Feminist Women's Health Center records, 1973-2003 and undated

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RESTRICTION: The majority of the collection is open for research. However, at the request of the donor (Feminist Women's Health Center), materials deemed sensitive in nature have been physically...
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Summary

Creator:
Feminist Women's Health Center
Abstract:
The Feminist Women's Health Center in Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in 1976 by a group of women dissatisfied with the health care options and information available to them and who desired to change this situation. The clinic started in 1977 with self-help groups where women were able to learn from each other and themselves through open discussions. It expanded to offer a full range of clinical services (including providing access to birth control and contraception, abortion, donor insemination, and pregnancy care) as well as educational, outreach, and advocacy programs, addressing subjects such as sexual hygiene, sex, and sexually transmitted diseases. Collection is comprised of files documenting the development and daily operations of the Feminist Women's Health Center, a feminist non-profit women's healthcare center, from the years 1973-2003. Major components of the collection include files from research studies conducted at the center, policies and procedures for maintaining the center, and incidents of anti-abortion protests at the center, specifically involving the group Operation Rescue. The National Abortion Federation, the professional association of abortion providers in the United States and Canada, also figures prominently throughout these records. The collection is organized into six series: Administrative Files, Clinic Files, Subject Files, Financial Material, Legal Files, and Audiovisual Material. The collection also contains a physically separate Closed Series, comprised of materials from the prior six series that are currently closed to research.
Extent:
76.8 Linear Feet
51,350 Items
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.00427

Background

Scope and content:

Collection is comprised of files documenting the development and daily operations of the Feminist Women's Health Center (FWHC), a feminist non-profit women's healthcare center, from the years 1974-2003. Major components of the collection include files from research studies conducted at the center, policies and procedures for maintaining the center, and incidents of anti-abortion protests at the center, specifically involving the group Operation Rescue. The National Abortion Federation, the professional association of abortion providers in the United States and Canada, also figures prominently throughout these records. The collection is organized into six series: Administrative Files, Clinic Files, Subject Files, Financial Material, Legal Files, and Audiovisual Material. The collection also contains a physically separated Closed Series.

The Administrative Files Series most clearly documents the day-to-day operations of the FWHC. Materials in this series include policies, procedures, and guidelines for operation of the center; minutes and notes from a range of meetings held by the center; personnel files; and schedules. This series contains four subseries: General Administrative Files, Meetings, Personnel Files, and Schedules.

Materials in the Clinic Files Series include a range of records related to clinical services provided and research studies conducted at the FWHC. This series has been divided into four subseries: Statistics, Laboratory Statistics, Research, and Patient Education Information.

The Subject Files Series includes files maintained by the staff of the FWHC on a range of topics related to women's health issues, events, local information, and other women's health clinics. This series contains two subseries: a General subseries which covers these subjects broadly, and an Anti-Abortion Violence subseries which focuses specifically on anti-abortion protests at the FWHC and other locations, the anti-abortion movement in the United States, and pro-choice efforts to counter this movement.

Items in the Financial Material Series consist of records, reports, and files documenting the financial situation of the FWHC between the years 1982 and 2001. These files detail the intricacies involved in operating a women's health clinic from a financial standpoint.

The Legal Files Series contains files related to legal issues faced by the FWHC, including lawsuits and legislation which would affect women's reproductive health and the clinic.

The Audiovisual Material Series consists of 28 audiocassettes and 11 videocassettes. Audiocassettes are primarily recordings of workshops, conference sessions, and events. Videocassettes are primarily educational. One videocassette documents anti-abortion protesters outside the FWHC.

The Closed Series consists of sensitive materials removed from the previous six series and CLOSED to research.

Biographical / historical:

The Feminist Women's Health Center in Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in 1976 by a group of women dissatisfied with the health care options and information available to them and who desired to change this situation. The clinic started in 1977 with self-help groups where women were able to learn from each other and themselves through open discussions. It expanded to offer a full range of clinical services (including providing access to birth control and contraception, abortion, donor insemination, and pregnancy care) as well as educational, outreach, and advocacy programs, addressing subjects such as sexual hygiene, sex, and sexually transmitted diseases.

Acquisition information:
The Feminist Women's Health Center Records were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in November 2003.
Processing information:

Processed by Jodi Berkowitz, Andrea Combs, and Carolyn Powell, April 2007

Additional processing by Angela DiVeglia, January 2010

Encoded by Angela DiVeglia, March 2010

Accessions 2003-0251 and 2005-0022 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.

Arrangement:

Collection is arranged into six series: Administrative Files, Clinic Files, Subject Files, Financial Material, Legal Files, and Audiovisual Material.

Sensitive materials from each of these series has been physically separated into the Closed Series, comprising boxes 104-125.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

RESTRICTION: The majority of the collection is open for research. However, at the request of the donor (Feminist Women's Health Center), materials deemed sensitive in nature have been physically separated and closed to research. These materials have been relocated to the Closed Series and are housed in boxes 104-125. In addition, some sensitive materials remain open to research but have been redacted. Originals of redacted material are not available for research and have been returned to the donor.

Use of audiovisual materials will require use copies to be made. Patrons should contact Research Services staff in advance if use of these materials is desired.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Feminist Women's Health Center Records, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University

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