Harriet F. Pilpel Papers, 1913-1981
General International Standard for Archival Description
Sophia Smith Collection Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Laura Cutter. 2003-06-12
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Harriet F. Pilpel Papers
Creation of Harriet F. Pilpel Papers
Time of Creation of Harriet F. Pilpel Papers
Pilpel, Harriet F.
Biographical History for: Harriet F. Pilpel Papers
Biographical Note Harriet Fleischl Pilpel was born in New York City in 1911 to businessperson Julius and Ethel (Loewy) Fleischl. She was graduated from Vassar in 1932 and received a Master's degree in 1933 and a law degree in 1936, both from Columbia University. She married Robert Pilpel, a social service executive on June 15, 1933. They had two children, Judith Ethel Pilpel Appelaum and Robert Harry Pilpel. Harriet Pilpel was a member of the New York Bar and senior partner in the law firm of Greenbaum, Wolff & Ernst who specialized in First Amendment issues. Between 1937 and 1991, she participated in twenty-seven cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. A prolific lecturer and author of publications related to copyright, abortion, marriage, birth control, civil liberties, and the law, she was also active in many organizations including the board of directors of Planned Parenthood Federation of America for whom she was legal counsel. Pilpel was also counsel to a number of other associations, including Sex Information and Educational Council of the United States, Association for the Study of Abortion, and Association for Voluntary Sterilization. In addition, she served on the boards of the National Abortion Rights Action League, the American Civil Liberties Union, and The Alan Guttmacher Institute. She died in her sleep April 23, 1991.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Harriet F. Pilpel Papers consist of 13.75 linear feet and are primarily related to her professional work with sexual and reproductive rights, dating from 1913 to 1981. The bulk of the papers date from 1966-81 and focus on sexual rights and liberties. The collection is essentially Pilpel's reference files, and is primarily composed of court documents from various legal cases on the state and federal level, as well as newspaper clippings and articles. There is very little personal correspondence or other materials that are not accessible through the public domain in the collection. However, the files allow for a comprehensive, state-to-state comparison of a variety of sexual and reproductive laws, and provide a sense of the debates going on in individual states and the country regarding sexual and reproductive issues. Types of material include correspondence, memoranda, press releases, reports, legislation, notes, journal and newspaper articles, and court documents. Major topics found throughout these papers include family planning, abortion, contraception, sterilization, as well as the funding of these activities. Related topics include consent and notification for family planning activities, distribution and advertisements related to sex, sexual activities, and the sexual and reproductive rights of minors. The subject "reproductive rights" serves as an all-inclusive category that contains information about subjects such as maternity rights and population, as well as materials related to several aspects of sexual rights and liberties. "Minors" includes all subjects related to minors except the sterilization of mentally incompetent minors, which is located with the materials related to the sterilization of the mentally incompetent. Organizations represented include the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL); Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), briefly known as Planned Parenthood-World Population; the Association for the Study of Abortion; and the Association for Voluntary Sterilization. Prominent Supreme Court cases documented include Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), United States v. Vuitch (1971), Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972), Roe v. Wade (1973) and Doe v. Bolton (1973), Bellotti v. Baird (1975), T.H. v. Jones (1975), Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. Danforth (1976), and Carey v. Populations Services International (1977).
Abortion--Law and legislation--United States--History--Sources
lcsh
Birth control--Developing countries--History--20th century--Sources
Birth control--Law and legislation--United States--History--Sources
Minors-Civil rights-United States--History--20th century--Sources
Population policy--History--20th century--Sources
Reproductive health-United States--History--20th century--Sources
Sterilization (birth control)--History--Sources
Women--Legal status, laws, etc.--History--20th century--Sources
Edelin, Kenneth, 1939-
lcnaf
Roe, Jane, 1947- --Trials, litigation, etc.
Tietze, Christopher, 1908-
Wade, Henry--Trials, litigation, etc.
American Civil Liberties Union--History--Sources
National Abortion Rights Action League--History
Planned Parenthood Federation of America--History--Sources
Planned Parenthood-World Population (U.S.)--History--Sources
series
SERIES I. UNITED STATES (1937-81)
This series provides an overview of sexual and reproductive liberties on a national level during the late 1960s and 1970s. The series is arranged alphabetically by subject, and chronologically within each folder. The bulk of this series is composed of material that covers more than one state or discusses a subject from the national perspective. Abortion, contraception, and the rights of minors can be examined on a state-to-state basis. Federal legislation and materials related to national organizations, including the ACLU, NARAL, and PPFA form a large part of this series. All of the cases that have been heard by the Supreme Court are found within this series, and include all materials related to lower court decisions. Cases that the Supreme Court refused to hear can be found in SERIES II. INDIVIDUAL STATES AND TERRITORIES. The subject categories "families and family law" and "status of women" cover both state and national topics. "Civil rights and liberties" includes material on a wide variety of subjects not related to gender or sexual rights. The only biographical material related to Harriet Pilpel is found under the organization, Sex Information and Education Council of the United States.
SERIES II. INDIVIDUAL STATES AND TERRITORIES (1913-81)
This series comprises the bulk of the collection and covers topics related to sexual rights and liberties within each of the states and territories. The materials are arranged in alphabetical order first by state or territory, and then by topic within each state or territory. New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan form the largest portions of the series. Most of the daily transcripts from Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Edelin, a widely publicized trial of an abortion doctor accused of manslaughter in 1975, are also included. [Note: The transcripts from days two through four and fifteen are missing.] In 1971, Pilpel worked on a Health, Education, and Welfare survey that compared family planning and reproductive rights laws in each of the states and territories. The results of that survey, as well as the correspondence relating to it, are found in most of the states and territories under reproductive rights. Many court cases at both the state and district court levels can be found within this series under the subject of the case.
SERIES III. INTERNATIONAL (1967-79)
This series examines sexual rights and liberties as well as the status of women around the world during the 1970s. The categories "abortion," "family planning and population programs," "sterilization," and the "status of women" are predominantly composed of articles and newspaper clippings. If a document discusses more than one country or looks at a subject from a global perspective, it is located within the general files under the subject. If the focus of an article is specific to one country, then it is filed under the individual country. The names of individual countries are arranged in alphabetical order
Contents
Abortion
General, 1964-80
Facilities and staff, 1971-76, n.d.
Funding, 1971-77
Model statute, n.d.
Paternal rights
State action, 1974-75
Contraception
Advertisements and distribution
General, 1973-76
Emko mailings, 1963
Comstock laws, 1965-68
State contraception laws, 1937-38
State to state comparison, 1971-72
Types of, 1970-75
Families and family law, 1968-79, n.d.
Family planning, 1970-80, n.d.
Federal legislation, 1970-75
Bartlett Amendment, 1974-75
Hogan Amendment, 1973
Health insurance, 1972-76, n.d.
Homosexuality, 1974-76
Minors, 1971-79, n.d.
Advertising abortion and contraception information, 1972
Consent for medical treatment, 1972-75, n.d.
Contraception, 1969-74, n.d.
State to state comparison, 1972-77
Reproductive rights, General, 1971-77
Military, 1971-78
[See also SERIES III. International-Indochina]
Organizations, 1938-79
[See also Oversize Materials]
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), 1973-80
Association for the Study of Abortion (ASA) newsletter, 1972
National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), 1972-79
Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), 1961-81
[See also Supreme Court--Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. Danforth]
Planned Parenthood--World Population (PPWP), 1965-80
Sex and Education Information Council of the United States (SEICUS), 1973
Rights and liberties, 1972-79
Status of women
General, 1973-77
President's Commission, 1963
Sterilization
General, 1967-79
Involuntary, n.d.
Mentally incompetent, 1972-78
Voluntary, 1971-79
Supreme Court of the United States
Anders v. Floyd (1979), 1975-77
Ashcroft v. Freiman (1979), 1978-79
Beal v. Franklin (1978), 1974-78
Bellotti v. Baird (1975, 1979), 1975-78
Bigelow v. Commonwealth of Virginia (1975), 1971-75
Califano v. McRae (1977), 1976-79
Carey v. Population Services International (1977), 1975-79
Connecticut v. Menillo (1975), 1975
Doe v. Beal (1977), 1975
Doe v. Bolton (1973), 1970-73
[See also Roe v. Wade]
Doe v. Planned Parenthood Association of Utah (1973), 1972-73
Eisenstadt v. Baird (1972), 1970-73
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), 1964-65
H. L. v. Matheson (1981), 1979-80
Maher v. Roe (1977), 1976-77, n.d.
Nashville Gas Company v. Satty (1977), 1977
Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. Danforth (1976), 1974-1976
Roe v. Wade (1973), 1970-73, n.d.
Singleton v. Wulff (1976), 1974-75
Spannaus v. Hodgson (1975), 1974-75
T.H. v. Jones (1975), 1975-77
United States v. Vuitch (1971) 1969-72
Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council (1976), 1976
Withrow v. Larkin (1975), 1974
Alabama
Anti-abortion statute, 1974-75
Funding, 1977-78
Staff and facilities, 1977
Distribution of literature, 1976
Minors, 1971
Involuntary, 1973-74
Mentally incompetent, 1969-79
Negligence, 1978
Alaska
Abortion, 1970
Minors, 1969, n.d.
Reproductive rights, 1971, 1976
American Samoa, 1971
Arkansas
Abortion, 1973-1978
Contraception, 1977
Minors, 1968, 1976
Reproductive rights, 1971, n.d.
Sterilization, 1977
Arizona
Abortion, 1971-75
Contraception, 1974
Minors, 1977
Reproductive rights, 1962-78
California
General, 1967-78
Funding, 1977-79, n.d.
Contraception, 1974-77
Family planning, 1970-80
Minors
General, 1970-77
Contraception, 1971-75
Reproductive rights
General, 1971-77
Laws and legal codes, 1971-77, n.d.
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC), 1975-81
Public Education & Research Committee of California (PERCC), 1974-75
General, 1976-77
Involuntary, 1975-77, n.d.
Mentally incompetent, 1974-81
Voluntary, 1968, 1973
Colorado
Abortion, 1970-73, n.d.
Contraception, 1971
Minors, 1975-76
Reproductive rights, 1969-71
Connecticut
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court- Connecticut v. Menillo ; Maher v. Roe ]
General, 1968-79
Funding, 1974-80
Consent, 1975-79
Contraception, n.d.
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-Griswold v. Connecticut]
Family planning, 1972, 1975
Minors, 1972-76
Mentally incompetent, 1977-79
Voluntary, 1977
Delaware
Abortion, 1973-76, n.d.
Minors, 1976, n.d.
Reproductive rights, 1975
Sterilization, 1978
District of Columbia
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-United States v. Vuitch]
General, 1970-79
Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, 1974
Facilities and staff, 1972
Consent, 1972-76
Family planning, 1971-74
Minors, 1974
Reproductive rights, 1971-76
Sterilization, 1973-74
Florida
General, 1971-80
Facilities and staff, 1973-79
Consent, 1973-79
Contraception, 1972-74
Family planning, 1972-77
Minors, 1972-75
Reproductive rights, 1971-79
Sterilization, 1976
Georgia
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-Doe v. Bolton]
General, 1970-75, n.d.
Funding, 1977-80
Minors, 1972, n.d.
Sterilization, 1976-77, n.d.
Guam, 1971
Hawaii
Abortion, 1970-73
General, 1972-77
Contraception, 1977-78
Reproductive rights, 1972-73
Idaho
Funding, 1976-77
Minors, 1971, n.d.
Illinois
General, 1970-81
Funding, 1978-79
Newspaper clippings and articles
General, 1978-80
Contraception, 1969, 1975
Reproductive rights, 1971-77
Sterilization, 1971
Indiana
Abortion, 1972-80
Sterilization, 1976-78
Iowa
Abortion, 1972
Minors, n.d.
Kansas
Abortion, 1969-81
Family planning, 1972-76
General, 1969
Contraception, 1972-76
Reproductive rights, 1971
Kentucky
General, 1973-78
Facilities and staff, 1973-80
Family planning, 1969
Minors, 1972
Louisiana
General, 1973-80
Facilities and staff, 1970-78
Funding, 1975-80
Consent, 1977
Minors, 1970
Reproductive rights, 1969-73
Maine
Abortion, 1973, 1979
Sterilization, 1977-78
Maryland
General, 1968-77
Facilities and staff, 1971-73
Family Planning Training Institute, 1973-77
Reproductive rights, 1971, 1977
Sterilization, 1971-78
Massachusetts
Abortion, 1972-80, n.d.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Kenneth Edelin (1975)
Consent, 1980
[See also Minors]
Spousal, 1974-76
Facilities and Staff, 1969-78
Funding, 1971-81
Contraception, 1937-38, 1969-77, n.d.
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-Eisenstadt v. Baird]
Minors, 1972-78, n.d.
[See SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-Bellotti v. Baird]
Reproductive rights, 1971-78
Sterilization, 1973-78
Michigan
General, 1972-78
Facilities and staff, 1972-73, n.d.
Funding, 1975-79
Contraception, 1913, 1971, n.d.
General, 1975-78
Paternal rights, 1974
General, 1974-79
Michigan Reproductive Health Rights Council, 1977-79, n.d.
Statutes, 1972-74, n.d.
Negligence, 1978-79
Voluntary, 1973
Minnesota
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court--Spannaus v. Hodgson]
General, 1974-78
Facilities and staff, 1973-78
Funding, 1976-80
Contraception, 1980
General, 1971-81
Reproductive rights, 1974-80
Sterilization, 1974-78
Mississippi
Abortion, 1966-77, n.d.
Advertising, 1975-76
Missouri
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-- Planned Parenthood of Missouri v. Danforth ; Singleton v. Wulff ; Ashcroft v. Freiman ]
General, 1972-79, n.d.
Facilities and staff, 1972-80
Minors, 1973
Sterilization, 1974-79
Montana
Facilities and staff, 1973-75
Mentally incompetent, 1974
Voluntary, 1972-73
Nebraska
Abortion, 1973-81
Minors, 1971, 1981
Nevada
Family planning, 1971
Minors, 1976-77
New Hampshire
General, 1972-73
Minors, 1971-72
New Jersey
General, 1972-79
Facilities and staff, 1972-79
Funding, 1973-79
Contraception, 1967, 1972-79, n.d.
Family planning, 1970-78
General, 1968-76, n.d.
Contraception, 1975-78
Paternal rights, 1977
Reproductive rights, 1971-78, n.d.
Involuntary, 1979
Negligence, 1975
Voluntary, 1975-76
New Mexico
Abortion, 1969
Reproductive rights, 1971-80
Sterilization, circa 1973
New York
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-Califano v. McRae]
General, 1966-81
Facilities and staff, 1966-80
Funding, 1971-80
New York City, 1971-77
Politicians' voting records, 1970-80
Registration of fetal deaths, 1972-77
Consent, 1970-78
[See also Sterilization]
Contraception, 1974-81
Family planning, 1973-79
Legislation and statutes, 1959-77
[See SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court--Carey v. Population Services International]
General, 1970-78
Blumenthal Bill, 1970-72
Contraception, 1965-77
New York State Senate Committee on Health, 1971
General, 1976-81, n.d.
Organizations 1967-79
Sex-oriented advertisements, 1971
Carter-Burden Bill, 1977
Involuntary, 1976
Mentally incompetent, 1976-77
Voluntary, 1970-77
North Carolina
General, 1970-74
Funding, 1978
Minors, 1978
Sterilization, 1974-77
North Dakota
Minors, 1981
Reproductive rights, 1971, 1979
Ohio
General, 1970-80
Facilities and staff, 1976-78
Consent, 1974-76
Contraception, 1967-72
Minors, 1961-76
Sterilization, circa 1971
Oklahoma
Contraception, 1979
Reproductive rights, 1971, 1979-81
Involuntary, 1941
Voluntary, 1974-77
Oregon
Abortion, 1973-78, n.d.
Contraception, 1975-77
Reproductive rights, 1971-75
Sterilization, 1970-71
Pennsylvania
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court- Beal v. Franklin ; Doe v. Beal ]
General, 1971-79
Abortion Control Act, 1974-76
Funding, 1973-80
Consent, 1969, 1974
Contraception advertisements, 1971-78
Family planning, 1973-74
Minors, 1970-75
General, 1975, 1979, n.d.
Wilkes-Barre Scranton controversy, 1975-76
Involuntary, 1974-78
Voluntary, 1978
Puerto Rico, 1971-78
Rhode Island
Facilities and staff, 1974-79
Sterilization, 1975
South Carolina
Abortion, 1970-77
[See also SERIES I--UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-Anders v. Floyd]
Family planning, 1973
Minors, 1960-71
General, 1959-79
Involuntary, 1968-78
Venereal disease, 1970
South Dakota
Abortion, 1970-78
Minors, 1977-78
Tennessee
Contraception, 1976
Minors, 1971-75, n.d.
Reproductive rights, 1974-77, n.d.
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court--Nashville Gas Company v. Satty]
Texas
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-Roe v. Wade]
Minors, 1974-76
Mentally incompetent, 1977-81
Voluntary, 1972-75
Utah
Funding, 1970-80
Minors, 1971-77
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES--Supreme Court- T.H. v. Jones ; Doe v. Planned Parenthood Association of Utah ; H. L. v. Matheson ]
Sterilization, 1972
Vermont
Abortion, 1971-77
Minors, 1975, n.d.
Sterilization, 1975-78
Virgin Islands, 1971-76, n.d.
Virginia
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court-Bigelow v. Commonwealth]
General, , 1972-78
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES--Supreme Court-Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council]
Sterilization, 1971-72
Reproductive rights, 1972-75
General, 1981, n.d.
Voluntary, 1976
Washington
Contraception, 1971-73
General, 1969-72, n.d.
Abortion, 1970-72
Reproductive rights, 1971-72
West Virginia
Abortion, 1975-79
Reproductive rights, 1969-72
Wisconsin
[See also SERIES I. UNITED STATES-Supreme Court--Withrow v. Larkin]
Facilities and staff, 1970-77
Minors, 1972-77
Sterilization, 1973, 1980
Wyoming
Abortion, 1973-78
Abortion, 1967-74
Family planning and population programs
Population treaty, 1971
Status of women, 1976, n.d.
Individual countries
Cambodia
[See Indochina]
Canada
Abortion, 1973-77
Sterilization, 1978-79
China, 1975-78, n.d.
England
Abortion, 1967-79, n.d.
Status of women, 1976
Sterilization, 1975, n.d.
France, 1972-76, n.d.
Germany, 1974-76
India, 1978-79
Indochina, 1975
Indonesia, 1979, n.d.
Ireland
[See England-Status of women]
Israel, 1976-77
Italy, 1971-79
Laos
Lebanon, ca. 1970
Mexico, 1975
Russia, 1974
Spain, 1974
Thailand, 1979
Vietnam
OVERSIZE MATERIALS (Drawer 33)
Clippings
"America's Population Crisis" LOOK, November 21, 1961
"Birth Control: The Problem We Fear to Face" LOOK, December 5, 1961
"Inflation Hurts, but Only if Pay Lags--or Stops" New York Times, January 4, 1976
Newsletter: IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) News, Sept/Oct 1976
Posters
"FPA Made a Difference in 1977-78"
"Wolrd's Children Data Sheet," 1979