SCOPE AND CONTENT
The papers include correspondence, minutes, notes, printed materials, photographs, etc., pertaining primarily to Leet's professional and volunteer activities. It also includes personal correspondence between Mildred and Glen Leet, as well as some letters between Mildred Leet, her mother, and her daughters Aileen Robbins and Jane Marla Robbins. The following inventory represents an overview of the type and content of materials in each container. While all folder headings are listed, in some cases one heading may span multiple folders. Most folder headings were created by Leet; any additional information, including description of untitled folders, appears in brackets. At least one third of the papers detail the creation and development of the Trickle Up Program, from 1979 through 1985. The folders are in their original order, with no apparent organization; related materials are spread throughout the three cartons.
Carton 1 contains both personal correspondence between Leet and her family as well as materials pertaining to organizations in which she actively participated. The abbreviations used include CHS (College for Human Services), and IPA (International Peace Academy). The full names of other abbreviations used by Leet appear in parentheses. This carton contains restricted items (in four red sleeves) that must be removed prior to research use.
Carton 2 contains materials pertaining to the Trickle Up Program. Leet used abbreviations for folder headings: T/ or TUP/ refers to the Trickle Up Program and NL refers to "newsletter." Full names for other abbreviations are listed in brackets. This carton contains restricted items (in one red sleeve) that must be removed prior to research use.
Carton 3 contains primarily materials pertaining to Leet's involvement with various organizations, conferences and events affiliated with foreign relations, peace activism, and the rights of women. It includes but is not limited to: the National Service Conference, the National Council of Women of the United States, International Women's Year and the New York State Women's Meeting, 1977.
A memorial web site was captured as part of Harvard University Library's Web Archive Collection (WAX).
Dates
- Creation: 1966-1986
Language of Materials
Materials in English.
Access Restrictions:
Access. Unrestricted. Though unprocessed, the papers have been screened by library staff, and documents access to which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy have been placed in red sleeves within their original folders and temporarily restricted for the times specified; red sleeves and their contents must be pulled by library staff before research use.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright. Copyright is held by the President and Fellows of Harvard College for the Schlesinger Library. Copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns.
Copying. Papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures.
Extent
3 linear feet ((3 cartons) plus electronic records)BIOGRAPHY
Social activist and volunteer Mildred Robbins Leet was born Mildred Elowsky in 1922. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, she graduated from New York University (B.A. 1942). She married Louis J. Robbins (1913-1970) in February 1941 and the couple had two children, Jane Marla (1943) and Aileen (1947). During World War II she volunteered as an air-raid warden and a nurse's aide, and following the war continued her commitment to volunteerism. She actively engaged in volunteer activities for Cerebral Palsy and in 1948 became one of the founders of United Cerebral Palsy, where she served as first president of the women's division. Leet expanded her volunteerism into politics and with Marietta Tree co-chaired New York's Volunteers for Stevenson (1956). She served as a United Nations (U.N.) representative (1957-1964) and president (1964-1968) of the National Council of Women of the United States, emphasizing civil rights, family planning, and international peacekeeping. From 1968 to 1970, she was an active member of the Women's Advisory Committee on Poverty in the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity. Her expertise in international relations led to her involvement in the development of the International Peace Academy (1968-1974).
In 1974 she married Glen Leet (1908-1998), then President of the International Society for Community Development. Among his many activities in foreign development, he served as U.N. Advisor to Greece (1947-1950), and the first U.N. Consultant on Social Welfare Policy. In the 1960s he became of President of Save the Children. Together Glen and Mildred developed Hotline International, a telecommunications conferencing program that covered five U.N. conferences from 1974 to 1978. The couple also co-founded the Trickle Up Program (1979), which continues to receive awards for its philanthropic work. The enduring program assists low-income people worldwide by providing conditional seed capital and business training. The grants enable participants to launch a small business in partnership with local agencies. The recipient of numerous degrees and honors, Leet has written and lectured widely on women and development and technology. She was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame (2003) for philanthropic endeavors.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number: 2002-M94
The papers of Mildred Robbins Leet were given to the Schlesinger Library by Mildred Robbins Leet in August 2002.
Related Material:
There is related material at the Schlesinger Library; see Additional papers of Mildred Robbin Leet, 1929-2002 (2002-M108) and Additional papers of Mildred Robbin Leet, 1928-2005 (2002-M114--2002-M162).
Processing Information
Container List: November 2006
By: Marilyn Morgan
- Title
- Leet, Mildred Robbins, 1922-2011. Papers of Mildred Robbins Leet, 1966-1986: A Container List
- Author
- Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
- Language of description
- eng
- EAD ID
- sch00372
Repository Details
Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository
The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.