Southern Women, the Student YWCA, and Race (1920-1944) Collection
General International Standard for Archival Description
Sophia Smith Collection Smith College Northampton, MA
Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Joanna Johnson. 2011-06-20
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Creation of Southern Women, the Student YWCA, and Race (1920-1944) Collection
Time of Creation of Southern Women, the Student YWCA, and Race (1920-1944) Collection
Materials in this collection were donated to the Sophia Smith Collection by Frances Sanders Taylor Anton in 2009.
Scope and Contents of the Collection This is a collection of fourteen audiotaped interviews (transferred to CD) with women who were involved with the Student Young Women's Christian Association in the southeastern United States between 1920 and 1944. The interviews were conducted by Frances Sanders Taylor [Anton] in 1981 and 1982 as part of the research for her Stanford University doctoral dissertation, "'On the Edge of Tomorrow': Southern Women, the Student YWCA, and Race, 1920-1944." Group at YWCA Student Conference, Waveland, Mississippi, 1931 Also included is a copy of the thesis, interview permission forms, and Taylor Anton's notes on the interviews. In addition, there are notes Taylor Anton made on a 1967 taped interview with YWCA student staff member, Mary Jane Willett. It is unclear who conducted the 1967 interview. Taylor Anton's questions deal primarily with the women's memories of their YWCA involvement, and the YWCA's work on issues related to race, but she also inquires about their family background, and their lives and careers after their work for the Student YWCA. Many of the women interviewed first became associated with the YWCA as members, joining either as teenagers or during their college years. Later, they served as volunteer leaders and/or joined the staff at the local, regional, or national level. The YWCA made a point of hiring staff members to work in its Southern Region (southeast) who were themselves raised there believing that they would understand the territory best and be more effective advocates for YWCA program within that milieu. Five of the women interviewed were African-American (Catchings, Hamilton, Logan, Thurman, and Williams) the remaining nine were white. Their names are as follows: Sarah Gibson BlandingKatharine "Kasha" ButlerRose May Withers [Catchings]Mary "Polly" Moss CuthbertsonLois GratzGrace Towns HamiltonElizabeth "Betty" Smith [Harrington]Wenonah Bond Logan Katharine DuPre LumpkinFrances Helen MainsRosalie OakesAugusta Winn RobertsSue Bailey [Thurman]Frances Harriet Williams
The collection is open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection. The SSC owns copyright to the writings by Frances Sanders Taylor Anton. Copyright to original interviews is also held by each interviewee or her estate. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and also satisfy all copyright holders. Permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use" must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.
Original audiovisual materials may not be used. Research copies are available.
Related materials can be found in the Sophia Smith Collection in the YWCA of the U.S.A. Records and in the papers of various YWCA staff members, especially Winnifred Wygal. Additional interviews with Sue Bailey Thurman and Frances Harriet Williams are in the Black Women Oral History Project. Additional material about Katharine DuPre Lumpkin can be found in the Smith College Archives. Additional and related materials available in other repositories include the Katharine DuPre Lumpkin Papers in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina; the Sarah Gibson Blanding Papers in the Schlesinger Library at Harvard University; the Grace Towns Hamilton Papers at the Atlanta History Center; and the Sue Bailey Thurman Papers at Boston University.
Processed by Maida Goodwin, 2011
Women in Christianity -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
lcsh
African American women -- Social conditions -- History -- 20th century
African Americans -- Civil rights -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Civil rights movements -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Race awareness -- United States
Race discrimination -- Southern States
Race relations -- United States
Women and religion -- History -- Sources
Women -- Societies and clubs -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Young women -- United States -- Social life and customs
Young Women's Christian Associations -- History -- Sources
Blanding, Sarah Gibson
lcnaf
Butler, Katharine
Catchings, Rose May Withers
Cuthbertson, Mary Moss
Gratz, Lois E.
Hamilton, Grace Towns, 1907-
Harrington, Elizabeth Smith
Logan, Wenonah Bond
Lumpkin, Katharine Du Pre, 1897-
Mains, Frances Helen
Rosalie Oakes
Roberts, Augusta Winn
Thurman, Sue Bailey
Williams, Frances Harriet
Taylor, Frances Sanders
National Intercollegiate Christian Council
Young Men's Christian Association
Young Women's Christian Association of the U.S.A. -- History -- Sources
Thesis "'On the Edge of Tomorrow': Southern Women, the Student YWCA, and Race, 1920-1944" by Frances Sanders Taylor [Anton], Stanford University, 1984
Notes on taped interviews (handwritten) 1981-82
Interview with Mary Jane Willet 5 Oct 1967: notes
Interview permission forms 1981-82
Interviews -- CD USE COPIES
Sarah Gibson Blanding 10 May 1982 (1 cd)
Katharine Butler 11 May 1982 (4 cds)
Rose May Withers Catchings 16 Dec 1982 (3 cds)
Mary Moss Cuthbertson 12 May 1982 (3 cds)
Lois Gratz 12 Feb 1983 (1 cd)
Grace Towns Hamilton 3 Nov 1981 (1 cd)
Elizabeth Smith Harrington 13 May 1982 (3 cds)
Wenonah Bond Logan 20 Dec 1981
Katharine DuPre Lumpkin 9 Oct 1981 & 14 May 1982 (2 cds)
Frances Helen Mains 20 Dec 1981 (3 cds)
Augusta Winn Roberts 24 Jul & 28 Aug 1982 (4 cds)
Rosalie Oakes 6 May 1982 (2 cds)
Sue Bailey Thurman 7 Jun 1982 (3 cds) [sound quality poor]
Frances Harriet Williams 14 Nov 1982 (2 cds)
Interviews -- Audiocassette originals 1981-82 (32 total)
[Restricted--Do Not Use]
Sarah Gibson Blanding 10 May 1982 (1 tape)
Katharine Butler 11 May 1982 (4 tapes)
Rose May Withers Catchings 16 Dec 1982 (3 tapes)
Mary Moss Cuthbertson 12 May 1982 (3 tapes)
Lois Gratz 12 Feb 1983 (1 tape)
Grace Towns Hamilton 3 Nov 1981 (1 tape)
Elizabeth Smith Harrington 13 May 1982 (3 tapes)
Wenonah Bond Logan 20 Dec 1981 (1.5 tapes) [second tape shared with Frances Helen Mains]
Katharine DuPre Lumpkin 9 Oct 1981 & 14 May 1982 (2 tapes)
Frances Helen Mains 20 Dec 1981 (1.5 tapes) [second tape shared with Wenonah Logan]
Augusta Winn Roberts 24 Jul & 28 Aug 1982 (4 tapes)
Rosalie Oakes 6 May 1982 (2 tapes)
Sue Bailey Thurman 7 Jun 1982 (3 tapes)
Frances Harriet Williams 14 Nov 1982 (2 tapes)
Interviews -- CD Preservation masters 2010 (32 cds)