Title: North Dakota Chapter of the National Organization of Women Records, 1969-1983

ID: OGLMC1005

Primary Creator: North Dakota Chapter, National Organization for Women (1973-)

Extent: 5.0 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 01/04/1985. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Health and Medicine - Abortion, Women's History - Equal Rights Amendment, Women's History - Women's Organizations

Languages: English

The North Dakota Chapter of the National Organization for Women Records consist of correspondence, membership lists, bylaws, newspaper clippings, conference proceedings, financial information, and issues statements. The collection is divided into four series:

Series 1: North Dakota NOW Council

Series 2: Local NOW Chapters

Series 3: NOW Regional Conferences

Series 4: National level - National Organization for Women

The National Organization for Women (NOW) was established in 1966 in Washington DC by women attending the Third National Conference of the Commission on the Status of Women. Among NOW's 28 founders was its first president, Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique (1963). The purpose of NOW, as stated at its organizing conference October 29, 1966, was “to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all the privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men.” NOW has over 500,000 contributing members in all 50 states.

Efforts to establish a NOW chapter in North Dakota began in the early 1970s. Chapters in Grand Forks and Fargo were created by 1973, while Bismarck-Mandan was added in 1975. Other locations in North Dakota that have hosted chapters include Bottineau, Dickinson, Devils Lake, Jamestown, and Minot.

The North Dakota Chapter has been active with various issues including poverty, reproductive rights, affirmative action and Title IX, battered women, rape, and human rights. The North Dakota Chapter was also heavily involved with the successful passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in North Dakota in 1975.

Health and Medicine - Abortion
Women's History - Equal Rights Amendment
Women's History - Women's Organizations

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals: Additions were donated by Carol Jean Larson, Bismarck, North Dakota, in June 1987 (87-1522) and Diana Mauer, President of the Grand Forks NOW Chapter, in January 1991 (91-1737).

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Carol Jean Larson, Bismarck, North Dakota

Acquisition Method: Donation; 85-1348

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). North Dakota Chapter of the National Organization of Women Records. OGLMC 1005, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid added to Archon in April 2014.