The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council oral history collection

Repository: Grand Rapids Public Library. Grand Rapids History and Special Collections Department

Collection Description (CRHP): See especially interviews with Helen Claytor (1990, on racial segregation and involvement in YWCA), Lillian Gill (1995, on civil rights activism and NAACP), Harriet Wood Hill, Ella Sims (1994, racial discrimination, Office of Economic Opportunity, Kent County Community Action Program), Leona Spencer (1995, racism, redlining, GM, NAACP and other forms of civic involvement), Shirley Perkins (1994, teaching, United Way, church work), Jeralyn Pinsky.

Collection Description (Extant): The Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council was formed in 1988 by both local historians and business persons, for the purpose of preserving the historical contributions that women and women's organizations have made to the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area. The GGRWHC Oral History Collection is one of the organization's projects in fulfillment of their mission. Included here are interviews conducted by the organization's members, which preserve a spoken record of their personal histories, families, activities, values, and times, from as early as the 1840s to the present. Reflected are broad topics such as medicine, society, and race. Also included are details about the lives of descendants of early settlement families, racism, volunteerism, discrimination based on gender, education and other topics. The audio tapes are supplemented with the written transcriptions of those tapes, and some ancillary reference information on various of the interviewees is also found.

Access Copy Note: Usage tapes have been created for most interviews.

Date(s): 1988-

Digital Status: No

Existing IDs: 167

Extent: 4.7 linear ft. (56 inches)

Finding Aid URL: http://www.grpl.org/wiki/images/167.pdf