YWCA of the U.S.A. Records. Record Group 4. National Conventions and Conferences
General International Standard for Archival Description
Sophia Smith Collection Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
Finding aid encoded by Carrie Baldwin. July 9, 2008
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Creation of YWCA of the U.S.A. Records. Record Group 4. National Conventions and Conferences
Time of Creation of YWCA of the U.S.A. Records. Record Group 4. National Conventions and Conferences
Young Women's Christian Association of the U.S.A.
Biographical History for: YWCA of the U.S.A. Records. Record Group 4. National Conventions and Conferences
Historical Note Delegate reading program for 26th YWCA National Convention, 1973 Conferences From its earliest days until the early 1970s, the YWCA of the U.S.A. put considerable effort into Conferences as a means of bringing together YWCA people, sharing information, exchanging ideas, and providing for practice in public speaking, group work, legislative action, and parliamentary procedure. A wide variety of Conferences was planned for professional and volunteer staff, and members. The materials filed in this series relate to "general" or "regional" conferences. Material about Conferences for specific types of Associations (City, Town and Country, "Colored" Branches), or "constituent" groups (Industrial, Business and Professional, Teen, Student) is filed with other material related to that work. [See RECORD GROUP 6. PROGRAM, RECORD GROUP 7. STUDENT WORK, and RECORD GROUP 8. COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS.] Regional Conferences (also known as General Conferences, or National Conferences in the Regions) brought together representatives from the general membership within geographic regions. Training focused on effective administration of Community YWCAs as well as the mission of the YWCA. They provided a regular avenue for the National Office to hear issues and concerns from the various geographic regions. Regional Conferences were part of "the cycle of meetings between conventions" which allowed the Association to monitor progress toward resolutions passed at prior Conventions and develop issues for discussion at upcoming Conventions. Though other kinds of training opportunities (workshops, institutes, seminars, round-tables, etc.) continued, traditional conferences disappeared from the YWCA program by the early 1970s when a general desire for change combined with a dramatic re-organization of the staff structure and severe financial problems made them no longer feasible or desirable. Convention The YWCA's National Convention was the regular meeting of the national organization and served as its legislative body. Delegates from member associations met with the National Board and national staff to share information and methods; discuss, amend, and/or affirm the purpose of the organization; "consider and adopt prioritized program for the ensuing years;" establish and amend policies and procedures for the national organization; establish standards for membership of community and student associations in the national organization; and elect the National Board to shepherd the work of the organization between Conventions. National Conventions were called by the National Board at least every three years except when prevented by travel restrictions during the two World Wars. Actions of the Convention were determined by majority vote of the delegates. These were either "voting delegates," who were representatives from member associations, (the number of delegates an association could send to Convention was a function of the size of voting membership of that Association); or "ex-officio voting delegates," who were National Board and national staff members. Convention "entrusts" the National Board with the management of the Association in the interim between Conventions. The National Board was responsible for hiring and directing the work of the national staff. Each National Board member served a term lasting through two Convention cycles and was eligible to stand for one additional term. One third to one half of the membership was elected at each Convention. The challenge of "creating . . . a common mind which can deal wisely and adequately with complex problems in the life of the organization" out of a large group of women brought together for a few days every two or three years, lead to ever-evolving experiments with preparatory materials and meetings, small group discussions, and various other techniques to achieve effective and representational participation. Though there were enduring traditions and features, no two conventions were exactly the same. This form of organization-major organizational decisions made at intervals of two or three years-meant that changes in national YWCA policies and procedures were slow in coming. Often when issues were brought to Convention, the result was a resolution to establish a Commission to study the situation and report to the following Convention. It was not unusual for changes to be studied and discussed through two or three Convention cycles before final decisions were reached. Due to this deliberative process, often-cited "watershed" Convention Actions, such as the adoption of the Federal Council of Churches' "Social Ideals of the Churches" in 1920, the "Interracial Charter" in 1946, and the "One Imperative: the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary" in 1970, were in fact the result of years of study, discussion, preparation, and incremental action. They were more a manifestation of a continuum of activity than a dramatic change of direction. YWCA Conventions regularly and repeatedly reviewed such issues as the nature of the organization's role in public policy; the diversity of its membership and leadership; religion, or the "C" in YWCA; and the role of men in the Association. Auxiliary meetings associated with Convention, the Assemblies, were the national meetings of various YWCA Councils-the bottom-up organizations of various constituent groups within the YW: Industrial, Business and Professional, [college and university] Student, and Teen Age. These usually convened a few days before Convention. The Convention planned for 1918 was postponed for the duration of the U.S. involvement in World War I. The Convention planned for 1945 was cancelled at request of the federal government that convention travel be curtailed. In its stead, the National Board election was carried out by mail, and simultaneous meetings were held at each association to consider questions of importance to the whole Association and report back to the National Board. These were referred to variously as "little convention meetings" and "nation-wide discussions." Any meetings or conferences held between Conventions provided more and less formal opportunities for the Association to measure progress toward goals set at Convention and gather ideas and opinions for future program. After World War II, the Association established a more formal "cycle of meetings between conventions" held all around the country. These were known variously as "Neighborhood Meetings," "Interim Leadership Development Meetings," "Convention Cycle Meetings," and "Mid-Triennium Conference." After World War II, as the national organization scaled back its program activities, Convention discussion centered more on the organization's public policy platform and the internal workings of the YWCA: affiliation of associations, payment of dues, public relations, and finances. In addition, Convention served as a venue to launch such things as a new YWCA logo (1988), the 135th Anniversary exhibit (1994), and the ill-fated Worldwide Web-based "communications platform" YWLink (1998). A series of long-range and strategic planning initiatives began circa 1988 to attempt to "transform" the YWCA for the 21st Century. These eventuated in the "Change Initiative" (1998-2000). A Special Convention was called in summer 2000 to approve an outline plan "Steps to Absolute Change." At this Special Convention, a Transition Steering Committee was charged with drafting a detailed reorganization plan for approval at a Convention the following year. The final Convention in 2001 approved the "Ten Steps to Absolute Change Transition Plan" for the restructuring of the national organization. Staff and Committees At the national office, Conventions and Conferences staff were in charge of business management and logistical planning of conferences and Conventions, including publicity, budgeting, scheduling, and the production of printed materials. Convention Committees planned program for Convention and any pre-Convention meetings, and solicited and gathered input from associations for resolutions and amendments to be voted on at Convention. Administrative History1909-23Convention and Conference Dept1923 Convention and Conference Division1925-31under Education and Research Division1932-39Leadership Division: business manager conferences and Convention; and General Administration 1941-70under General Administrationc 1971-spr 1987 National Convention and Conference Office fall 1987- Aug 1992Convention, Meetings, and Travel Deptfall 1992- ? Leadership Development Center staff? "Sales and Conference Planning Specialist"
The YWCA of the U.S.A. donated a portion of its records to the Sophia Smith Collection in 1964 and the remainder in 2002 and 2003.
Scope and Content Forms part of the YWCA of the U.S.A. Records. NOTE: For the most part, the Microfilmed Records and the Original Format Records do not duplicate each other and both should be consulted. This description covers materials in both formats. See the Contents List for a folder-level inventory of the Original Format Records. See the Microfilmed Records Reel Lists for a detailed inventory of the microfilm. The National Conferences and Conventions records consist of planning materials, mailings, local arrangements, preparatory materials, reports, proceedings, addresses, programs, and newspaper clippings. As is the case generally with the National Association records, the bulk of the Conference and Convention materials date from 1906 to 1970, the interval covered by the microfilm of the Central File and Minutes and Reports. Though there is little conference material dated 1970 and 1988, the Convention files for these years are relatively large. Since conferences were such a primary means of communicating and training, the minutes and reports of the department contain much about philosophy of the organization mixed with the philosophy of conferences and conventions. As with most departments, the secretaries' reports are a very rich source of information. Like most of the organization, the Conferences and Conventions Committee/Department met on an academic year schedule, taking summer months off from meetings. Since summer was the busiest season for conferences, there are especially good reports in the minutes of the first meeting in the fall. General Conference records include preparatory mailings and publicity; agendas, programs, and daily bulletins produced during conferences; and reports on the proceedings. Because Convention business ranges from highly detailed discussions of the internal workings of the national organization to national and international issues that were part of the organization's public policy agenda, Convention records reveal something about most any topic connected with the National organization. A lot of printed material was generated in connection with each Convention. In addition to the Proceedings, basically a verbatim transcript of the Convention, there are many Pre-Convention materials for discussion and study. These were part of the strategy to make the meeting effective and representative. While they included the predictable hotel and travel information, there were also study documents; workbooks; rules and regulations; resolutions and amendments recommended for Convention action; and elections and balloting information. Other materials include reports of Student, Teen, Industrial, and Business and Professional Assemblies (which met in conjunction with Convention); reports of commissions, committees, the National Board, and various departments and projects. In addition there can be texts of speeches, information about special sessions, daily bulletins, programs and scripts for skits and other dramatic presentations, worship materials; publicity; and souvenirs. Microfilmed Records, 1899-1970 only [see Microfilmed Records Reel List] The Conference and Convention materials on microfilm are much more extensive than what has survived on paper. They include records of the committees and departments in charge of planning and local arrangements as well as published Convention preparation materials and reports. Also included are completed credential application forms, stenographic proceedings of the many Conventions, and some unpublished materials, such as texts of speeches, most of which are only available on the microfilm. They can be found in: Minutes and Reports Conference CommitteeConvention CommitteeConvention and Conference DepartmentSubject Files Conferences Conventions Original Format Records, 1906-2001, 17.5 linear feet [see Original Format Records folder list] Some materials microfilmed under "Conferences" can be found in paper form filed with Conventions, Training, or under the relevant program (Teen, Industrial, etc.). Paper records include some general and historical information, Minutes and Reports of the Conferences and Conventions Committee/Department, a few files from Regional Conferences, and extensive printed and planning materials from Conventions, 1906-2001. As with the microfilmed records, "constituent group" and program subject conference materials are filed with the group/program subject in RECORD GROUP 6. PROGRAM. See also Related Materials.
The records are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection without any additional restrictions. Access to audiovisual materials may first require production of research copies.
The YWCA of the USA retains copyright ownership of the records, but has authorized the Sophia Smith Collection to grant permission to publish reproductions or quotations from the records on its behalf. Copyright to materials authored by persons other than YWCA staff may be owned by those individuals or their heirs or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights for permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use."
Additional Formats A copy of the microfilmed records of the YWCA of the U.S.A. Records is available to borrow from the William Allan Neilson Library at Smith College via Interlibrary Loan. To request the microfilm from our library you will need to submit the following information to your library's Interlibrary Loan department: Author: Young Women's Christian Association of the U.S.A. National BoardTitle: Records, 1876-1970 [microform]WorldCat Accession Number: OCLC 57415795Notes: "Call # 689" and reel number(s) you want to borrow Full descriptions and reel lists of the microfilm are available online.
This Record group forms part of the YWCA of the U.S.A. Records As the governing council of the organization, all aspects of the national association's activities are reflected in Convention records and should be consulted in concert with records related to particular departments, programs, activities. The YWCA's magazine (The Association Monthly/Womans Press/YWCA Magazine/YWCA Interchange) contains publicity, preparation materials, and reports of conferences and conventions. See RECORD GROUP 6. PROGRAM, SERIES VI. PUBLICATIONS. Because it was the "representative and executive" committee of the National Association, the National Board's minutes should also be consulted. See RECORD GROUP 2. There are also Convention materials in the Public Affairs files in RECORD GROUP 6. PROGRAM, SERIES III. PUBLIC ADVOCACY. Additional Assembly records can be found in the files for the various constituent groups which held Assemblies in RECORD GROUP 6. PROGRAM and RECORD GROUP 7. STUDENT WORK. Files of the Music Program in RECORD GROUP 6. PROGRAM document planning for music at Convention and the assembly of song books for use at Conventions. RECORD GROUP 10. AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS contains audio and videotapes of some conferences and conventions dating from the mid-1970s to 2001. Also included are some materials produced for Convention preparation/Cycle meetings, and miscellaneous materials produced for Conventions, such as tributes to retiring YWCA leaders.
Processed by Maida Goodwin, Amy Hague, Kara McClurken, Amanda Izzo, 2008 FY 07-08
Civil rights movements--United States--History--20th century--Sources
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Race awareness--United States
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series
SERIES I. GENERAL AND HISTORY
This series includes committee, department and office records as well as general publications about planning conferences.
SERIES II. CONFERENCES
This series consists of the few surviving materials about regional conferences for general membership.
SERIES III. CONVENTIONS
This series contains general and statistical materials about Conventions followed by files related to each Convention in chronological order from the first Convention in 1906 to the 36th Convention in 2001. Materials for each Convention are filed in chronological order with planning files (including materials related to interim meetings), followed by pre-Convention mailings and study materials, followed by materials distributed at Convention, such as programs and election ballots. Finally, there are press reports, evaluations and other post-Convention materials.
This is the Contents List for the Original Format Records only. The reel lists for the Microfilmed Records are in a separate file. See Scope and Content note for more description.
General, 1910-68, n.d.
Department/Division/Office
General, 1983-90
Minutes and reports
Publications
Conference Notebook, n.d. [1947]
"Logistics for Planning Conferences, Institutes, Workshops," Dec 1971
The YWCA's Own Baedeker: A Guide Book for Leaders of YWCA Summer Conferences, 1949
Financial, 1928-30
Regional
General, 1939-69
Central Region
General, 1945-60
Addresses and presentations
Report
Eastern
General, 1951-63
1954 Report
1966 Report
Southeastern, 1960
Southern, 1910, 1959-60
Southwest, 1960
Western, 1960-66
Summer: general, 1900-55
SERIES III. CONVENTION
General
General and history, 1926-97, n.d.
Actions
Finance
Membership
Attendance statistics, 1958-1994 (incomplete)
Expenses incurred by the hostess city, 1920-38
Planning and logistics, 1928-92, n.d.
Rules and regulations, 1951-75
Organization Renewal Committee, Task Group on Convention as a decision-making body, 1969-72
Conventions
1st, 5-6 Dec 1906 (New York, NY)
Program and other convention materials
Typed proceedings
Printed proceedings
2nd, 22-26 Apr 1909 (St. Paul, Minnesota)
Reports and recommendations to
Newspaper clippings
3rd, 19-24 Apr 1911 (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Reports to
Publicity
4th, 9-15 Apr 1913 (Richmond, Virginia)
5th, 5-11 May 1915 (Los Angeles, California)
6th, 13-20 Apr 1920 (Cleveland, Ohio)
Pre-Convention
Printed proceedings and actions
7th, 20-27 Apr 1922 (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
Planning
Post-convention materials and Post Convention Committee
8th , 30 Apr-6 May 1924 (New York City)
Pre-convention materials
9th, 21-27 Apr 1926 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Planning (Pre-Convention Committee)
Assemblies
Handbook for study and discussion (replaces Printed proceedings and actions)
10th, 14-20 Apr 1928 (Sacramento, California)
11th, 25 Apr-1 May 1930 (Detroit, Michigan)
12th, 5-11 May 1932 (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Reports
13th, 2-8 May 1934 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Post-convention materials - Reports from convention committees and evaluations
14th, 29 Apr-5 May 1936 (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Bulletins and Who's Who on the Ballot?
Post-convention materials - Reports and Evaluations
15th, 22-28 Apr 1938 (Columbus, Ohio)
National Industrial Assembly
Post-Convention Committee and staff reports
16th, 10-16 Apr 1940 (Atlantic City, New Jersey)
Business and Professional
Industrial
Student
Cancelled convention (Grand Rapids), 1945
Convention Committee
Pre-Convention materials
Election-by-mail material
Nation-Wide Discussion materials
17th, 2-8 Mar 1946 (Atlantic City, New Jersey)
Recommendations and Work Book
Interracial Charter preparations
Sample convention packet
Post-convention materials
18th, 7-14 Mar 1949 (San Francisco, California)
Work Book
19th, 1-7 May 1952 (Chicago, Illinois)
Sample Convention Delegate's Kit
Interim "Neighborhood" Meetings, 1953
20th, 21-27 Apr 1955 (New York City)
Reports and Recommendations/Work Book
Discussion Groups
News clippings and press releases
Post Convention Evaluations
Convention Committee Final Report
21st, 13-19 Mar 1958 (St. Louis, Missouri)
Planning Committee
Post Convention Reports and Evaluations
Interim "Neighborhood" Meetings, 1958-59
22nd, 8-13 May 1961 (Denver, Colorado)
Work Book and Reports
Speeches and reports
Typed proceedings - Stenotype Report
Interim Leadership Development Meetings/Consultations, 1962-63
23rd, 20-25 Apr 1964 (Cleveland, Ohio) "Match Us To This Hour"
24th, 24-29 Apr 1967 (Boston, Massachusetts)
Speeches
Printed proceedings "Report"
National Student Assembly
Newspaper clippings and press releases
Post Convention Materials
25th, 13-18 Apr 1970 (Houston, Texas) "One Imperative for All"
Minutes and Reports
Consideration of moving convention from Houston
Protest demonstrations, general
End War-Build Peace Moratorium Day
Reports and recommendations to Convention
Assemblies: Young Adult and Student
National Conference of Black Women in the YWCA
Press releases
News clippings
Correspondence after Convention
26th, 26-31 Mar 1973 (San Diego, California) "The Power and the Glory is in We"
Who's Who and Work Book
"Cluster Communities" [small groups]
Hearings
Election
Master Tally [saved as sample]
Typed unedited proceedings
Mon-Tues
Wed-Sat
Resolutions and Actions
27th, 21-26 Jun 1976 (South Bend, Indiana) "Freedom to be . . . Power to Move"
Convention Committee meeting, 19-21 Jan 1975
Ad-hoc Committee to Study the Resolutions Process
Working Papers
Amendments and Resolutions
Pluralistic Convention delegations
Information Bulletins
Assemblies: Teen, Student, Young Women Committed to Action
Impact Groups [small group meetings]
Racial/Ethnic and Age Diversity in the YWCA
Resolutions and Amendments
Evaluation
28th, 17-22 May 1979 (Dallas, Texas)
Location and ERA
Assemblies, Teen and Student
Reports and speeches
Evaluations and Reactions
Post-Convention materials
29th, 3-7 Jun 1982 (Washington, DC)
Interim Meetings
Goal Group Coordinating Committee, 1981
Goal Groups
Financial, 1979-81
Leadership Development, 1979-82
Membership, 1979-80
Program, 1979-82
Public Relations, 1979-81
Implementing Committees, 1979-80
"Year One" Meetings, 1979-80, n.d.
Area Meetings, 1981
Executive Directors' Work Session, Jun 1981
Commercial Exhibits
"Information Bulletin"
"Making a Difference in Public Policy: A Pre-Convention Public Policy Event," 2-3 Jun 1982
Assemblies: Teen and Student
Equal Rights Amendment
Highlights
Verbatim Convention Transcript
Press releases, news clippings, and post-convention materials
30th, 21-25 Mar 1985 (San Jose, California) "Women Empowered, a Force for the Future"
Cycle and Convention Preparation Meetings, 1983-84
Pre-Convention Global Awareness Event
Convention Materials
Press releases and news clippings
Evaluations and reports
31st, 22-26 Jun 1988 (Chicago, Illinois)
Convention Preparation Meetings, 1986-88
Planning, 1983-88
Resolutions Committee
Proposed Amendments
Proposed Resolutions
Who's Who and Action Agenda
Convention materials
New YWCA logo launch
World Night-Focus on South Africa
32nd, 15-19 May 1991 (Atlanta, Georgia)
Interim 'Cycle I' Meetings, 1988-89
Convention Preparation Meeting, 1 Feb 1989
Mid-Triennium Conference, Mar 1990
Workshops
Survey
Planning , 1989-91, n.d.
Convention Committee Meeting, 16-17 Feb 1990
Convention Issues Task Group, Jan 1990
Site Selection Committee, 1991
Recognition Dinner
Workshops and Issue and Information Sessions
Actions and approved program priorities
Convention Take Home Kit
33rd, 22-26 Jun 1994 (Los Angeles, California) "Preserve the Past, Create the Future"
Interim meetings
Cycle I Meetings, 1992
Mid-Triennial Conference, 1993
Convention Preparation Meetings, 1993-94
General, 1991-94
General, 1993-94
Correspondence
Amendments
Resolutions
Convention-mandated Task Forces
Bulletins with enclosures
Action Agenda and Rules Book
Who's Who on the Ballot
Program
Resolutions and Amendments for consideration
Information Sections
Economic Security
Health and Health Care
Violence
Racial Justice Awards
Grace Dodge Legacy Club and World Service Council luncheons
Post Convention materials
34th, 5-9 Jun 1996 (St. Louis, Missouri) "The Imperative is Now"
Planning, 1994-96
Site Selection Report, 1991
Action Agenda I and II
Registration Materials and Program Information
Rules Book and Who's Who
Study Guide
Salute to YWCA Volunteers and Staff in Public Office
Strategic Planning Committee
Proceedings
Post-Convention Materials
Summary of Convention Action
35th, 21-25 Jul 1998 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
General, 1996-98
Site selection, 1995
Standards of Excellence and Who's Who
Mailing, Apr 1998
Women Entrepreneur Awards
Convention binder
Summary of Convention Action and Constitution and By-laws
Special Convention, 14-16 Sep 2000 (Dallas, Texas)
36th, 12-14 Jul 2001 (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Corporate Sponsors
1 of 2
2of 2
Pre-convention Materials
Association Credentials Report
Reorganization
"The Alternate Plan"
"Shared Vision"
"Steps To Absolute Change"