Background on Valley Women's History Collaborative
The Valley Women's History Collaborate (VWHC) was formed in 1998 by Susan Tracy, Joyce Berkman, and Kaymarion Raymond in order to preserve contemporary local women's history through a collaboration among those who participated in the history and those who had the resources to document it. The Pioneer Valley has served as a center for lesbian and feminist actvity in western Massachusetts, with over 400, often ad hoc, groups known to exist from 1968 to 1978, many continuing onwards with new groups ever forming.
The focus of the Collaborative is the history of feminist, lesbian, and progressive people's efforts to promote female equality and social justice as well as the freedom to express a variety of gender and sexual orientations. The VWHC seeks to document the period from 1968 to the present in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties. With the passage of time, there is an increased urgency to preserve the early history of the women's movement in this region. The VWHC hopes to capture this history before there is a significant loss of these memories as members of the community begin to age and die, relocate to other parts of the country taking their knowledge and stories with them, or discard documents of value to researchers and activists.
In 1999 an oral history project was established at the Collaborative through grants from the MacArthur Foundation awarded by Hampshire College and from the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities. In recent years, the focus of the Collaborative has steadily shifted from collecting physical documents to actively pursuing oral history interviews of feminists. While there are various projects underway, the collection currently includes oral histories of women who provided abortion counseling pre-Roe vs. Wade, lesbian musicians and DJ's, pioneering therapists, several politicians, a rural lesbian "matriarch," and members of the Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League, a lesbian softball league. With the help of historian David Cline, the group has collected and transcribed 23 interviews with the women and men involved in reproduction rights activism from 1960-1990s.
Scope of collection
The collection of the Valley Women's History Collaborative (VWHC) contains the group's organizational papers, including materials relating to events organized or sponsored by the VWHC, as well as the records of the Abortion and Birth Control (ABC) Committee, ISIS Women's Center, the Mudpie Childcare Cooperative, the Springfield Women's Center, Springfield Women's Union, and the Valley Women's Union. Also present are the personal papers of VWHC organizer Susan Tracy and of Collaborative partipants: Alice Dembner, Robin Dizard, and Lorna Peterson. The collection contains, too, background information on feminist theory, socialist feminism and women's health issues.
In addition, the collection offers brochures on women's health issues and newspaper clippings from the Amherst Bulletin and the Daily Hampshire Gazette, and full issues of the Valley Women's Voice. The 23 oral histories are preserved as audio recordings with both full transcipts and edited versions. Oral history interviewees include: members of the Amherst Women's Liberation Movement and Abortion and Birth Control Group, Jean Baxter, Merry Boone, Robin Dizard, Rev. Franklin A. Dorman, Ruth Fessenden, Lorraine Florio, Elaine Fraser, Dr. Robert Gage, Dr. Merritt F. Garland, Rev. Samuel Johnson, Rabbi Yechiael Lander, Leslie Tarr Laurie, Meridith Michaels, Elizabeth Myer, Lawrence Siddall, Springfield Women's Health Collective, Ellen Story, Sam Topal, Susan Tracy, Rev. Richard Unsworth, Carol Wall, Dr. Jane Zapka D.S.
Finally, the records of the Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League, a women's modified fast-pitch softball league based in Northampton, Massachusetts, are also part of this collection. Formed in 1976 to provide lesbians and their friends a feminist sports center for social activity in the Pioneer Valley, the league's primary goal is simply to offer women a chance to enjoy the game. The league's founders, Jean Grossholtz, Eileen Stewart, Susan Tracy, and Maryann Jennings, initially fielded six teams: Common Womon, Hot Flashes, Woman Rising, No Nukes of the North, and a team from College Church and from Hatfield. Under Mary Vazquez's organizing efforts and skills, the league grew from six teams to sixteen at its height. Each team has its own personality, level of competitiveness, variety of sexualities, and unique history, but all have the common goal of having fun on the field while improving softball skills and playing fair.
Inventory
Oral histories
1999-2004
4 boxes
Abramson, Doris: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2001
Box 1
Abramson, Doris and Johnson, Dorothy: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2001
Box 1
Adams, Maurianne: Interview by Gigl, Erik: transcript
2001
Box 1
Amherst Birth Control: Interview by Tracy, Susan: transcript
1999
Box 1
Amherst Women's Liberation: Interview by Tracy, Susan: transcript
1999-2001
Box 1
Amherst Women's Liberation: Interview by Fonsh, Judi and Backes, Ruth: transcript
2000
Box 1
Avakian, Arlene: Interview by Cutler, Amy: transcript
2001
Box 1
Baxter, Jean: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 1
Berkman, Joyce: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2000
Box 1
Boone, Merry: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 1
Brown, Joanna: Interview by Thorton, Mike: transcript
1999
Box 2
Crosson, Pat: Interview by Peters, Catherine: transcript
2002
Box 2
Culley, Margo: Interview by Mohan, Jen: transcript
2002
Box 2
Demmin, Julia: Interview by Mitchell, Betty: transcript
2002
Box 2
Diamond, Arlyn: Interview by Berkman, Joyce: transcript
2004
Box 2
Dizard, Robin: Interview by Smith, Marilyn: transcript
2001
Box 2
Dizard, Robin: Interview by Cline, David, Marilyn: transcript
2004
Box 2
Dorman, Franklin: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 2
Dykewomon, Elana: Interview by Hope, Tryna: transcript
2001
Box 2
Edwards, Lee: Interview by Whitehouse, Suzanne Judson: interview
2000
Box 2
Ferguson, Ann: Interview by Berkman, Joyce: transcript
2004
Box 2
Fessenden, Ruth: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2002
Box 2
Florio, Lorraine: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 2
Ford, Mary: Interview by Backes, Ruth: transcript
2000
Box 2
Fraser, Elaine: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
1999
Box 2
Fraser, Elaine: Interview by Fonsh, Judi: transcript
1999
Box 2
Gage, Robert: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2002
Box 2
Garland, Merritt F.: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 2
Gorman, Cleo: Interview by Hope, Tryna: transcript
1999
Box 3
Green, Pat: Interview by Fonsh, Judi: transcript
2000
Box 3
Green Pat and Jones, Jeannie: Interview by Fonsh, Judi: transcript
2000
Box 3
Heath, Mary: Interview by Pasternak, Stephanie: transcript
2000
Box 3
Johnson, Samuel M.: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 3
Lander, Yechiael, Rabbi: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 3
Laurie, Leslie Tarr: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2002
Box 3
Laurie, Leslie Tarr: Interview by Woll, Kris: transcript
2002
Box 3
Lewis, Patricia Lee: Interview by Berkman, Joyce and Tracy, Susan: transcript
2004
Box 3
Lillydahl, Sandy: Interview by Backes, Ruth: transcript
2001
Box 3
Lowenstein, Susan: Interview by Backes, Ruth: transcript
2000
Box 3
McCord, Ann: Interview by Raymond, Kaymarion: transcript
1999
Box 3
Melcher, Dale: Interview by Cutler, Amy and Haley, Sandra: transcript
2000
Box 3
Michaels, Meredith W.: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2000
Box 3
Myer, Elizabeth: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2002
Box 3
Nettler, Lydia: Interview by Tager, Gina: transcript
2000
Box 3
O'Brien, Judy: Interview by O'Hara, Meghan: transcript
2000
Box 3
Page, Anita: Interview by Backes, Ruth: transcript
2001
Box 3
Power, Bet: Interview by Hope, Tryna: transcript
1999
Box 3
Pritchard, Marietta and Crowe, Frances: Interview by Fonsh, Judi: transcript
2000
Box 4
Raymond, Kaymarion: Interview by Kaplowitt, Beth: transcript
1999
Box 4
Rosel, Deliah: Interview by Raymond, Kaymarion: transcript
2000
Box 4
Rossi, Alice: Interview by Backes, Ruth: transcript
2000
Box 4
Siddall, Lawrence, Dr.: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 4
Stewart, Eileen: Interview by Tracy, Susan: transcript
1999
Box 4
Stewart, Eileen: Interview by Tracy, Susan: transcript
2000
Box 4
Story, Ellen: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 4
Topel, sam, Dr.: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2004
Box 4
Tracy, Susan: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
1999
Box 4
Unsworth, Richard, Rev.: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
1999
Box 4
Vazquez, Mary: Interview by Raymond, Kaymarion: transcript
2000 Feb 12
Box 4
Uncensored transcript and recording closed until 2025. Censored transcript open without restrictions.
Vazquez, Mary: Interview by Raymond, Kaymarion: transcript
2000 Apr 2
Box 4
Wall, Carol C.: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2000
Box 4
Wentworth, Mary: Interview by Backes, Ruth: transcript
2000
Box 4
Wolff, Sara Starr: Interview by Backes, Ruth: transcript
2000
Box 4
Women's Health Counseling Service, Inc.: Interview by Tracy, Susan: transcript
1999
Box 5
Zak, Anne: Interview by Gensler, Sharon: transcript
2000
Box 5
Zapka, Jane: Interview by Cline, David: transcript
2002
Box 5
Series 2: Administrative
1999-2008
2 boxes
Abramson, Doris
2001, 2008
Box 5
Advisory Board by-laws
2000
Box 5
Advisory Board meeting
2001
Box 5
American History Association Roundtable
2000
Box 5
Correspondence
1999-2000
Box 5
Correspondence: Miller, Marla
2000-2001
Box 5
Curriculum vita: Berkman, Joyce
1999
Box 5
Curriculum vita: Miller, Marla
ca. 1999
Box 5
Curriculum vita: Raymond, Kaymarion
ca. 1999
Box 5
Curriculum vita: Redmon, Sherrill
ca. 1999
Box 5
Curriculum vita: Seidman, Linda
1999
Box 5
Curriculum vita: Tracy, Susan
ca. 1999
Box 5
Documentation project repository visitsurvey form
ca. 1999
Box 5
History brainstorm
2000
Box 5
Grants: final report
2000-2001
Box 5
Grants: interim report
2000
Box 6
Guide to Donating Your Papers
ca. 2000
Box 6
Oral history project
2001
Box 6
Oral history training
1999-2002
2 folders
Box 6
Planning documents
1999-2000
5 folders
Box 6
Raymond, Kaymarion: cartoon
ca. 1999
Box 6
Series 3: Research Materials and Subject Files
1971-2008
4 boxes
Abortion and Birth Control (ABC) Committee
1971
Box 6
Alliance for Economic Justice: Protest and action flyer
1995
Box 6
Bourne, Kristina: The Paradox of the Green Street Shops
1999
Box 7
Brown, Judith: Toward a Female Liberation Movement
1968
Box 7
Co-authored by Beverly Jones.
Chodorow, Nancy: Oedipal Asymmetries and Heterosexual Knots
1975-1978
Box 7
Cline, David: Creating Choice: A Community Responds to the Need for Abortion and Birth Control, 1961-1973
2000
Box 7
Cline, David: Public History and the Politics of Empowerment: the Public Historian as both Moderator and Activist
2000
Box 7
Correspondence: Brown, Joanne
1972-1973
Box 7
Cuba Review: Women in Transition
1976
Box 7
Directory of Arts Activism
1984
Box 7
Dizard, Robin: Speeches and notes
1971-1987
Box 7
Dudley, Barbara: Wages for Housework?
1975
Box 7
Ehrenreich, Barbara: The Politics of Housework
1975
Box 7
Ehrenreich, Barbara: What is Socialist Feminism?
1976
Box 7
Feminist theory
1975-1978
Box 7
Greenfield Popular Union: More of the Same: Millers Falls Tools Threatens to Runaway
ca. 1977
Box 7
Kady: Panhandling Papers
1981
Box 7
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Acklesburg, Martha
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Babize, Mollie
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Carney, Maureen and Shaw, Linda
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews:
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Griffin, Pat
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Grossholtz, Jean
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Pisano, Linda
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Higgins, Mary Clare
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Jennings, Mary Ann
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Johnston, Lacey
2006
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Marchesani, Linda
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: McClintock, Mary
2008
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Schmidt, Maxine
2006
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Sortino, Elaine
2006
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Tyler, Sue
2006
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League interviews: Vazquez, Mary
2007
Box 16
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League: minutes and schedules
1985-1996
Box 7
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League: photographs
1977-1987
Box 7
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League: Team Common Womon I
1989-1997
Box 8
Mary Vazquez Women's Softball League: Team Common Womon II
1983-1996
Box 8
Morris, David: Worker Self-Management
1978
Box 8
Mudpie Childcare Cooperative
1973-1975
Box 8
Newspaper clippings
1999-2000
2 folders
Box 8
Newspaper clippings: Student Homophile League, UMass
1970-2000
Box 8
Newspaper clippings: violence against women
1988-2001
3 folders
Box 8
New Unity (Springfield, Mass.)
1973, 1975
Box 8
Panel on Reproductive in the Valley: transcript
2003
Box 8
O'Hara, Meghan: Judy O, Dyke on the Mike
2000
Box 8
O'Hara, Meghan: Notes on Women in Radio in the Valley
1999
Box 8
Pioneer Valley organizations and events
1987-2000
Box 8
President's Interagency Council on Women: America's Committment to Women 2000
2000
Box 9
Queer Nation
undated
vol. 1, no. 2
Box 9
Raymond, Kaymarion: Notes on Wendell (Mass.) lesbian history
1998-2000
Box 9
Raymond, Kaymarion: Student Homophile League
2000
Box 9
Slater, Miriam: Keynote address, Alumnae Symposium, Hampshire College
1999
Box 9
Social feminism
1967-1981
Box 9
Social Feminism Conference
1975
Box 9
Southwst Residential College course
1973-1976
Box 9
Springfield Women's Center
1965-1975
Box 9
Springfield Women's Union
1975
Box 9
Valley Women's Movement: a herstorical Valley Chronology
ca. 1984
Box 9
Valley Women's Union
1975-1976
Box 9
Valley Women's Voice
1988 Jul-1992 Mar
Box 9
Valley Women's Voice
1992 May-1993 Fall
Box 9
Valley Women's Voice
1993 Dec-1995 Feb
Box 10
Valley Women's Voice
1995 Feb-June
Box 10
Wentworth, Mary: What is Patriarchy and Why Is It the Most Powerful Force in the World Today>?
2008
Box 10
Wingspan: Journal of the Male Spirit
1991
Box 10
Wolff, Sara Starr: Phenomenology of Feminism
1975
Box 10
Women's health: printed materials
1969-1976
2 folders
Box 10
Women's Studies: Five Colleges
1978
Box 10
Series 4: Audio
1999-2008
4 boxes
Abramson, Doris: audiocasette
2001
Box 11
Adams, Maurianne: audiocasette
2002
Box 11
Amherst Women Liberation, Reproduction Rights: audiocasette
1999
Box 11
Amherst Women's Liberation: audiocassette
2000
Box 11
Anderson, Kelly: audiocassette
2002
Box 11
Avakian, Arlene: audiocassette
2001
Box 11
Averett, Brett, on Isabell Arnorld: audiocassette
undated
Box 11
Berkman, Joyce: audiocassette
2000
Box 11
Brown, Joanna: audiocassette
1999
Box 11
Crosson, Pat: audiocassette
2002
Box 11
Culley, Margo: audiocassette
2002
Box 11
Demmin, Julia: audiocassette
2002
Box 11
Diamond, A: audiocassette
2004
Box 11
Dizard, Robin: audiocassette
2001
Box 11
Dykewoman, E: audiocassette
2001
Box 11
Edwards, Lee: audiocassette
2000
Box 11
Ferguson, A: audiocassette
2004
Box 11
Fessenden, Ruth: audiocassette
2002
Box 11
Ford, Mary: audiocassette
2000
Box 11-12
Fraser, Elaine: audiocassette
1999
Box 12
Gage, Robert: audiocassette
2002
Box 12
Gorman, Cleo: audiocassette
1999
Box 12
Green, Pat, Abortion Clinic: audiocassette
2000
Box 12
Green, Pat, Florence Health Care Project: audiocassette
undated
Box 12
Heath, Mel: audiocassette
2000
Box 12
Laurie, Leslie: audiocassette
2002
Box 12
Lesbian Bazaar: audiocassette
1998
Box 12
Lewis, Patricia Lee: audiocassette
2004
Box 12
Lewis, Sara: audiocassette
2000
Box 12
Lillydahl, Sandy: audiocassette
2001
Box 12
Lowenstein, Susan: audiocassette
2000
Box 12
McCord, Ann: audiocassette
1999
Box 12
Melcher, Dale: audiocassette
2000
Box 12
Merrigan, Kate: audiocassette
2002
Box 12
Nettler, Lydia: audiocassette
2000
Box 12
O'Brien, Judy: audiocassette
1999
Box 12
Page, Anita: audiocassette
2001
Box 12
Pritchard, Marietta and Crowe, Frances re: Isabel Arnold: audiocassette
2000
Box 13
Power, Bet: audiocassette
1999
Box 13
Raymond, Kaymarion: audiocassette
1999
Box 13
Rossi, Alice: audiocassette
2000
Box 13
Redmon, Sherrill: audiocassette
2000
Box 13
Slater, Miriam: audiocassette
1999
Box 13
Smith, Helen on Isabel Arnold: audiocassette
2001
Box 13
Stewart, Eileen: audiocassette
1999-2000
Box 13
Springfield Women's Health Center: audiocassette
1999
Box 13
Unworth, Richard, Original: audiocassette
2002
Box 13
Vasquez, Mary: audiocassette
2000
Box 13
VWHC, Interview with Amy Brown: audiocassette
2000
Box 13
VWHC, Panel on Reproductive Rights in Pioneer Valley: audiocassette
2003
Box 13
VWHC, Training: audiocassette
1999-2000
Box 13
VWHC, Training: audiocassette
2002
Box 14
Wenworth, Mary: audiocassette
2000
Box 14
Wolff, Sara: audiocassette
2000
Box 14
Zak, Anne: audiocassette
2000, 2008
Box 14
Zapka, Jane: audiocassette
2002
Box 14
Series 5: Memorabilia
1977-1997
1 box
"50 Berkshire Conference of Women Historians": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"Amherst Food Coop: Financial Coordinator": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"Common Womon: Every ball missed helps another womon": t-shirt
1997
Box 15
"Common Womon": t-shirt
1997
Box 15
"Common Womon": t-shirt
1997
Box 15
"Common Womon": t-shirt
1997
Box 15
Red t-shirt with flying baseball
"Common Womon": t-shirt
1977
Box 15
Picture: women eating a star
"Girl Sleuth: an Original Musical Comedy": t-shirt
1977
Box 15
"Honey, I Shrunk the Team": pillowcase
undated
Box 15
"Never Again": banner
undated
Box 15
"New England Learning Center for Women in Transition": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"People Power: Unarmed Forces of the Philippines": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"Radical History Review: Earn Big Money": t-shirt
1978
Box 15
"Smith: School for Social Work": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"Sojourn": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"University of Massachusetts Amherst: Women's Studies": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"Western Mass. Womens Softball League: M.V.P 10th Anniversary": ribbon
1986
Box 15
"Women of the Quad": t-shirt
1980
Box 15
"Womenrising": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"Womenrising": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"Womenrishing: From Victimization to Empowerment": t-shirt
1978
Box 15
"Womenrishing: From Victimization to Empowerment": t-shirt
1978
Box 15
"Womenrishing: From Victimization to Empowerment": t-shirt
1978
Box 15
"Yellow Fever": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
"Yellow Sun Natural Foods Co-Op-Amherst Mass.": t-shirt
undated
Box 15
Administrative information
Search terms
Subjects
-
Birth control--Massachusetts--Pioneer Valley--History--20th century
- Abortion--Massachusetts--Pioneer Valley--History--20th century
- Feminism--Massachusetts--Pioneer Valley--History
- Feminists--Massachusetts--Pioneer Valley--Political activity--History
- Women--Massachusetts--Pioneer Valley--Political activity--History
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