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League of Women Voters, Metropolitan Des Moines records

 Collection
Identifier: IWA0243

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Scope and Contents

The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Des Moines records date from 1936 to 1995 and measure 10 linear feet. The records are arranged in seven series: Administrative records, Community involvement, History, Programs, Publications, Photographs, and Sherry Hutchison.

The Community involvement series (1950-1995) contains information about the three main programs which the league provides for the community: the Observers, the Speakers Bureau, and Voters Services. The Observers are members of the league who attend local and regional government meetings and give nonpartisan reports of what has happened there. They are a source of information for those in the community who do not have the time to attend the meetings themselves. The Speakers Bureau provides the community with knowledgeable lecturers on topics from the environment to how our local, state, and national government works. The Voters Services program provides information to the community on how to vote, who can vote, and when to vote and gives nonpartisan profiles of the candidates and the issues.

The Programs series (1947-1993) contains the political topic study guides and consensus forms used by the league during unit discussions and consensus building. The league studies subjects of local, state, national and international scope. Among the issues studied by the league and acted upon locally were the council-manager form of city government, home rule for local and county government, reapportionment of legislative districts of the Iowa General Assembly, desegregation and integration of Des Moines public schools, and the need for affordable housing in the community.

The Sherry Hutchison series (1955-1986), donated by Hutchison in 2008, includes correspondence, notes, pamphlets, clippings and League publications relating to state government controversies. Hutchison (listed as Mrs. L.O. Hutchison in early publications) served in various offices and committees for the Des Moines Metropolitan League from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s. One of her main duties was to the State committee that studied the Iowa Constitution to reach League consensus on issues such as district reapportionment, court reform, home rule for cities and counties and the Equal Rights Amendment. In the years that followed her official role as an officer and committee member, Hutchison continued to be an active participant in the League of Women voters of Metropolitan Des Moines.

Dates

  • Creation: 1936-1995

Creator

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 League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Des Moines was founded as the Des Moines League of Women Voters in 1920, shortly after the League of Women Voters of Iowa was created. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization which provides community education and public awareness on political issues. One of the main tenets of the organization is nonpartisanship, but in 1944 the Des Moines league endorsed the Republican Party and subsequently lost its charter. Later in the year the organization was rechartered by a core group of former league members from the area and several other interested women.

Extent

10.00 Linear Feet

3 audiocassettes (AC353-AC355), Artifacts in box 8 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This non-partisan group studied and acted upon the many local issues including the following: the council-manager form of city government, home rule for local and county government, reapportionment of legislative districts of the Iowa General Assembly, desegregation and integration of Des Moines public schools, and the need for affordable housing in the community.

Method of Acquisition

The records (donor no. 338) were donated by the League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Des Moines.

Related Materials

The League of Women Voters of Iowa records (IWA).

The Institute of Public Affairs records (University Archives, Special Collections Department, The University of Iowa Libraries): Hutchison and the LWV used IPA publications in their research.

Author
Kristen Rassbach and Randel W. Lackore, 1996; Christine Mastalio, 2010.
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)