Kathy Hopwood papers, 1970-2016

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Summary

Creator:
Hopwood, Kathy, 1953- and Seigler, Beth, 1953-
Abstract:
Kathy Hopwood is a martial arts and self-defense teacher who founded the SafeSkills Dojo in Durham, NC. She and her partner Beth Seigler provided both martial arts classes and women's self-defense programs. The collection contains materials documenting Kathy Hopwood's work in the areas of women's martial arts and self-defense in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Collection also comprise self-defense training manuals, course and workshop materials, newsletters, organizational history, some correspondence, the individual work of both Hopwood and her partner Beth Seigler, publications addressing self-defense and rape prevention topics, and materials related to martial arts activities across the country and international. Acquired as part of the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture.
Extent:
30.5 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials in English
Collection ID:
RL.11387

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of materials documenting Kathy Hopwood's work in and contributions to women's martial arts and self-defense in Durham, NC, and the United States more broadly. Materials from her SafeSkills Dojo include self-defense training manuals, course and workshop materials, newsletters, clippings, photographs, audiovisual materials, and files about other martial arts organizations for women. These materials document the founding, evolution, and activities of SafeSkills Dojo, the contributions that Hopwood and Seigler made to women's martial arts in Durham and the Triangle, and the evolution of Hopwood's and Seigler's personal martial arts practices. Materials from the National Women's Martial Arts Federation (NWMAF) provide documentation of that organization's history, particularly its early years. There are steering committee notes, brochures, guidelines, events, and correspondence related to Hopwood and Seigler's work for NWMAF. There is also extensive documentation, including VHS tapes, of NWMAF's yearly special training camps for women and girls. This collection also contains publications and printed materials addressing women's martial arts and self-defense, rape and sexual assault prevention, and child and teenagers assault prevention. Numerous issues of Fighting Woman News Magazine and Black Belt Woman Magazine are included in the publications and printed materials. Personal materials include Kathy Hopwood's writings, artwork, and martial arts uniforms.

Biographical / historical:

Kathy Hopwood (b. 1953) is a martial arts and self-defense teacher who founded the SafeSkills Dojo in Durham, NC. She and her life partner Beth Seigler (b. 1953) created martial arts and self-defense workshops and training courses for women in order to equip them to defend themselves against assault, rape, and other forms of attack. Hopwood also dedicated considerable work to the promotion of child safety, self-defense for older adults, and self-defense for individuals with disabilities. Hopwood and Seigler's dojo was active from 1982 to 2015. The organization's name changed over time: it was founded in 1982 as the Triangle Women's Karate Association. The name changed in 1986 to Triangle Women's Martial Arts, located at 715 Mangum Street in Durham, and then finally to SafeSkills Dojo in 1990. In 2008, they relocated to their final space at 3702 Hillsborough Road in Durham. Hopwood and Seigler were both active in the National Women's Martial Arts Federation, and Hopwood served as its archivist for a 10-year period.

Acquisition information:
The Kathy Hopwood papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift from Kathy Hopwood from 2015-2017.
Processing information:

Processed by Laura Valentine, March 2017.

Reprocessed by Ofelia Lopez, February 2024.

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2015-0080, 2016-0012, 2016-0245, 2017-0122.

Arrangement:

Organized into the following series: SafeSkills Dojo, National Women's Martial Arts Federation, Publications and Printed Materials, and Personal Materials.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Access note. Collection contains fragile audiovisual formats that may need to be reformatted before use. Contact Research Services for access.

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], Kathy Hopwood papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

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