1984
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
29
|
Clemmens, Ginni, 1981-1982, 1984
|
|
|
Audio 1961A/8
Side
Fun
|
"Wild Women Don't Get the Blues," circa 1981
Side Fun (3:42) on 1 audio disc (45 rpm)
|
|
|
Audio 1961A/8
Side
Too
|
"Solid Ground," circa 1981
Side Too (3:44) on 1 audio disc (45 rpm)
: Record sleeve inscribed by Ginni Clemmens.
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
30-32
|
Clinton, Kate, 1982, 1984, 1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
33
|
Daughters of Africa, 1990-1994
|
|
|
Ferron
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
34
|
General, 1984
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
35
|
Advertising, 1984
|
|
|
Audio
1961A/3-4
|
Interview, undated
2 audio cassettes: Part 1 (14:08), Part 2 (44:21)
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
36
|
Ticket sales, 1984 September-October
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
37
|
Fier, Debbie, 1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
38
|
Fink, Cathy, 1984-1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
39
|
Fink, Sue, 1985-1986
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
40
|
Gardner, Kay, 1980-1981
|
|
|
Gilbert, Ronnie
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
41
|
General, 1984-1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
42
|
Ticket sales, reserved seats protest, 1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
43
|
Jasicki, Bonnie, 1981, 1982
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
44
|
Jasmine Music Group, 1987
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
45
|
Johnson, Sonia, 1981-1989
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
46
|
Listening Party, 1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
47
|
Marie, Gayle, 1983-1985
|
|
|
Audio
1961A/6
Side
A
|
"Stormy Nights," 1980
Side A (3:55) on 1 audio disc (45 rpm)
|
|
|
Audio
1961A/6
Side
B
|
"Sweet and Serene," 1980
Side B (4:45) on 1 audio disc (45 rpm)
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
48
|
McCalla, Deirdre, 1985-1987, 1989
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
49
|
Musica Femina, 1984-1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
50-51
|
Near, Holly, 1981-1985
|
|
|
Audio 1961A/5
|
Holly Near promo, circa 1982
1 reel to reel audio recording: 1/2 track, 7 1/2 ips, 30 seconds
|
|
|
Jess Hawk Oakenstar
: No mss materials.
|
|
|
Audio 1961A/2
|
Demo tape, 1992
1 audio cassette
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
52
|
Reagon, Toshi, 1983
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
53
|
Reed, Ann, 1981-1985
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
54
|
Rose, Betsy and Cathy Winter, 1982
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
55
|
Rose, Betsy, 1984
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
1
|
Talent Night poster, 1981
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
2
|
Trull, Teresa, 1981
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
3
|
Tux Party, 1983, 1989
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
4
|
Tyler, Robin, 1982
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
5
|
Vogl, Nancy, Robin Flower, and Barbara Higbie, 1981
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
6
|
Vogl, Nancy and Suzanne P. Shanbaum, 1981
: Original members of Berkeley Women's Music Collective.
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
7
|
Washington Sisters, 1985
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
8
|
Waters, Chocolate, 1980
|
|
|
Audio 1961A/1
|
La Crosse poetry reading, 1980 July 14
1 audio cassette
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
9
|
Weaver, Kay, 1985
: See also film under Visual Materials series.
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
10
|
Williamson, Cris, 1980
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
11
|
Williamson, Cris and Tret Fure, 1985
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
12
|
"Women's Music" Lunchbox/Soapbox presentation, Women's Studies Resource Center, 1989 October 4
|
|
|
Series: Subject Files
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
13
|
Baseball score book, women's softball, with correspondence to Joy Holthaus, 1983-2007
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
14
|
Daughters of the Earth (DOE) Farm: Wisconsin Womyn's Land Co-operative, 1986
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
15
|
Fundamental Change II: A Forum for Education on Sexual Orientation Issues, 1998, 1999
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
16-18
|
GLBT Resource Center for the Seven Rivers Region, 1999-2006
: Name changed to LGBT Center in 2004. Includes articles of incorporation, by-laws, board meeting minutes.
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
19
|
Mailing list, 2003
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
20
|
Gay Women's Support Service, 1980s
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
21
|
Governor's Council on Lesbian and Gay Issues stationery, speaking engagement form, undated
|
|
|
La Crosse, Wisconsin
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
22
|
La Crosse Bridge Builders Fund Advisory Committee, 1998-2000
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
23
|
Splendora production, 2000
: Originally planned to be performed at Viterbo College.
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
24
|
Leaping La Crosse News, 1981-1983
: Title of earlier 1981 issues: NLFO News (National Lesbian Feminist Organization).
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
25
|
LGBT community, news clippings, 1981-2012
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
26
|
"Lesbian History of La Crosse : A Memoir" / by Joy Holthaus, undated
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
27
|
Lesbian aging, 1983, 2004, undated
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
28
|
LGBT and women's rights ephemera, 1979-2012
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
29
|
LGBT news clippings, 1982-2010
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
30
|
March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, 1987 October
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
30
|
March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation, 1993 April
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
31
|
Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, 1979-2012
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
32
|
Calendars, 1994-1995, 2010-2011
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
33
|
National Coming Out Day, 1990, 1991
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
34-36
|
National Women's Music Festival, 1987-2007
: Music industry conference.
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
37
|
Bumper stickers, undated
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
38
|
Production company information, 1975-1981, 1986
|
|
|
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
39
|
Oral history, 2012
|
|
|
Women's Studies
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
40
|
General, 1983-1992, undated
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
41-42
|
Readings, 1989
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
43
|
Stationery letterhead, undated
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
44
|
Wisconsin Women's Political Caucus award, 1982 September 12
|
|
|
Women's publications
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
1
|
Forté, 1984-1986
: 1984 November, 1985 February, September, November, 1986 May.
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
2
|
I Know You Know, 1985
: 1985 January-June, December.
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
3
|
Ladyslipper Tenth Anniversary Catalog and Resource Guide, 1986
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
1
|
Women's Music News, 1983 November, 1984 March
: Earlier title of Forté.
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
45
|
Women's Space Committee, survey, 1989
|
|
|
Series: Visual Materials
|
|
|
AE 996
|
One Fine Day: A Celebration of the American Woman from the 18th Century to the Present; a Montage to Kay Weaver's anthem, "One Fine Day" : film / Ishtar Films
5 1/2 minutes, 16 mm, color
|
|
|
PH 7140
Folder
1
|
Publicity photos of performers
|
|
|
Folder
1
|
Negative strip, unidentified
|
|
|
Roll
1
|
Holly Near posters (2), 1982, undated
: One poster is autographed.
|
|
|
Posters, 1982-1991
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
Bishop, Heather, 1988
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
Clinton, Kate, 1982, 1985
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
Daughters of Africa, 1991
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
Marie, Gayle, 1983
: Mock-up.
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
McCalla, Deirdre, 1987
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
Reed, Ann, undated
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
Trull, Teresa, 1981
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
Vogl, Nancy, Robin Flower, and Barbara Higbie, 1981
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
Williamson, Cris and Tret Fure, 1985
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
Williamson, Cris, Tret Fure, Barbara Higbie, Teresa Trull: An Evening of Song, undated
: Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
"A Reading Group on Building Women's Community," 1988?
|
|
|
Oversize Folder
1
|
"March on Washington for Lesbian & Gay Rights: Oct. 11, 1987," 1987
|
|
|
VCA 828-VCA 831
|
Women's International Conference: Videorecording, 1975 April 9-11
Sony Video Tape V-32, for Helical Scan Video Recorders: Part 1 (60:00), Part 2 (32:00), unknown, Part 5 (60:00)
|
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