Primary Sources
- Anne Scales Benedict PapersThis 1.05 linear feet collection, 4 boxes, has two series: Series I contains materials related to the activities of the Vanderbilt Alumnae Council, especially their efforts to persuade the University to hire a Dean of Women, build a women’s dormitory, and to raise money toward these ends. Series II contains materials unrelated to Vanderbilt Alumnae Council and includes some personal correspondence, ephemeral items, a Bible, pamphlets, a postcard album with 155 cards plus 5 individual postcards, and a sketchbook.
- Nora Chaffin Scrapbook CollectionNora Chaffin came to Vanderbilt University in 1944 as the Dean of Women and served there until her retirement in 1966. She also taught history at Vanderbilt, as an Assistant Professor 1944-1946; Associate Professor 1946 - 1950; Professor 1950 - 1966. She was named Dean Emeritus of Women at the time of her retirement. This small collection of .21 linear feet contains articles, papers, and newspaper photographs of Vanderbilt University in its early days. It also includes maps and articles from the Vanderbilt Alumnus magazine.
- Frances M. Crater PapersFrances Crater received a Master of Management degree from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University in 1974. Throughout her school career she was an advocate for women’s rights, an avocation she carried into her adulthood with her participation in organizations that worked for equality.
From 1969 until 1974 she worked for NOW, a civil rights organization dedicated to bringing women into the mainstream of society. She founded the Nashville Chapter of NOW in 1971, published the monthly newsletter, served as public spokesperson, and held responsibilities for lobbying the State Legislature for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. These papers contain materials on NOW Nashville’s creation and document Crater’s important and dedicated longtime participation in the group. - James R. Hawk and Robert Anthony Teal CollectionThis small collection at .42 linear feet is comprised of objects and photographs assembled by James R. Hawk and Robert Anthony Teal from their participation in the March on Washington on April 25, 1993. On that day hundreds of thousands of gay and lesbian Americans and their supporters rallied in the capital to celebrate the right to be homosexual and to demand freedom from discrimination.
- Nancy Hendrix CollectionThe Nancy Hendrix collection consists of one box, or .21 linear feet, of photocopied documents. Ms. Hendrix, a Vanderbilt alumnus (Masters Degrees 1967 and 1973; PhD 1974), was active in the establishment and development of the Nashville women’s movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Topics covered in the collection include articles and clipping on the national women’s movement as well as other socio-political issues of the time period including southern history issues and the Vietnam War. Of particular interest in this collection is a series of papers published under the Southern Students Organizing Committee (SSOC) umbrella. Titles include “The New Nonviolience,” “Deliberate Depopulation of Whole Areas: A Protest,” and “Contemporary Forms of Imperialism.”
- Kappa Alpha Theta, Stella and William Vaughn CollectionBoxes 14-15
Kappa Alpha Theta materials
Information on the founding and early years of first sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. - Larry Romans CollectionThis collection may be viewed only in the reading room of Special Collections in the Jean and Alexander Heard Library. Collections should be requested 2-3 days prior to visiting in order to facilitate easier access. For questions or to request a collection, contact specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu.
- Mary Anne Smith PapersAlong with seven other women, Mary Anne Smith became part of a group call the Women’s Anti-Imperial Collective. This small group would meet to exchange feminist and anti-imperialist ideas as well as try to raise consciousness surrounding these ideas in the larger community. During this time she was also involved with anti-war protests as well as the worker’s rights movement. The collection also contains three series’ containing Mary Anne’s materials regarding women’s rights, worker’s rights, and other liberation movements. The majority of the pieces included in these series are magazines, articles, personal notes, flyers and correspondence. These three series represent 1968 to 1972, the years in which Mary Ann learned about and was involved in a numbers of groups and movements.
- Vanderbilt Girls' Club RecordsThe Vanderbilt Girls Club was organized in February 1909 for the purpose of creating a supportive community for all girls who attend Vanderbilt. This club serves to represent the interests of a portion of the student body that isn’t represented. In 1909, Florena Gates was elected to be the president of the organization, Rebecca Young, vice president, and Agnes Amis, secretary- the executive board collaborated to create the constitution and plan committee meetings. This club represented strong female leaders on campus, and continued to bridge the gender gap at Vanderbilt until 1913
- Vanderbilt Woman's Club RecordsIn its 126 years the Vanderbilt Woman’s Club has welcomed hundreds of women to life at Vanderbilt and has developed a sense of community and purpose for these many women and their families with the events, activities, interest groups, and scholarships it promotes and sponsors. This collection of 24.5 linear feet of materials consists of correspondence, record books and notebooks, directories, newsletters, minutes and reports for board meetings, constitution and by- laws and revisions of those, photographs and photograph albums as well as a few items of memorabilia. These materials date from 1893 – present. Although there is a series of correspondence, it should be noted that correspondence is contained throughout the records in original order as part of the different series.
- Victoria Webb CollectionThe photographs in this collection were taken by Victoria Webb, and donated to Vanderbilt University on July 4, 2002. They were taken as the result of her involvement with the women’s liberation movement in Nashville, during the 1970s, and the publication titled, “Women’s Free Express”.
- Women's Organizations at VanderbiltThis small collection of 0.21 linear feet contains records of seven women’s organizations at Vanderbilt University operating during the middle 1970’s until the early 1980’s. The seven organizations are: Nashville University Women’s Council, Southeastern Women’s Studies Association, Staff Women’s Association, Vanderbilt Professional Women, Vanderbilt Women’s Faculty Organization, Women’s Center, Women’s Concerns Exploration Group.
- Co-Ed Handbook byCall Number: LD5591.4 .A88Publication Date: 1945-1968The Co-Ed Handbook, a guide for women students, especially freshmen, was published from 1942 to 1951 by the Women's Student Government Association, and from 1951 to 1968 by the Women's Council of the W.S.G.A.
Contents of the Handbook include information on the W.S.G.A, the Honor Code, the Panhellenic Council, University residence hall regulations, sororities, and activities. The last issue of the Co-Ed Handbook was in 1967-1968.
Gay Rights Association Charter
Vanderbilt University Archives
Record Group 300 Chancellor's Office
Box 0390 File 12
- Impact Magazine byCall Number: LD5591 .I46Publication Date: 1964-1996Impact is a student sponsored weekend symposium on topics of current significance. Major public leaders are invited to participate in lectures, discussion groups, and dinner meetings. Impact is usually held in the spring of each year, and invitations are extended to the University and Nashville community and to other colleges and universities.
- Social Organizations for Vanderbilt WomenCall Number: LJ141.V25 S63Publication Date: 1960-1966A handbook issued by the University's Panhellenic Council and the independent social organization Nuclians for those women interested in sorority rush or in joining the Nuclians.
- Women's Places: A Guide to Organizations and Services for Women at Vanderbilt University byCall Number: LD5589 .W653Publication Date: 1983
- Women's VU byCall Number: LH1.V25 W664Publication Date: 1978-1992A publication by and about women at Vanderbilt University.
- Women at Vanderbilt : Report of the Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Women byCall Number: HQ1439.N2 V3Publication Date: 1976
Secondary Sources
All-Girls Education from Ward Seminary to Harpeth Hall. 1865-2015 by Call Number: LD7251 .N2333 2015ISBN: 9781626197626Publication Date: 2015-03-23During the final days of the Civil War, Dr. William Ward and his wife, Eliza Ward, envisioned a school for young women in Nashville that would evolve into one of the nation's most prestigious institutions. As the New South dawned, Ward Seminary opened its doors in September 1865. Merging with Belmont College for Young Women in 1913, Ward-Belmont operated as a college preparatory school, music conservatory, and junior college. In 1951, the high school division moved farther west, reopening as the Harpeth Hall School after Ward-Belmont's sudden closure. Ward Seminary, Belmont College, Ward-Belmont, and Harpeth Hall are simply separate chapters of one continuous story. As Harpeth Hall celebrates 150 years, its story reflects a unique case study and provides a lens through which to understand the evolution of all-girls education in the United States. The Harpeth Hall School remains one of the oldest all-girls college preparatory schools in the South.
Diversifying STEM: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Race and Gender by Call Number: Q181 .D525 2020ISBN: 9781978805675Publication Date: 2019-11-01Research frequently neglects the important ways that race and gender intersect within the complex structural dynamics of STEM. Diversifying STEM fills this void, bringing together a wide array of perspectives and the voices of a number of multidisciplinary scholars. The essays cover three main areas: the widely-held ideology that science and mathematics are "value-free," which promotes pedagogies of colorblindness in the classroom as well as an avoidance of discussions around using mathematics and science to promote social justice; how male and female students of color experience the intersection of racist and sexist structures that lead to general underrepresentation and marginalization; and recognizing that although there are no quick fixes, there exists evidence-based research suggesting concrete ways of doing a better job of including individuals of color in STEM. As a whole this volume will allow practitioners, teachers, students, faculty, and professionals to reimagine STEM across a variety of educational paradigms, perspectives, and disciplines, which is critical in finding solutions that broaden the participation of historically underrepresented groups within the STEM disciplines.
Intersectionality and Higher Education: Identity and Inequality on College Campuses by Call Number: LC212.42 .I57 2019ISBN: 0813597676Publication Date: 2019-05-03Though colleges and universities are arguably paying more attention to diversity and inclusion than ever before, to what extent do their efforts result in more socially just campuses? Intersectionality and Higher Education examines how race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, sexual orientation, age, disability, nationality, and other identities connect to produce intersected campus experiences. Contributors look at both the individual and institutional perspectives on issues like campus climate, race, class, and gender disparities, LGBTQ student experiences, undergraduate versus graduate students, faculty and staff from varying socioeconomic backgrounds, students with disabilities, undocumented students, and the intersections of two or more of these topics. Taken together, this volume presents an evidence-backed vision of how the twenty-first century higher education landscape should evolve in order to meaningfully support all participants, reduce marginalization, and reach for equity and equality.
The Lives of Transgender People by Call Number: HQ77.95 .U6 B44 2011ISBN: 9780231143066Publication Date: 2011-11-29Responding to a critical need for greater perspectives on transgender life in the United States, Genny Beemyn and Susan (Sue) Rankin apply their extensive expertise to a groundbreaking survey, one of the largest ever conducted in the U.S., on gender development and identity-making among transsexual women, transsexual men, crossdressers, and genderqueer individuals. With nearly 3,500 participants, the survey is remarkably diverse, and with more than 400 follow-up interviews, the data offers limitless opportunities for research and interpretation. Beemyn and Rankin track the formation of gender identity across individuals and groups, beginning in childhood and marking the "touchstones" that led participants to identify as transgender. They explore when and how participants noted a feeling of difference because of their gender, the issues that caused them to feel uncertain about their gender identities, the factors that encouraged them to embrace a transgender identity, and the steps they have taken to meet other transgender individuals. Beemyn and Rankin's findings expose the kinds of discrimination and harassment experienced by participants in the U.S. and the psychological toll of living in secrecy and fear. They discover that despite increasing recognition by the public of transgender individuals and a growing rights movement, these populations continue to face bias, violence, and social and economic disenfranchisement. Grounded in empirical data yet rich with human testimony, The Lives of Transgender People adds uncommon depth to the literature on this subject and introduces fresh pathways for future research.
More Than Title IX: How Equity in Education has Shaped the Nation by Call Number: LC1752 .H39 2009ISBN: 9780742566408Publication Date: 2009A seminal piece of American legislation, Title IX was signed into law in 1972, ensuring that no federally-funded educational program could exclude anyone based on gender. Originally drafted to guarantee women access to school athletics, Title IX has had a far-reaching effect on all aspects society, starting a legacy of true equal-rights legislation for women that opened doors and minds. Title IX's impact on both genders, and on society as a whole, is an important focus of this volume, which merges straightforward history with firsthand accounts from those who took on the monumental task of changing politics and people in the 1960s and 1970s. Also stressed is the vital connection between women's rights and racial equality. The authors, all senior executives at the non-profit Educational Development Center, also review the changes still needed, as well as evidence of regression in American policy and culture. Though an incomplete history and a less-than-rigorous policy evaluation, this volume admirably archives the testimony of brave activists, past and present, who struggle for true parity, and warns against forgetting or distorting the origins of the debate.
The Transformation of Title IX: Regulating Gender Equality in Education by Call Number: LC213.2 .M45 2018ISBN: 9780815732228Publication Date: 2018-03-06One civil rights-era law has reshaped American society--and contributed to the country's ongoing culture wars Few laws have had such far-reaching impact as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Intended to give girls and women greater access to sports programs and other courses of study in schools and colleges, the law has since been used by judges and agencies to expand a wide range of antidiscrimination policies--most recently the Obama administration's 2016 mandates on sexual harassment and transgender rights. In this comprehensive review of how Title IX has been implemented, Boston College political science professor R. Shep Melnick analyzes how interpretations of "equal educational opportunity" have changed over the years. In terms accessible to non-lawyers, Melnick examines how Title IX has become a central part of legal and political campaigns to correct gender stereotypes, not only in academic settings but in society at large. Title IX thus has become a major factor in America's culture wars--and almost certainly will remain so for years to come.
