Guide to the Gerald Blum Papers, 1971-2003 AIS.2005.14
Arrangement
Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Gerald Blum Papers
Creator
Blum, Gerald
Collection Number
AIS.2005.14
Extent
6.25 Linear Feet(4 boxes)
Date
1971-2003
Abstract
The papers of Gerald Blum document the activities of the National Organization for Women (NOW) at the national, state, and local levels. Materials reflect Blum's involvement with South Hills NOW and Pennsylvania NOW and include newsletters, meeting minutes and notes, treasurer's reports, feminist publications and brochures, VHS tapes, audiocassettes, audiotapes, and newspaper clippings.
Language
English
.
Author
Carrie Smith and Jessica Mirasol. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process in March 2006.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System Archives & Special Collections Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Biography
Gerald (Jerry) Blum has been an active member of NOW for nearly three decades, beginning his involvement in the Pittsburgh area and eventually serving as Pennsylvania NOW's state treasurer. Blum, a physicist, moved to Pittsburgh to work as a nuclear engineer for Bettis Laboratory in 1973. Shortly after the move, he became interested in NOW through the feminist publication MS. Magazine and joined South Hills NOW in 1974. Blum was especially interested in the role of male feminists; despite the public perception of feminism as just a women's issue, 30% of attendees at the first National NOW Conference were male, and men have been involved in many ways throughout the history of the movement.
Arrangement
The collection has been arranged into the following series:
Series I. South Hills NOW
Series II. Pennsylvania NOW
Series III. National NOW
Series IV. Subject Files
Series V. Audiovisual Materials
Additional scope notes are found at the series level.
Scope and Content Notes
The collection covers the activities and goals the National Organization for Women (NOW) mainly in the Pittsburgh area, but also in the state of Pennsylvania and at the national level. NOW was established in 1966 to advocate equality for all women and quickly grew into a network of chapters. There have been a number of NOW chapters in the Pittsburgh area, including North Hills NOW, South Hills NOW, First Pittsburgh NOW, and Squirrel Hill NOW, among others. These groups published a Pittsburgh Area Joint NOW Newsletter in the 1980s and kept each other informed of local problems, but also worked independently in their neighborhoods. Although the collection contains some material from all area chapters, most relates to the South Hills branch, where Blum was most heavily involved, and to Pennsylvania NOW, where he served as treasurer. Blum's work with the NOW Political Action Committee, which tracked legislation pertinent to women, is also documented. Blum collected documents - including audiovisual materials - on many subjects relevant to the fight for equality, such as racism, reproductive rights, and women in the workforce. Additional scope and content notes providing further detail can be found at the series level.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Gerald Blum on November 14, 2005.
Previous Citation
Gerald Blum Papers, 1971-2003, AIS.2005.14, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
Preferred Citation
Gerald Blum Papers, 1971-2003, AIS.2005.14, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Carrie Smith and Jessica Mirasol in March 2006.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Carrie Smith in April 2006. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 4641081.
Copyright
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Subjects
Corporate Names
National Organization for Women
Personal Names
Blum, Gerald
Judd Hill, Cindy
Smeal, Eleanor
Geographic Names
Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh (Pa.)
Other Subjects
Equal rights amendments -- United States
Racism -- United States
Gay rights -- United States
Men's studies -- United States
Sex discrimination against women -- United States
Women's rights -- United States
Feminism -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
Personal papers
Pro-choice movement
Social action
Human reproduction -- Law and legislation -- United States
Women
Pro-choice movement -- United States
Container List
Scope and Content Notes
Pennsylvania NOW was formed in 1971 as a means of coordinating activity among the many localized chapters across the state. The group's first major undertaking was the ratification of ERA in the state - a goal it helped achieve in 1972. Pennsylvania NOW held state conventions and communicated with chapter leaders about issues and events. Documents in the series include Blum's treasurer's reports, leadership mailings, convention programs and packets, and correspondence.
Containers
box 1, folder 30
Containers
box 1, folder 31-39
Containers
box 2, folder 1-18
Scope and Content Notes
At the national level, NOW was responsible for structuring and overseeing the organization as a whole, as well as choosing and coordinating the major campaigns that the state and local chapters would pursue. This series includes materials from NOW National Conventions, National Board Meeting minutes and reports, budget information, and guidelines for managing state and local chapter activities.
Containers
box 3, folder 1
Containers
box 3, folder 2
Containers
box 3, folder 3
Containers
box 3, folder 4
Containers
box 3, folder 5-16
Scope and Content Notes
Blum and the South Hills NOW chapter collected information on a wide variety of feminist issues, ranging from racism to women in the military to physical and mental health. Files in this series typically contain articles and pamphlets about the issue's impact on women generally, its effect on women in Pennsylvania or Pittsburgh, and occasionally Blum's related notes or correspondence. The series also includes some material on effective activism strategies, such as public speaking and volunteerism. Files are arranged alphabetically.
Containers
box 3, folder 17-19
Containers
box 3, folder 20
Containers
box 3, folder 21
Containers
box 3, folder 22
Containers
box 3, folder 23
Containers
box 3, folder 24-25
Containers
box 3, folder 26-27
Containers
box 4, folder 1-2
Containers
box 4, folder 3
Containers
box 4, folder 4
Containers
box 4, folder 5
Containers
box 4, folder 6-7
Containers
box 4, folder 8
Containers
box 4, folder 9
Containers
box 4, folder 10
Containers
box 4, folder 11
Containers
box 4, folder 12
Containers
box 4, folder 13
Containers
box 4, folder 14
Containers
box 4, folder 15
Containers
box 4, folder 16-17
Containers
box 4, folder 18
Containers
box 4, folder 19
Containers
box 4, folder 20
Containers
box 4, folder 21
Containers
box 4, folder 22
Containers
box 4, folder 23
Containers
box 4, folder 24
Containers
box 4, folder 25
Containers
box 4, folder 26
Containers
box 4, folder 27
Containers
box 4, folder 28-30
Scope and Content Notes
Most of the recordings in this series are of lectures given at feminist events, covering topics such as sex discrimination, rape, and women's health care. Included are all ten lectures for the class "Feminist Perspectives", which was held by the Feminist Institute, individual talks on women's issues from the 1985 American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Conference, and coverage of several NOW National Conventions. The series contains VHS tapes, audiocassettes, and ΒΌ inch reel-to-reel film.