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GENDER EQUITY IN ATHLETICS

 Series
Identifier: 2

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Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The Christine Grant papers date from 1952 to 2022 and measure 30 linear feet. The papers are arranged in ten series: Biographical information, Gender equity in Athletics, Publications, Speeches, Professional and Political Involvement, University of Iowa, Newspaper Clippings, Photographs, Artifacts, and Audiovisual.

Grant's professional career is documented in the Biographical Information series (1952-2006), which is comprised of certificates, job offers, awards, and a curriculum vita. Photocopies of the many plaques and trophies not held by the archives are included here. The correspondence in this series consists of congratulatory and thank-you letters. It also includes a memorandum to Grant from Casey Mahon, regarding the 1985 women's basketball game attendance that exceeded the arena's capacity. Newspaper articles concern Grant's career as an administrator and spokeswoman for gender equity, and also document the Grant Field dedication ceremony and her retirement from the athletics department. The bulk of this series dates from 1971-2005, with six pocket editions of Scottish Country Dance Books (1952-1956) completing the series.

The Gender Equity in Athletics series (1971-2009) documents Christine Grant's commitment to ensuring opportunities for girls and women in sport. The series includes legal documents, notes, correspondence, and Grant's testimony in the 1982 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) vs. Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) lawsuit. Material pertaining to Title IX legal action taken by universities and high schools nationwide includes court briefs, testimony, affidavits, correspondence, and media coverage. Grant's involvement as an expert witness can be viewed in her briefs, notes and other material used during her testimony, depositions, and expert reports. Included, are general documents dealing with Title IX compliance, self study surveys, reviews, government documents published by the Office of Civil Rights, and committee hearings, including Grant's testimony before the Postsecondary Education Committee and statements before the Senate Judiciary Committee and United States Commission on Civil Rights. Grant's resource files consist of articles, facts and figures that she used in speeches and publications, and a book about women's athletics that is shelved with the printed works collection in the Iowa Women's Archives: Silver Era Golden Moments: A Celebration of Ivy League Women's Athletics (1999) by Lynn Page Whittaker and Daniel H. Rosenthal.

The Publications series (1979-2008) consists of articles written by Grant for scholarly journals, newspaper editorials, and periodicals, along with drafts, manuscripts, and correspondence with editors, co-authors, and colleagues.

The speeches given by Grant at local clubs, schools, national and international organizations and banquets held by the University of Iowa Women's Athletics Program are located in the Speeches series (1972-2001). The speeches consist of reflections on women in sports, the impact of Title IX, the NCAA and AIAW, and a series of motivational speeches entitled "Jonathan Livingston Seagull." AIAW speeches and speeches presented by others, including N. Peggy Burke, complete the series.

Grant's involvement in a variety of professional organizations is documented in the Professional and Political Involvement series (1971-2002), which consists of constitutions, by-laws, handbooks, publications, studies, reports, position papers, and other material pertaining to the organizations. Included are papers relating to the dispute between the NCAA and the AIAW over intercollegiate championships for women. The series also documents Grant's participation in political organizations and causes including the Feminist Majority Foundation's Task Force on Women and Girls in Sports during the mid-1990s and her work on the 1982 fundraising campaign for Roxanne Conlin for Governor of Iowa.

The University of Iowa series (1974-2000) is arranged by Grant's work as Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Education for Women and as the Iowa Women's Athletics director. The series includes an executive summary on gender equity, marketing, and budget plans, a Title IX compliance self-study, and papers pertaining to the effects of restructuring the NCAA on her position as director of Women's Athletics. A ten-year plan written in the late 1970s and later committee reports, minutes, and a self-study conducted during the reorganization of the Department of Physical Education for Women complete the series.

Grant's fight to provide equal opportunities for girls and women in sport is reflected in the Newspaper Clippings series(1978-2002). The series consists of articles collected by Grant on racial and gender equity, Title IX, NCAA vs. AIAW lawsuits, and athletics at the University of Iowa.

Portraits of Grant used for publications and photographs of Grant at award ceremonies, conventions, and with colleagues at work and on the playing fields comprise the Photographs series.

The Artifacts series (1981-2007) contains award and membership plaques such as the Grant Field Dedication and the University of Iowa's AIAW Charter Membership Plaque.

The Audiovisual series (1992-2009) includes recordings of a debate between NCAA and AIAW leaders, and radio shows in which Grant and fellow gender equity activist Bonnie Slatton discuss issues of Title IX and high school and collegiate women's sports. There are two videocassettes. The first is student athletes speaking about the dangers of smoking and chewing tobacco. The second includes Iowa Women's Basketball game footage, interviews of coach Lark Birdsong, and athletes discussing six on six versus five on five women's basketball.

Dates

  • Creation: 1952-2022

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The papers are open for research.

Extent

From the Collection: 30 Linear Feet (Photographs in boxes 42 and 92; Artifacts in boxes 42-46 and 93; 10 audiocassettes [AC989-AC998]; 2 videocassettes [V316-V317]; 24 DVDS [d0359 - d0382]. )

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Repository Details

Part of the Iowa Women's Archives Repository

Contact:
100 Main Library
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City IA 52242 IaU
319-335-5068
319-335-5900 (Fax)