Majority Report Research Files
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Abstract
Majority Report (1971-1979) was a New York based feminist newspaper published by an editorial collective and dedicated to the women's liberation movement. Majority Report's research files dated 1969-1979 are on feminists, popular, political and literary figures, movement activism and events related to women's rights issues. The files contain clippings from various feminist and mainstream publications, select issues of publications including the Majority Report, correspondence, press releases, writings, notes, printed ephemera and photographs.
Historical Note
Majority Report was a feminist newspaper published in New York City from 1971-1979. Although the oft-named editor of the paper is Nancy Borman, the paper was published through an editorial collective, with Borman guiding the paper from its establishment. For the majority of its run, Majority Report was published biweekly, its circulation is recorded as being from 11,000 to 20,000.Majority Report was initially launched by the Women's Strike Coalition, a New York based women's rights activist group, but subsequent issues were published through the group Feminist Organization for Communication Action and Service (FOCAS). As a "collective newsletter" seeking to unify women's liberation groups and to alleviate the costs of an independent publication, Majority Report had a unique editorial policy: it published together and without edits, the individual newsletters of various women's liberation groups across the leftist political spectrum - liberal, progressive, and radical alike. Majority Report was also known for its monthly calendar of feminist events, its directory of feminist businesses, and the feminist advertisements it ran. Noted contributors to the publication include Gay-Women's Liberation Front (G-WLF) and the National Organization for Women (NOW).
Sources:
Lueck, Therese L. "Majority Report." Women's Periodicals in the United States: Social and Political Issues, edited by Kathleen L. Endres and Therese L. Lueck, 1996, pp. 195-200.
Editor of 'Majority Report' to Speak at WWC. The Kingston Daily Freeman, 7 August 1975, p. 15. (Kingston, NY.)
Arrangement
Materials are in the order in which they were found, with minimal physical rearrangement. Oversize materials were separated out and put into flat boxes. The container list is based on an inventory from 2010, with some revisions. The list is in alphabetical order; files on individuals are listed alphabetically by last name.
Scope and Content Note
Majority Report's Research Files dated 1969-1979 contain the publication's research material related to the women's liberation movement. The research files contain biographical information on feminists, and other popular, political, and literary figures. The files document feminist political activism, women's campaigns for political office, women's rights issues, and events concerning the movement. There is a substantial file on Bella Abzug and Patty Hearst, as well as Katherine Ann Power, Susan Saxe, and the FBI's investigation into the women's liberation movement. The bulk of the collection consists of clippings, press releases, writings and print ephemera from various feminist and mainstream publications and organizations, as well as select issues of publications including Majority Report. The collection also contains correspondence, much of it addressed to the Majority Report editor. The research files also contain significant number of photographic material of feminist activists, and other public and political figures.
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Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Use Restrictions
Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive has no information about copyright ownership for this collection and is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from it. Materials in this collection, which were created in 1969-1979, are expected to enter the public domain in 2099.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Majority Report Research Files; Collection number; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials found in collection; there is no documentation concerning the provenance of these materials. Materials appear to have been transferred from Barnard College's Wollman Library in 2010. The accession number associated with this collection in 2010.065.
About this Guide
Processing Information
In January 2020, materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes. The original folder titles were retained. Where folder titles are absent or unclear, the archivist's description is enclosed in square brackets. Folder titles of individuals were inscribed uniformly "Last Name, First Name." Oversize materials were separated and housed in flat boxes. Some photographs were enclosed in Mylar enclosures.
