University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Archives Department.

League of Women Voters of Greater Milwaukee (Wis.).

Records, 1920-1981.

Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 80

11.6 cubic ft. (21 archives boxes, 3 record center cartons, and 1 small archives box)


ABSTRACT: Records of a Milwaukee area civic group primarily for women, involved in studying local community and political issues, influencing political decision making, and encouraging voter participation. Included are general records such as minutes and reports of annual, executive board, and board of directors meetings, bulletins, by-laws, scattered committee records, some general correspondence, fiftieth anniversary records, a few financial records, membership records, some national and state LWV records, and scrapbooks. Local study issues illustrate societal and political concerns of the Milwaukee League, but files are incomplete. With the exception of a file on open housing dating from 1933, most local study materials date from the 1960s and 1970s, and cover such topics as the administration of justice, air pollution, city government, education, energy, environment, Equal Rights Amendment, foreign trade, housing, human rights, Lake Michigan water quality, land use, reapportionment, sewerage, solid waste, transportation, voter registration and rights, and water resources.

The collection includes partial records of the Inter-League Council, formed in 1959 to coordinate local League activities, consisting of agreements and amendments, minutes and reports of annual meetings, bulletins, by-laws, convention reports, financial records, and minutes of meetings. There are also small files of annual reports, bulletins, minutes, correspondence, financial records, membership records, scrapbooks, and a few local study files from the League of Women Voters of Greendale and the League of Women Voters of West Allis.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

SCOPE AND CONTENT: The records are arranged in series of General Records, Local Study Issues, Inter-League Council Records, League of Women Voters of Greendale Records, and League of Women Voters of West Allis Records. Of the several series, the General Records and Local Study Issues are most complete, while the others contain scattered records.

General Records include minutes and reports of annual meetings; bulletins (called League Letters from 1956 through 1966; in December 1966 the title became The Bulletin); by-laws; scattered records of the Environmental Quality, Legislative, and Men's Advisory committees, and of the Educational Foundation; very small files of general correspondence; and records of the Milwaukee League's celebration of the national LWV fiftieth anniversary. There are lengthy runs of minutes of board of directors, executive board, and special meetings dating from the organization of the Milwaukee League in February 1920. Financial records are also small in quantity, with a few audit reports, financial statements, and treasurer's reports; bank books; budgets; check stubs; a few records of estates bequeathed to the League; records of finance drives; several journals and ledgers; and tax returns. During its finance drives, the League contacted area businesses and individuals for contributions; the collection contains numerous contribution record cards listing these solicitations and illustrating the fundraising program of the LWV. Membership records consist of a few applications, membership lists and handbooks, and a survey of members' interests. National and State LWV records include some national and state board reports and convention records. The activities of the Milwaukee area leagues are chronicled in 17 volumes of scrapbooks of news clippings, together with statements and testimonies prepared for presentation to the Legislature and local governmental bodies.

The records of the Milwaukee LWV's Local Study Issues are fairly numerous but not comprehensive. With the exception of a file on open housing dating from 1933, most of the local study materials date from the 1960s and 1970s. The files contain little material generated by the Milwaukee LWV or illustrative of its activities. Rather, they mainly contain near-print "study materials" from the state and national LWV; studies, reports, and clippings collected by local members; and letters and LWV policy statements used to inform and persuade local and state legislators. Most of the news clippings with only a national focus were discarded. Among the issues suggested or authorized by the state and national organizations or chosen to meet particularly local interests were administration of justice and court reform, air pollution and air quality, the All-America Cities Competition, city government structure and organization, education and public schools, energy, environment, Equal Rights Amendment, a survey of foreign trade, housing, human resources and human rights, Lake Michigan water quality and shoreline erosion, land use, mental health, reapportionment, solid waste, transportation, urban areas, voter registration and rights, and water resources. The LWV did study intensively the Milwaukee and Chicago sewerage systems and the water quality of Lake Michigan. There are also a few records of the LWV's involvement with the Lake Michigan Inter-League Group.

The Milwaukee LWV records also include partial records of three other groups. The Inter-League Council Records include agreements and amendments, minutes and reports of annual meetings, bulletins, by-laws, convention reports; financial records, with records of finance drives and plans, records of receipts and disbursements, a journal, and treasurer's reports; and minutes of meetings.

The League of Women Voters of Greendale Records consist of small files of annual meeting minutes and reports, correspondence, financial records, membership records, and general minutes.

The League of Women Voters of West Allis Records include annual reports, bulletins, by-laws, financial records, lists of members and officers, files on a few local study issues, and two scrapbooks.


ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY: The Milwaukee County League of Women Voters was organized to continue the activities of the Milwaukee County Woman Suffrage Association after the latter group disbanded in 1920. On February 21, 1920, a temporary organization drafted a constitution and by-laws for the new League, which held its first mass meeting at the Milwaukee Public Library on February 18, 1921. Jessie Jack Hooper, a founder of the state League of Women Voters, helped form the Milwaukee chapter.

As a chapter of the Wisconsin LWV and an affiliate of the League of Women Voters of the United States, the Milwaukee League was organized to promote voter awareness and participation in government, especially among newly-enfranchised women voters. Over the years the League as a whole has become active in lobbying and persuasion on the local, state, and national levels. Each chapter chooses from among a number of study topics suggested by the national and state organizations; members study these "continuing responsibilities." reach a group consensus on the topic, and then take "action" in the form of writing letters and testifying at legislative hearings, at the time designated by national and state leadership. Many of the study topics involve broad local welfare categories: education and school systems; public health; natural resources conservation; voter education and registration; equal rights; and local, county, and state government. The League also raises money for its operations through regular finance drives. In 1969, the League of Women Voters of the United States celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, which was celebrated by the Milwaukee League with a dinner and other activities.

As the Milwaukee suburban areas grew in population, other local leagues were formed. In 1943, the Wauwatosa League was organized, followed by leagues in West Allis (1957 or 1958), Ozaukee (1957 or 1958), Whitefish Bay (1958), Brown Deer (1961), Greendale (1964), and others. In 1959, the individual leagues in metropolitan Milwaukee joined in establishing the Inter-League Council to coordinate League activities. The ILC also coordinates state and national LWV issues, and studies issues on a regional or statewide basis. Joining the ILC at later dates were the Greendale, North Shore (organized in 1969 from the Brown Deer and Whitefish Bay leagues), and Wauwatosa leagues. Eventually, the local leagues in the metropolitan Milwaukee County area formed the League of Women Voters of Greater Milwaukee.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:
League of Women Voters of Greater Milwaukee (Wis.). Records, 1920-1981. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 80. Wisconsin Historical Society. Milwaukee Area Research Center. UWM Libraries. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

RELATED COLLECTIONS:

Business and Professional Women's Club of Milwaukee. Records, 1920-1998. (UWM Manuscript Collection 127)

National Organization for Women. Milwaukee Chapter (Wis.). Records, 1971-1983. (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 176)

Women's Coalition, Inc. (Milwaukee, Wis.). Records, 1972-1987. (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 177)


ACQUISITION: Presented by the League of Women Voters of Greater Milwaukee, via Frances B. Swigart in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1982; and separated from the papers of Sandra and William O. Brown in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (accession numbers M74-167, M77-470, M79-417, and M82-232).

PROCESSING: Processed by Menzi Behrnd-Klodt in June 1986.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

MILWAUKEE MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION 80

BOX

FOLDER

General Records, Annual Meeting Minutes and Reports

1

1-2

General Records, Annual Meeting Reports, 1971-1974

1

1

General Records, Bulletins, 1956-1969

1

3-6

General Records, Bulletins, 1970-1975

2

1-4

General Records, By-Laws, 1971, 1972

1

2

General Records, By-Laws, 1971, 1972

2

5

General Records, Committee Records, Educational Foundation, "A Seminar in Practical Politics," 1965

3

5

General Records, Committee Records, Educational Foundation, By-Laws and Trust Agreement, 1957

3

1

General Records, Committee Records, Educational Foundation, Correspondence, 1949-1965, 1970

3

2-3

General Records, Committee Records, Educational Foundation, Minutes, 1954-1964

3

4

General Records, Committee Records, Environmental Quality Committee, General, 1975

2

6

General Records, Committee Records, Environmental Quality Committee, Statements, 1967-1973

2

7

General Records, Committee Records, Legislative Committee, 1969

2

8

General Records, Committee Records, Men's Advisory Committee, Correspondence, 1958-1962

2

9-10

General Records, Committee Records, Men's Advisory Committee, Minutes, 1958-1961

2

11

General Records, Conference on Military Spending and National Security, 1970

1

3

General Records, Conference on Military Spending and National Security, 1970

3

6

General Records, Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration, Dinner, Minutes, Correspondence, and Financial Records, 1970

3

9

General Records, Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration, Records, 1968-1970, undated

3

8

General Records, Financial Records, "The Art of Raising Money," 1964

3

10

General Records, Financial Records, Audit Reports, Financial Statements, and Treasurer's Reports, 1960-1977

3

11

General Records, Financial Records, Bank Books, 1960-1974

3

12

General Records, Financial Records, Budgets, 1960-1977

4

1

General Records, Financial Records, Check Stubs, 1966-1974

4

2-6

General Records, Financial Records, Contribution Record Cards, 1950-1981

23

 

General Records, Financial Records, Election Reporting Statements, 1961-1965

4

7

General Records, Financial Records, Estate Records, Dillman Estate and Investment Records, 1971-1974

4

8

General Records, Financial Records, Estate Records, Grinker Estate, 1972-1973

4

9

General Records, Financial Records, Finance Drives, 1925, 1941-1942, 1956-1957, 1971-1976

4

10-13

General Records, Financial Records, Finance Drives, 1977

5

1

General Records, Financial Records, Financial Report to Department of Regulation and Licensing, 1970-1972

6

2

General Records, Financial Records, Friends of The Leagues of Women Voters of Metropolitan Milwaukee, Contributors, 1971-1972

5

3

General Records, Financial Records, General Ledger, 1971-1974

5

11

General Records, Financial Records, Journal Ledger, 1964-1974

5

4-10

General Records, Financial Records, Ledger Work Sheets, 1972-1974

5

12-13

General Records, Financial Records, Ledger Work Sheets, 1974-1975

6

1

General Records, Financial Records, Publications, undated

3

10

General Records, Financial Records, Tax Returns, 1969-1973

6

3

General Records, Flyers and Printed Memoranda, 1949, 1963, 1967-1974, undated

1

4

General Records, General Correspondence, 1951-1952, 1966-1980

3

7

General Records, Local League Handbook, 1969

6

4

General Records, Membership Handbooks and Lists, 1970-1975

1

8

General Records, Membership Records, Applications, 1967-1968

6

5

General Records, Membership Records, Handbooks and Lists, 1970-1975

6

8

General Records, Membership Records, Lists, 1948-1966

6

6-7

General Records, Membership Records, Survey of Members' Interests

6

9

General Records, Milwaukee LWV Bulletin, 1968-1969

1

6

General Records, Minutes of Board of Directors, Executive Board and Special Meetings, 1926-1951

7

1-7

General Records, Minutes of Board of Directors, Executive Board and Special Meetings, 1952-1972

8

1-8

General Records, Minutes of Board of Directors, Executive Board and Special Meetings, 1973-1980

9

1-4

General Records, Minutes of Board of Directors, Executive Board, and Special Meetings, February 1920-1925

6

10

General Records, Miscellaneous, 1949-1977

9

5

General Records, National and State LWV Records, National Board Reports, 1959-1970

9

6-8

General Records, National and State LWV Records, National Board Reports, 1971-1974, 1976, 1978

10

1

General Records, National and State LWV Records, National Convention, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974

10

2-5

General Records, National and State LWV Records, State Board Reports, 1969-1970, 1978

10

6

General Records, National and State LWV Records, State Convention Kits, 1969, 1971-1974

10

7

General Records, National By-Laws, 1978

2

5

General Records, News Clippings, 1967, 1969, 1976, undated

10

8

General Records, Non-Partisanship and Political Policies, 1967, 1973

10

9

General Records, Publications, 1958, 1962-1963, 1965-1967, undated

10

10

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1930-1972 [volume 1]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1935 [volume 2]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1946 [volume 3]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1947-1948 [volume 4]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1948-1949 [volume 5]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1950-1951 [volume 6]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1951-1952 [volume 7]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1953-1954 [volume 8]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1954-1956 [volume 9]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1956-1957 [volume 10]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1956-1968 [volume 11]

24

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1957-1958 [volume 12]

25

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1959 [volume 13]

25

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1960 [volume 14]

25

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1969-1971 [volume 15]

25

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1971-1974 [volume 16]

25

 

General Records, Scrapbooks, 1974-1976 [volume 17]

25

 

General Records, Slide, undated

10

11

General Records, Statements and Testimonies, 1972-1981

11

1-2

General Records, Study Materials, c. 1971-1972

1

9

General Records, Study Materials, For Unit Meetings, ca. 1971-1972

11

3

General Records, Training Materials, 1968, 1971, 1976-1977, undated

11

4

General Records, Voters' Guides and Other Printed Materials, 1965, 1970-1973

1

10

Inter-League Council Records, Agreements and Amendments, 1959-1966

17

6

Inter-League Council Records, Annual Meeting Minutes and Reports, 1961-1970

17

7

Inter-League Council Records, By-Laws, 1968, 1971, 1972

17

8

Inter-League Council Records, Convention Reports, 1969-1973

17

9

Inter-League Council Records, County View, Formerly County Page Bulletin, 1969-1973

18

1

Inter-League Council Records, Financial Records, Finance Drives, 1958-1971

18

2-7

Inter-League Council Records, Financial Records, Finance Drives, 1971-1974

19

1-3

Inter-League Council Records, Financial Records, Finance Plans, 1958-1974

19

4

Inter-League Council Records, Financial Records, S. Kranbuehl Memorial Book Fund, 1962-1963

19

5

Inter-League Council Records, Ledger Sheets (Cash Received and Disbursed, Journal, Finance Drives), 1959-1974

19

6-8

Inter-League Council Records, Minutes, 1958-1962

19

10-11

Inter-League Council Records, Minutes, 1966-1974

20

1-3

Inter-League Council Records, Minutes, 1970, 1973

20

4

Inter-League Council Records, Miscellaneous, undated

20

4

Inter-League Council Records, Nonpartisanship Policy, undated

20

5

Inter-League Council Records, Treasurer's Reports, 1972-1974

19

9

League of Women Voters of Greendale Records, Annual Meeting Minutes and Reports, 1964-1973

20

6-7

League of Women Voters of Greendale Records, Correspondence, 1963-1972

20

8

League of Women Voters of Greendale Records, Financial Records, Budgets, 1963-1974

20

9

League of Women Voters of Greendale Records, Financial Records, Ledger Sheets, 1963-1974

20

10

League of Women Voters of Greendale Records, Financial Records, Treasurer's Reports and Finance Drives, 1963-1974

20

11

League of Women Voters of Greendale Records, Membership Records, Lists of Officers, 1963-1966, 1970

21

1

League of Women Voters of Greendale Records, Minutes, 1963-1974

21

2-5

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Annual Reports, 1959-1971

21

6

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Bulletins, November 1965-1970

21

7-8

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, By-Laws, 1967-1968, undated

22

1

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Correspondence, 1965, undated

22

3

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Financial Records, Ledger Sheets, 1970-1971

22

2

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Lists of Members and Officers, 1958-1966

22

4

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Local Study Issues, City Government, 1963, 1965, 1970, undated

22

5

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Local Study Issues, Library Services, 1959-1966, 1972

22

6

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Local Study Issues, Urban Renewal, 1970

22

7

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Meeting Agenda, 1966

22

3

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Meeting Announcement, undated

22

3

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Meeting Minutes, 1957

22

3

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Scrapbooks, 1957-1963 [Volume 18]

25

 

League of Women Voters of West Allis Records, Scrapbooks, 1963-1971 [Volume 19]

25

 

Local Study Issues, "Relocation: A Study of Displaced People and Businesses," 1966

14

6

Local Study Issues, Administration of Justice and Court Reform, 1971-1974

11

5

Local Study Issues, Air Pollution and Air Quality, 1969-1974

11

6-7

Local Study Issues, All-America Cities Competition, 1970-1971

11

8

Local Study Issues, City Government Structure and Organization, 1949-1964

11

9

Local Study Issues, City Government Structure and Organization, 1966-1970

12

1-2

Local Study Issues, Education, 1969-1975

12

3

Local Study Issues, Energy, 1974-1975, 1980

12

4

Local Study Issues, Environment, Environmental Education Council of Greater Milwaukee, 1974-1975

12

5

Local Study Issues, Equal Rights Amendment, 1972-1980

12

6

Local Study Issues, Foreign Trade Survey, 1956-1980

12

7

Local Study Issues, Housing, 1970-1977

13

1

Local Study Issues, Human Resources, 1958-1977

13

2-3

Local Study Issues, Human Rights and Civil Liberties, 1950-1952

13

4

Local Study Issues, Lake Michigan Inter-League Group, 1970-1975

13

5-6

Local Study Issues, Land Use, 1974-1977

13

7

Local Study Issues, Local Government Budgets and Citizen Control, 1974-1975

13

8

Local Study Issues, Mental Health Treatment Center

13

9

Local Study Issues, Milwaukee County Reapportionment, 1971

13

10

Local Study Issues, Milwaukee Public Schools, 1970-1975

13

11

Local Study Issues, Museum Transfer, 1968

14

1

Local Study Issues, Non-Returnable Bottles, 1971

14

2

Local Study Issues, Open Housing, 1933-1981

14

3-4

Local Study Issues, Pesticides, 1969-1970, undated

14

5

Local Study Issues, School Breakfast Program, 1975

14

7

Local Study Issues, Sewerage, "Deep Tunnel," Chicago Metropolitan Sanitary District's "Deep Tunnel," 1977-1978

15

4

Local Study Issues, Sewerage, Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage District Commission, 1973-1978

15

2-3

Local Study Issues, Sewerage, Papers and Publications, 1959-1978

14

8-10

Local Study Issues, Sewerage, Papers and Publications, 1979, undated

15

1

Local Study Issues, Shoreline Erosion, 1974-1975

15

5

Local Study Issues, Solid Waste, 1969-1973, 1980

15

6

Local Study Issues, Transportation, 1973-1979

15

7

Local Study Issues, Urban Crisis, 1979-1980

15

8

Local Study Issues, Voter Registration and Election Monitoring, 1970-1974

15

9-10

Local Study Issues, Voter Registration and Rights, 1964-1966

15

11

Local Study Issues, Voter Registration and Rights, 1968-1978

16

1-4

Local Study Issues, Voter Registration and Rights, 1979-1980

17

1

Local Study Issues, Voter Registration and Rights, Registration and Voting Conference, Washington, D.C.., 1965

17

2

Local Study Issues, Water Pollution, 1965-1975

17

3

Local Study Issues, Water Resources, 1958-1977

17

4-5

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