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Patricia J. Pardun papers

 Collection
Identifier: IWA0024

  • Staff Only
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Scope and Contents

The Patricia Pardun papers measure 2.0 linear feet and date from 1956 to 1978, with only a few items extending beyond 1975. Patricia Pardun was an important figure in Iowa Republican Party politics from 1959-1976. Although the collection is rich in information about the Iowa Republican Party and the national Republican Party from 1966 to 1973, there is little in the papers pertaining to Patricia Pardun's official duties during her career and very little of a biographical nature. Researchers should examine the newspaper clippings for information outlining Patricia Pardun's political career. The Patricia Pardun papers are arranged in seven series: Correspondence and Articles, National Republican Party, Iowa Republican Party, Republican Women,Projects and Committees, and Slides, Photographs, and Artifacts.

The Correspondence files contain a copy of a letter written to Patricia Pardun by Richard Nixon duringthe 1968 presidential campaign, as well as letters from Mary Louise Smith, Governor Robert D. Ray, Lt. Governor Arthur Neu, Congressmen H.R. Gross and Wiley Mayne, Iowa Attorney General Richard C. Turner, and Iowa Secretary of State Melvyn Synhorst, among others. Most of these letters pertain to Pardun's resignation as vice-chair ofthe Republican State Central Committee in 1973.

The papers concerning the National Republican Party are mostly made up of convention information from 1968, 1972, and 1976 and publications from party headquarters. These publications include The History of the Republican Party 1854-1968, published by the National Committee in 1968, and various party pamphlets.

The bulk of the collection contains information on the Iowa Republican Party. This portion of the collection contains state party platforms, information about state conventions from 1954 to 1974,copies of the Iowa party newsletter, State finance committee information, andinformation concerning party members in each district and county. Included in thie portion of the collectionare copies of the Iowa Republican County Handbook from 1962 and 1963, state party organization lists from 1970 to 1973, and minutes from state central committee meetings from February 1969 and 1971 to 1973. This information would be particularly useful to researchers interested in Iowa party politics and activities of the Republican Party at the state and local levels.

An important segment of this collection included information concerning Republican Women. Specifically, this portion includes information on the Women's Division of the Republican National Committee, the National Federation of Republican Women, and the Iowa Council of Republican Women. Various handbooks from each of these groups are included in this portion of the collection. A major asset to this collection is the booklet, Women in Public Service, published in August 1971 by the Women's Division of the Republican National Committee. This booklet contains information on women in the Republican Party as well as women of all parties in Congress (through 1971). The report also lists the women in the Nixon presidential administration and women in federal agencies like the Department of Agriculture. Over half of the report is a state by state listing of all women in state office (elected and appointed), which includes selected county officials. This publication is very rich in data that would be easily converted into statistics concerning women in politics.

The Projects and Committees series contains information regarding activities Patricia Pardun was involved in within the Republican Party. These activities include, but are not limited to: legislative campaigns,Absentee and Special Ballot projects, voter registration projects, and "Opportunities Unlimited" conventions in Wisconsin and Iowa. Specific items contained here are mainly propaganda items such as fliers, booklets, pamphlets, and informative cards. Information concerning projects such as the Absentee and Special Ballot projects contain propaganda items as well as meeting notes and legislative information.

At the end of the collection are various Slides, Photographs, and Artifacts. The slides are all of Patricia Pardun speaking and attending a conference. The photographs include Pardun with Mary Louise Smith, Pat Nixon, Billie Ray, Senator Bourke Hickenlooper, Senator Jack Miller, and Congressman John Kyl. The artifacts mostly consist of nametags and ribbons from various conventions and pins and items relating to Pardun's careerin the Republican Party.

Dates

  • Creation: 1956-1978

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The papers 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

Patrica Pardun was born in Independence, Iowa on October 23, 1925 to Allen and Mattice Smith. She attended the University of Dubuque for one year and the University of Iowa for two years. She was elected to her first political post, precinct committeewoman of Harrison Township in Benton County, Iowa in 1953. In 1954 she became vice-chair of the Benton County Republican Party. Pardun held this post until becoming a member of the Republican State Central committee in 1959. In 1967, Patricia Pardun was elected vice-chair of the Republican State Central Committee, a position she held until February 1973. She served as a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1968, 1972, and 1976. During and after her years in office,Patricia Pardun was very active in Republican women's organizations, Farm Bureau women's organizations, the American Legion Auxiliary, and the Parent Teacher Association. Patricia Pardun passed away in 2022.

Extent

2.00 Linear Feet

Photographs in box 5. boxes

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

State vice chair of the Republican Party in Iowa from 1967 to 1973.

Method of Acquisition

The papers (donor no. 25) were donated by Patricia Pardun in 1985 and 1998.

Author
Special Collections Staff; Lori Jargo, 1993; Stacy Ross, 2001.
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

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)