A Guide to Women's History Collections

M76-131
United Daughters of the Confederacy, Anna Jackson Chapter No. 224 ( Tallahassee)
Records, 1862-1865, 1898-2016
25.75 cubic feet

The records of this women's philanthropic, historical and social club include meeting minutes, membership documents and information on its educational programs. The collection also contains family genealogies and records regarding Confederate soldiers, veterans and supporters.

M77-164
Junior League of Tallahassee
Oral Histories, 1976-1977
.75 cubic foot

The Junior League is a women's society interested in local social, economic, cultural and civic issues. This oral history collection of the Tallahassee chapter consists of interviews with prominent and long-time residents of Tallahassee, including many women. Those interviewed discuss life in late 19th-early 20th century Tallahassee. Especially noteworthy are the conversations on attending Florida State College for Women in the early 20th century. Included are transcripts of the interviews.

M79-179
Wakulla County Public Library
Oral Histories, 1978-1979
.5 cubic foot

These oral history interviews discuss the growth and development of business and community in Wakulla County in the late 19th-early 20th century. The collection contains the interview tapes as well as written summaries with background information. Several women are among those interviewed.

M82-11
Florida Women’s Conference
Videotape, 1977
1 videotape

This collection consists of a videotape of the proceedings in Orlando of the first Florida Women's Conference. The conference celebrated the International Women's Year of 1975. Especially noteworthy is the debate between pro- and anti-Equal Rights Amendment factions.

M82-12
WLRN (Radio Station: Miami, Fla.)
"Straight Talk With Audrey Finkelstein"
Interview with Roxcy Bolton, 1977
1 cassette

This collection consists of an audiotape of an interview with Roxcy Bolton, founder of the Dade County chapter of the National Organization for Women. A leading advocate for women's rights and an organizer of women's groups and services in Florida, Bolton discusses the history of the women's movement in Dade County.

M83-29
Daughters of the American Revolution, Florida State Society
Records, 1904-1960
1 microfilm reel

The Florida State Society is the central organizing committee for the various local chapters of the DAR, a women's society of descendants of American Revolutionaries, whose mission is to promote historical, educational and patriotic work. The collection contains minutes, membership rolls and gift records. It documents the State Society's relations with local chapters and the National Society.

M84-2
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings State Historic Site
Scrapbooks, 1928-1983
1 microfilm reel

The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings State Historic Site sits on the home and acreage of the renowned Florida writer (Cross Creek and The Yearling). This collection consists of microfilmed scrapbooks, which contain articles, photographs and clippings related to the author's life, work and home.

M86-17
Gadsden County Home Demonstration Club
Scrapbooks, 1935-1940, 1947-1948
4.75 cubic feet

County Home Demonstration Clubs were women's clubs that traveled through communities instructing women in topics such as sewing, food preparation and conservation, nutrition and health, home beautification and dairying. Members also participated in the planning of community activities and the organization of local women's clubs. The scrapbooks contain minutes, reports, clippings, correspondence, programs and photographs documenting club activities and interests.

M88-30
National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century, Florida Society
Scrapbooks, 1934-1981
1 microfilm reel

The Colonial Dames is a women's group dedicated to the commemoration of the founders of the United States and to the preservation of their records. This collection consists of microfilmed scrapbooks with clippings, membership information, programs and correspondence.

M89-7
Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Tampa Division
Records, 1905-1922
.5 cubic foot

The Women's Christian Temperance Union was a national philanthropic and prohibitionist group at the turn of the 20th century. Among the Tampa chapter’s projects was the establishment of one of the first daycare centers in the Tampa area. The collection consists of accounts, minutes and correspondence.

M89-26
United Daughters of the Confederacy, Florida Division
Scrapbooks, 1930-1986
8 volumes

The United Daughters of the Confederacy perpetuates the honor, integrity and other "noble attributes to true Southern Heritage." The collection contains clippings, photographs and other memorabilia of the group.

M91-4
United Daughters of the Confederacy, Florida Division
Membership Applications, 1908-1992
24 microfilm reels

Membership applications for disbanded and active chapters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy contain basic information on the applicant as well as family genealogies documenting Confederate heritage.

M93-6
Children of the Confederacy, Florida Division
Membership Applications, 1906-1993
11 microfilm reels

The Children of the Confederacy is a subsidiary for children of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The information on these membership applications concerns both the applicants and their Confederate ancestors.

M94-5
Mackay Estates Limited
Mackay Family Papers, 1916-1982
25 cubic feet, 84 volumes

The Mackay family, originally of Dundee, Scotland, was involved in the cattle and citrus industries in Florida. Following her husband's death in 1940, Grace Mackay moved from Britain to Polk County, Florida to oversee the management of Mackay Estates Limited. This collection consists of business and personal papers, primarily correspondence and financial documents.

M96-18 
United Daughters of the Confederacy, Florida Division
Scrapbooks, 1900-1935
12 volumes

These scrapbooks contain information regarding different aspects of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. As keepers of the flame of the "Lost Cause," UDC members collected information regarding the activities of the people of the South during the Civil War as soldiers, families, slaves, civilian war workers, and as victims of the effects of total war. As a fraternal society, they collected information relating to the history and activities of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Florida Division, and its constituent chapters.

M97-12 
Women’s Christian Temperance Union of Florida
Records, 1886-1984
1 cubic foot

This collection contains records documenting the history and activities of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Florida and its parent organization the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Jacksonville. The collection includes minutes of the Jacksonville Union from 1886 to 1926 (with gaps); treasurer's cash books, cancelled checks and dues receipts; Florida W.C.T.U. annual convention programs and reports from 1903 to 1966 (with gaps); a history of the Florida W.C.T.U. from 1883 to 1983; and a small number of scrapbook items, including photographs of members at special events, programs for special events and newspaper clippings.

M97-14 
National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century, Florida Society
Minutes, 1936-1996
3 microfilm reels

This collection consists of the minutes of the Board of the Florida Society, National Society of Colonial Dames of the XVII Century. It documents topics discussed, decisions made and actions taken by the Florida Society. Among the many topics of discussion in the minutes are the treasurer's reports, comments on guest speakers, resolutions, awarding of scholarship funds and gifts to libraries. In addition, there are organizational papers from the first meeting, membership lists and annual reports from the various chapters in the state.

M97-21
WLRN (Radio Station: Miami, Fla.)
“Straight Talk with Audrey Finkelstein” Civil Rights Radio Series Audio Cassettes, 1997
7 cassette tapes & 7 compact disks

This collection is comprised of audio recordings of WLRN public radio broadcasts regarding the Civil Rights Movement in Dade County. The broadcasts, aired on WLRN's weekly "Straight Talk with Audrey Finkelstein," featured conversations with some of the individuals, black and white, who took part in South Florida's struggle for racial integration.

M98-6
Mattie Belle Davis
Business and Professional Women’s Clubs Records, 1930-1998 
9 cubic feet

This collection consists of administrative and operating records of the Miami Business and Professional Women's Club and the Florida Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, collected and maintained by Judge Mattie Belle Davis, a member who served the Miami BPW organization in many capacities, including president, treasurer and newsletter editor. She also served as President of District 10 of the Florida Federation. The records document many of the goals, concerns and interests of business and professional women over the course of the latter half of the 20th century, including career, health, safety and equality issues, both inside and outside of the workplace.

M98-10 
Florida School Food Service Association
Records, 1946-1998 
18 cubic feet

The Florida School Food Service Association is a professional association of state and local school food service directors , supervisors , cafeteria managers , food service assistants and nutrition educators throughout Florida. This collection consists of administrative records and reference files documenting the organization, programs and activities of the Florida School Food Service Association.

N2000-25
Coral Gables, Florida Cable TV Division
Coral Gables Oral History Interview Video Recordings, 2000 
2 items

This collection consists of videotaped oral history interviews with longtime Coral Gables residents and city officials. Topics addressed include life in early Coral Gables, development of city government, relations between the city and the University of Miami, building of roads and subdivisions, development of neighborhoods, economic development, segregation, and the Civil Rights and Women's Rights Movements.

N2006-7
Florida Association for Women in Education
Papers, 1987-2006
1 cubic foot

This collection contains correspondence, conference materials, newsletters and other records documenting the Florida Association for Women in Education and its predecessor organization, the Florida Association for Women Deans, Administrators and Counselors, until dissolution of the organization in 2006.

N2009-3
Koreshan Unity
Papers, ca. 1829-2006
209 cubic feet

The Koreshan Unity was a late-19th/early-20th century religious utopian community originally founded in upstate New York by Dr. Cyrus Teed. After a relocation from New York to Chicago, Teed gained a substantial following. In 1894 the Unity moved to Estero, Florida where they continued to flourish. The Koreshan Unity Papers consist of original writings, letters, photographs and other organizational and personal records of founders and members of the Koreshan Unity. The collection documents the economic and cultural development of Southwest Florida; the relationship between religion and community; the Koreshans' methods of integrating concepts of science into their religious cosmology and cosmogony; the Koreshans' sometimes tumultuous relations with surrounding communities; and the major leadership roles of women in a community whose belief system included equality of the sexes.

N2014-12
Planned Parenthood Legislative Reports and Recordings, 1972-2008
1 cubic foot

This collection consists primarily of yearly reports produced for the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates regarding legislative issues and bills concerning women's general and reproductive health issues, including abortion, contraception, breast and cervical cancer, and infant/child health. The reports provide information on legislative bills impacting these issues and the voting records of legislators on these bills. The collection also includes some miscellaneous items relating to politics or women's reproductive issues such as pro-choice advertising campaign audio and video recordings and Richard Nixon 1972 election campaign literature.

N2015-12
Florida Business and Professional Women’s Clubs Records, 1982-2012
0.3 cubic foot

Ann Lay was active in the Ocala Business and Professional Women's Club (BPW) and in partnerships with several other Florida BPWs, primarily in Central Florida. This collection documents Ann Lay's participation in activities of local, state and national Business and Professional Women's Clubs, primarily during the 1980s. Included are programs, directories and other records of several Florida clubs, particularly the Ocala club and clubs located in and around Orlando.

N2016-10
Florida Business and Professional Women's Clubs Chapter and District Records, 1919-2016
22.80 cubic feet

This collection documents the goals, concerns and interests of Business and Professional Women's Club members, including women's career, health, safety, and equality issues both in and outside the workplace. The records highlight various activities of local, state and national BPWs and include programs, meeting minutes, scrapbooks, photographs, BPW publications, directories and other organizational records of several Florida chapter clubs, particularly the District IX clubs located in and around Sarasota and Cape Coral.

N2018- 8
Flagler Palm Coast High School
Women's Rights Oral History Project Files, 2018
7.78 gigabytes

In 2018, a social studies class at Flagler Palm Coast High School interviewed members of Women's March Florida, St. Petersburg Chapter, which had organized the St. Petersburg Women's March on January 21, 2018. Students conducted online oral history interviews and collected digital photographs from the event. This collection contains the records generated by and collected during the project, including digital photographs, oral history interviews of Women’s March participants and related class materials that document the project's purpose.