Women's Alliance of the First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn records
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Dates
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Abstract
This collection holds the records of the Women's Alliance, an organization operating under the agency of the First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn. The Women's Alliance began as the Female Samaritan Society in 1838, several years after the Church's founding. Members of the group took responsibility for all the physical housekeeping of the church, ran the church's annual fundraising fair, and helped with parish duties such as visiting the sick and cooking for the congregation. After periods of inactivity in the twentieth century, the group was resurrected in 1973 as the Women's Alliance, a primarily issue-oriented group concerned with social action and women's rights matters. The collection encompasses the period of the resurgence of the Women's Alliance during the latter half of the twentieth century as a socially conscious and active organization. The inclusive dates span from 1922 to 2004, with bulk dates ranging from 1980 to 1998. The Women's Alliance records consist primarily of organizational material, including meeting minutes, correspondence, and financial documents. There is also printed matter created or collected by the Women's Alliance and material related to the causes of concern and group work of the Women's Alliance. A number of records also reveal the group's relationships with other female-oriented and religious organizations.
Biographical / Historical
The First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn began in 1833 and was incorporated in 1835 as a place for Brooklyn Unitarians to gather and worship without having to travel to Manhattan or attend services at a church in Brooklyn that might refuse them communion. Since then the congregants of the First Unitarian Church have had an active involvement in community work, youth work, and support for progressive and liberal causes locally, nationally and globally.
The Women's Alliance of the First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn began as the Female Samaritan Society in 1838 with the purpose of assisting the congregation and the community. The group helped in raising money for pulpit furnishings for the church, yet women were not allowed to attend annual meetings of the congregation until 1848. Members of the group also took responsibility for all the physical housekeeping of the church, ran the church's annual fundraising fair, and helped with parish duties such as visiting the sick and cooking for the congregation. In 1897, church women formed a second organization called the Women's Alliance, and shortly after, the Female Samaritan Society united with the Women's Alliance to form the Samaritan Alliance. The united group continued with fundraising efforts and relief work.
The Samaritan Alliance underwent periods of relative inactivity during the twentieth century. In 1973, Katherine Lazarus resurrected the group as the Women's Alliance. Female congregants increasingly held full-time jobs outside of the household and felt the effects of gender disparity in society. The organization emerged in new form under Lazarus as a primarily issue-oriented group concerned with social action and women's rights matters such as reproductive freedom and comparable worth. The group also advocated within the church to establish and maintain female ministerial presence, with members sponsoring female theological students as assistant ministers and supporting the employment of Reverend Orlanda Brugnola. A newsletter, Women's Work, is published by the group and sent to members and to organizations with similar missions. Other activities included holding educational programs on women's history, workshops for young mothers, donation drives, and encouraging use of the Women's Alliance library collection. Members additionally organized events for the entire church, such as the trip to the "March for Women's Equality/Women's Lives" event in Washington, D.C. in 1989.
The Women's Alliance observed its 150th anniversary in 1988 with a celebration that involved a proclamation from Brooklyn Borough President Howard Golden. In 2003, members celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the landmark Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision with a commemorative sermon. The Alliance remains active today, and members continue to represent a broad spectrum of views that reflect the liberal beliefs and practices of Unitarian Universalism. The group continues to participate in the exploration of feminist theology while providing support for men and women alike.
Arrangement
The collection was first processed in 2007 by Eunice Liu, Marilyn H. Petit and Leilani Dawson. The original organization and division of materials as received by Brooklyn Historical Society was maintained. In 2010 Craig P. Savino re-described some materials but primary arrangement was maintained.
Oversized items are represented within the intellectual arrangement of their respective series but were physically moved to Box 4. These instances should be clear in the container list and notes have been made in the boxes from which the material was removed.
The collection is arranged into seven series:
Missing Title
- - Administrative Records, 1976-2003
- - Meeting Minutes, 1974-2003
- - General Correspondence, 1976-2003
- - Financial and Accounting, 1922-2004
- - Subject Files, 1961-2003
- - Printed Materials, 1977-2003
- - Photographs, 1989
Scope and Contents
The Women's Alliance of the First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn records contain the records created, maintained and collected by the primary women's organization working under the First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn. The records span from 1922 to 2004, but the bulk of the collection spans from 1980 to 2004. The majority of the collection consists of the administrative, organizational and general records of the Alliance. The organizational records include the meeting minutes of the Alliance's executive board, the general correspondence of the Alliance, the financial material related to fundraising, expenses, charity, and accounts, and membership rolls and information. These organizational records also provide insight into the activist and issue interests of the Women's Alliance as the administrative records and minutes touch upon events and workshops managed or attended by members. Further insight into the community and activist work of the Alliance can be found in the subject files kept by the Alliance which contain documents on social groups run by the Alliance, the Alliance's library, abortion rights materials, and material on programing and fund raising for the elderly and the terminally ill. The collection contains a run from 1982 to 1997 of the Women's Alliance produced newsletter, Women's Work. Other printed material that the Women's Alliance collected includes church publications and sermons and news clippings on subjects and issues of interest to the Alliance. The collection also contains some photographs, primarily from the Women's Alliance's involvement in the March for Women's Equality and Women's Lives in Washington, D.C. in 1989. A small portion of the material (two checkbooks) relates to the Women's Alliance's predecessor, The Samaritan Alliance.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
Topics
Places
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
While some materials are in the public domain, copyright restrictions may apply for the majority of the materials and permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from Brooklyn Historical Society and the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Women's Alliance of the First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn records, ArMs 2005.031, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials given as gift in June of 2005 by the Women's Alliance of the First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn.
About this Guide
Processing Information
The Women's Alliance of the First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn records were first processed in 2007 by Eunice Liu, Marilyn Petit, and Leilani Dawson. Materials were re-processed and the finding-aid re-written in October of 2010 by Craig P. Savino.
Repository
Series 1: Administrative Records., 1976-2003, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The Administrative Records series consists of organizational records created by the Women's Alliance. These materials include annual reports, calendars, and the constitution and by-laws of the Alliance. Planning materials for some events and workshops run by the Alliance can also be found here. The membership lists also include information regarding elected officers.
Arrangement
The folders in the series are arranged alphabetically according to description.
Annual Reports, 1982-1999, inclusive
Calendars and Scheduling, 1983-2003, inclusive
Constitution and By-Laws, 1982-1998, inclusive
Event and Workshop Planning Materials, 1977-1989, inclusive
Event and Workshop Planning Materials, 1990-1999, inclusive
Event and Workshop Planning Materials, 2000-2003, inclusive
Membership Forms, 1983-2003, inclusive
Membership Lists, 1976-2003, inclusive
Public Relations, 1982-2003, inclusive
Series 2: Meeting Minutes., 1974-2003, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The Meeting Minutes series holds records of the monthly meeting minutes of the Women's Alliance executive board, as well as minutes from the group's annual general meetings. Topics in the minutes cover all organizational matters such as development, public relations, and programming. Additionally, minutes note upcoming social action events of interest to the Alliance. Some meeting minutes also have attached agendas, reports on finances, and program planning materials.
Arrangement
The minutes in this series are arranged chronologically with some material related to the minutes and duplicate copies of some minutes coming at the end of the series.
Executive Board Minutes, 1974-1975, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1976-1977, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1978-1979, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1982-1983, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1984-1985, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1986-1987, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1988-1989, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1990-1991, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1992-2993, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1994-1995, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1996-1997, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 1998-1999, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 2000-2001, inclusive
Executive Board Minutes, 2002-2003, inclusive
Meeting-related Materials, 1972-1980, inclusive
Duplicate Minutes, 1982-1995, inclusive
Series 3: General Correspondence., 1976-2003, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The series General Correspondence consists of internal correspondence between members of the Women's Alliance, between the Alliance and officers of the First Unitarian Church, and external correspondence between the Alliance and other organizations. The documents include typewritten letters, faxes, handwritten notes, postcards, and drafts of correspondence. Printouts of email correspondence comprise a very small portion of the series, and some correspondence retains attachments such as newspaper clippings and forms.
Arrangement
The correspondence is arranged chronologically.
Correspondence, 1976-1980, inclusive
Correspondence, 1981-1985, inclusive
Correspondence, 1986-1990, inclusive
Correspondence, 1991-1995, inclusive
Correspondence, 1996-2003, inclusive
Series 4: Financial and Accounting., 1922-2004, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The Accounting and Financial series is composed of treasurer's reports and budgets, annotated pages of finances from ledgers, checkbooks, records of expenses, and banking statements. The series includes three folders of financial records created by Loretta Anagnost, who served as the Women's Alliance Treasurer from May 1995 to May 1997. One oversized expense ledger is separated from the series into a flat oversize box. Two Bank of America checkbooks from the Samaritan Alliance can also be found here.
Arrangement
The records of the Treasurer, including reports, budgets, and the specific records of Alliance Treasurer Loretta Anagnost comprise the first several folders in the series. This material is followed by account statements, fundraising and donation documentation, and various payments and ledgers. Old checkbooks from the Samaritan Alliance are towards the end of the series. One Expense Ledger was moved to Box 4 with the oversized material.
Treasurer Loretta Anagnost's Records, 1995-1996, inclusive
Treasurer Loretta Anagnost's Records, 1996-1997, inclusive
Treasurer Loretta Anagnost's Records, 1996-1999, inclusive
Treasurer's Reports and Budgets, 1977-1987, inclusive
Treasurer's Reports and Budgets, 1988-2004, inclusive
Expenses: Invoices and Receipts, 1981-2000, inclusive
Paid Checks and Deposit Tickets, 1994-1997, inclusive
Account Statements, 1997-1998, inclusive
Mutual Fund and Money Market Statements, 1994-1995, inclusive
Grants and Fundraising, 1983-2003, inclusive
Donations to Outside Organizations, 1984-1994, inclusive
Member Payments, 1995-1998, inclusive
Financial Forms, 1981-1987, inclusive
Ledger Pages, 1982-1997, inclusive
Samaritan Alliance Checkbook, 1922-1925, inclusive
Samaritan Alliance Checkbook, 1925-1927, inclusive
Women's Alliance Checkbook, 1974-1979, inclusive
Check Register, 1982-1986, inclusive
Expense Ledger, 1988-1994, inclusive
Series 5: Subject Files., 1961-2003, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The Subject Files series contains much of the material related to the Women's Alliance's efforts in issue advocacy and social outreach. Subjects of concern to the Women's Alliance vary from abortion rights and other women's rights issues to the Alliance's social groups and library. Group work taken on in the alliance is represented through documents on the book discussion group, an older women's group, the Miriam Campobasso Memorial Fund for terminally ill congregants, and the sewing group. One notable program of the Alliance was in bringing in activist Doris Sage to speak on activism against the School of Americas. The series also includes a manuscript proof for Alliance member Marjory Odessky's book, The First Seventy-Two Years: A Collection of Three Talks on Women's Suffrage in the United States Covering the Years from 1842 to 1920 (5:5). The "Sewing Group" folder holds a date book that contains notes documenting the progress of members' work from 1961 to 1969.
Arrangement
Materials are arranged alphabetically according to subject description.
Abortion Rights Materials, 1981-2003, inclusive
Book Discussion Group, 1983-2003, inclusive
Doris and Dan Sage Program, 1999, inclusive
Library of the Women's Alliance, 1985-1995, inclusive
Manuscript Proof: The First Seventy-Two Years by Marjory Odessky, 1992, inclusive
Miriam Campobasso Memorial Fund, Undated, 1996-1997, inclusive
Older Women's Group, Undated, inclusive
Sewing Group, 1961-1969, inclusive
Social Action and Protest Materials, 1986-2001, inclusive
Series 6: Printed Materials., 1977-2003, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The Printed Materials series contains printed documents created by the Women's Alliance and the First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn. Members of the Alliance collected church programs and printed transcripts of sermons. The series also includes items pertaining to work published by the Church, such as a congregational handbook and a cookbook of recipes submitted by congregants. The Women's Alliance published informational brochures about the group and its history. The quarterly newsletter of the Alliance, Women's Work, makes up the bulk of the series, with a run from 1982 to 1997. Two folders comprise printed material not created by the Church or the Women's Alliance but from other organizations and newspaper and magazine clippings.
Arrangement
The Printed Materials series begins with materials produced by the First Church and the Women's Alliance. These materials are arranged alphabetically according to description. The series concludes with some oversized promotional materials produced by the Women's Alliance and printed materials produced outside of the Women's Alliance and First Church. The two oversized items, a mock-up invitation for the Alliance's Equal Rights Amendment fundraising party and a proclamation for the Women's Alliance 150th Anniversary, are in the oversize box, Box 4.
Church Programs and Sermons, 1977-1989, inclusive
Church Programs and Sermons, 1990-2003, inclusive
Church Publications, 1982-1999, inclusive
Women's Alliance Brochures, 1982-2001, inclusive
Women's Work: Drafts, 1993-1994, inclusive
Women's Work, 1982-1984, inclusive
Women's Work, 1985-1986, inclusive
Women's Work, 1987-1988, inclusive
Women's Work, 1989-1990, inclusive
Women's Work, 1991-1992, inclusive
Women's Work, 1993-1994, inclusive
Women's Work, 1995-1996, inclusive
Women's Work, 1997, inclusive
Mock-Up for Equal Rights Amendment Fundraising Party Invitation, 1982, inclusive
Proclamation for the Women's Alliance 150th Anniversary from Howard Golden, 1988, inclusive
Publications from Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation (UUWF) and other organizations, 1985-2003, inclusive
Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, 1982-2001, inclusive
Series 7: Photographs., 1980s, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The Photographs series contains photos kept by the Women's Alliance. The majority of the photos are 4x6 inch color photographs from the Women's Alliance trip to the "March for Women's Equality/Women's Lives" in Washington, D.C. on April 9, 1989. Some of these photos have been cropped to smaller sizes. Other photos are 4x6 inch color photographs from a Women's Alliance program. Researchers should note that while this is a dedicated photographs series, materials in some other series, such as Subject Files include photographs as well.
Arrangement
Photo folders are arranged alphabetically according to description.
