Booster Women's Club (Fort Madison, Iowa) records

Collection

Identifier: IWA0322

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Scope and Contents

The Booster Women's Club (Fort Madison, Iowa) records date from 1947 to 1998 and measure 2.5 linear inches. They consist primarily of the organization's record and dues books as well as a number of newspaper clippings about club meetings. Many of the newspaper clippings are undated, but they range from the 1940s to the 1990s. The record books contain minutes of meetings and accounts of the various club activities. In the record book from 1947-1998, there is a narrative documenting the history of the club. There are also a number of letters, notes and funeral programs of deceased members.

Dates

Creation: 1947-1998

Creator

Booster Women's Club (Fort Madison, Iowa) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

The records are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to the University of Iowa.

However, copyright status for some collection materials may be unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owner. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility and potential liability based on copyright infringement for any use rests exclusively and solely with the user. Users must properly acknowledge the Iowa Women’s Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, as the source of the material. For further information, visit https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/sc/services/rights/

Biographical / Historical

The Booster Women's Club was organized in Fort Madison in 1947 as the Booster Girls. The group was formed after a pleasant afternoon spent playing Po-Ke-No. All of the members of the organization were young African-American women. The club began as a forum for the women to enjoy each other's company and play cards. The organization had, by 1965, broadened from card playing to fundraising and supporting local charities. The women provided financial support for widows, churches, children with disabilities and activities at the Iowa State Penitentiary.

By the mid-1980s, the name of the club changed from Booster Girls to the Booster Women's Club to reflect the maturity of the membership. A number of the club members played an important role in the community as activists and leaders. The annual highlight of club activities was the Christmas party and gift exchange. After its Fifty-first Anniversary in 1998, the group disbanded because there was insufficient interest in the community to maintain a minimum membership.