Papers of NOW officer Shirley Bernard, 1966-1981

This collection contains mainly correspondence. There are also clippings, brochures, newsletters, and photographs, as well as drafts, notes, and copies of writings and speeches by Bernard. The papers are arranged in five series.

Series I, Writings, Speeches, and Biographical (#1.1-2.6), contains clippings about Bernard and materials relating to her writings and speeches, including drafts, research materials, and final copies. Among the writings are a draft and correspondence relating to Bernard's doctoral dissertation on the Women's Strike of August 26, 1970. The final version is cataloged separately in the library as MC 301. There are transcripts of Bernard's 1973 interviews with Betty Friedan, Karen DeCrow, Aileen Hernandez, Suzanne Haney, Charlotte Wolf, Toni Carabillo, and Jo Freeman, concerning their activities in celebration of the women's strike in 1970. There are several folders of correspondence and printed material relating to Bernard's speeches.

Series II, Correspondence (#2.7-3.2), contains letters relating to Bernard's work in the women's movement, excluding her roles in the National Organization for Women.

Series III, National Organization for Women (NOW) (#3.3-6.3), contains correspondence, including requests for information about NOW (often including explanations of why the information is sought, as well as biographical details), minutes, membership lists, newsletters, and chapter charters. Some of the papers relate to her roles at the national level, but the majority focus on Bernard's role as Western Regional Director.

Series IV, Other Organizations and Interests (#6.4-7.2), includes correspondence, brochures, mailing lists, and printed material. The brochures are from various organizations and events Bernard collected, but in which she had no evident role. Materials in this series are arranged alphabetically.

Series V, North Orange County Community College District (#7.3-7.5), includes correspondence, clippings, and surveys relating to Fullerton College and Cypress Junior College, where Bernard taught. The surveys, concerning the needs of students, many of whom were older women, were designed by Bernard in 1969, and completed by her students.

Most of the papers in this collection were created under the name of Shirley Bernard, but there are some created under her married name of Shirley Agress.

Folder headings are those of Bernard unless otherwise noted; archivist's headings and notes are in square brackets. All printed material by or about Bernard, as well as all printed material with annotations, has been kept in the collection. Other NOW publications and reports, except those created by Bernard, were transferred to the NOW records in the Schlesinger Library. Non-NOW printed material produced by mainstream organizations and publications was discarded; leaflets and other ephemera of small, transient organizations were retained.