Guide to the JoAnn Evansgardner and Gerald H.F. Gardner Papers, 1965-1991 AIS.2001.09

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
JoAnn Evansgardner and Gerald H.F. Gardner Papers
Creator
Gardner, G. H. F.
Creator
Evansgardner, JoAnn
Collection Number
AIS.2001.09
Extent
46.25 Linear Feet (37 boxes)
Date
1965-1991
Abstract
The Feminist Collection of JoAnn Evansgardner and Gerald H.F. Gardner, 1966-1988, includes records of the National Organization for Women at national, regional, and local Pittsburgh levels. It also contains research and legal proceedings relating to feminist issues such as discrimination by sex in education, employment, healthcare, sports, and politics. This information is provided through minutes, correspondence, court case files, and publications.
Language
English .
Author
Carrie Smith and Jessica Mirasol.
Sponsor
Funding for this project was made available in part by JoAnn Evansgardner and Gerald H.F. Gardner and the University Library System.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Biography

JoAnn Evansgardner and Gerald Gardner have long been active participants in the Civil Rights Movement, joining the NAACP in 1963 and NOW in 1968. JoAnn, born in 1925, spent much of her childhood in the Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, but left the city for North Carolina during World War II. After driving vehicles for military officers and trucks for the 2nd Army, she returned to Pittsburgh in 1945 and worked at Mellon Institute on research projects for Union Carbide & Co. Supported by the Institute, JoAnn was able to attend classes at the University of Pittsburgh. She also met and married physicist Gerald Gardner during this time and changed her name from Evans to Evansgardner. After earning her pre-med degree in 1950, Evansgardner lived with Gardner, a native of Ireland, in Dublin for five years before again returning to the University of Pittsburgh to pursue a PhD. in physiological psychology. Evansgardner went on to teach at Carnegie Mellon from 1964 -1966 and give lectures at other institutions, while Gardner worked a chief scientist at Gulf Oil.

Scope and Content Notes

Evansgardner and Gardner joined the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1968 and were active at the local, state, and national levels throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Evansgardner served on the National Board of NOW and as the Eastern Regional Co-Director, while Gardner served as Director and Treasurer of the First Pittsburgh Chapter. They initiated a lawsuit against the Pittsburgh Press newspaper to ban sex discrimination in want ads, worked for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, and helped various other complainants with cases regarding sex and race discrimination. In addition to NOW, Evansgardner and Gardner have been involved with many other feminist, anti-racist, and political activist groups, including the feminist press KNOW, Inc., ACLU, NAACP, Women's Political Caucus, Professional Women's Caucus, International Women's Year, National Women's Conference, and various reproductive rights groups.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

Gift of JoAnn Evansgardner and Gerald H.F. Gardner on January 29, 2002.

Previous Citation

JoAnn Evansgardner and Gerald H.F. Gardner Papers, 1965-1991, AIS.2001.09, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

JoAnn Evansgardner and Gerald H.F. Gardner Papers, 1965-1991, AIS.2001.09, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Dan Horvath, in 2004, and additional processing was performed by Carrie Smith and Jessica Mirasol in 2006.

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.

Related Material

Additional materials at the Archives Service Center relating to feminism include:

Gerald Blum Papers, 1971-2003, AIS.2005.14, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Marjorie and J. Warren Matson Papers, 1942-1980, AIS.1984.17, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Separated Material

Two folders containing oversize posters have been placed with the oversize materials.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • National Organization for Women. Pennsylvania Chapter
    • National Organization for Women. Pittsburgh Chapter
    • National Organization for Women

    Personal Names

    • Gardner, G. H. F.
    • Evansgardner, JoAnn

    Geographic Names

    • Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Politics and government

    Other Subjects

    • Women
    • Equal rights amendments -- United States
    • Women's studies
    • Women -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Women -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- United States
    • Women's rights -- United States
    • Feminism -- United States
    • Feminists -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
    • Social action
    • Personal papers

Container List