The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Kathleen A. Olson papers

Repository: Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota History Center

Collection Description (Extant): Papers of a Minnesota feminist documenting her participation (1970-1980) in voluntary organizations dedicated to achieving full rights for women and the elimination of sexism and sex discrimination in Minnesota schools, and her involvement (1980-1984) with University of Minnesota committees working under terms of the Rajender consent decree to end sex discrimination by the University in the hiring and promotion of women faculty and academic staff.
The papers reflect Olson's strong commitment to feminism as an officer, board member, and/or committee chair of the Women's Institute for Social Change, Twin Cities and Minnesota chapters of the National Organization for Women (NOW), Emma Willard Task Force on Education, Minnesota Branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and several day care associations (1970-1980); as chair of the Minnesota State Board of Education Sex Bias Task Force (1974-1976); and as a University of Minnesota employee providing administrative support for the Faculty Advisory Committee for Women (also known as the Faculty Advisory Committee on Women) and Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity for Women (1980-1984, 1992).
In addition to documenting Olson's role in these organizations, the papers selectively document the organizations' activities. The files for each organization generally include, to a lesser or greater degree, Olson's notes; board, committee, and membership meeting agendas, minutes, and mailing lists; correspondence and memoranda; reports and related papers; budgets and financial statements; institute, workshop, and conference materials; near print and print items such as newsletters, news releases, circular letters, fliers and brochures, newspaper clippings, and magazine articles; and historical information. Also present is an audiotape of a 1973 interview of several members of the Minnesota delegation to the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Date(s): 1969-1992

Existing IDs: Catalog ID number: 3716752

Extent: 1.3 cu. ft. (2 boxes)

Finding Aid URL: http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00613.xml

Language: English

Related Archival Items: Records of the following organizations in which Kathleen Olson was active are in the Minnesota Historical Society manuscript collections: Women's Institute for Social Change; National Organization for Women, Twin Cities Chapter; Minnesota NOW; Emma Willard Task Force on Education; and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Minnesota Branch.

See also Denzil A. Carty papers, 1931-1975: Biographical information, correspondence, minutes, newspaper clippings, reports, and printed materials documenting activities of Black Episcopal priest Denzil Carty in the Protestant Episcopal Church and in many racial, interracial, and interdenominational organizations in St. Paul (Minn.). Carty, born in the British West Indies in 1904, was educated and ordained in New York City, served as a chaplain in World War II, and came to St. Paul in 1950 as rector of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, remaining there until his 1975 retirement.
The papers reveal Carty's activities in the following organizations: American Legion, Department of Minnesota; Fair Employment Practices Commission; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; St. Paul Urban Coalition; St. Paul Urban League; St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority; the St. Paul and Minnesota councils of human and civil rights; and the St. Paul Opportunities and Industrialization Center.
Civil and human rights organizations and activities, especially in St. Paul and Minnesota, are well documented in the papers, as are evidences of discrimination in schooling, housing, and employment. Carty took an active role in the organizations noted above and worked closely with civic, religious, and political leaders on the local, state, and national levels. (P1725). Finding aid available at http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/p1725.xml.

Interviewees: Matthew Little, Denzil Carty, Josie Johnson

Rights (CRHP): Contact the repository which holds the collection for information on rights

Subjects:

Civil rights movements--Minnesota
Civil rights workers
Feminism
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington, D.C., 1963

Genres:

Interviews
Sound recordings