State, 1957-2006

Scope and content:

The State series of this collection contains materials on the operation of the Democratic Women's Club of Florida, Inc, since it began in 1956. Due to the way in which the creators kept their records, researchers may find additional materials in the folders, beyond those mentioned in the folder title. The Board of Director's guidebook provides information on how the club is organized, including the leadership of its officers, standing committees, and special committees, and serves as guidelines for the organization's Board of Directors. The series contains club and regional quarterly reports, in which each club reports quarterly to its overseeing region; in turn, the region forwards its own report and the reports from the clubs to the state level. The reports document new member information, special activities held during the quarter, and future activities planned. Chronological files provide an overview of how the club operated from its inception to the present. Researchers should note that the files from the late 1950s to the early 1980s are not complete, and portions of each decade are missing. These files contain meeting minutes, correspondence from all levels of the corporation, treasurer and budget information, bylaws, newsletters, memos from club officers, club and regional reports, campaign information, and membership lists. Of particular interest is a letter from Hillary Rodham Clinton to the president of the DWCF in 1996. The Committees files contain information on the purpose and function of each special committee. Convention information includes chronological files, which detail the planning and organization of each convention from 1959 to 2000. A tribute to the 30th and 50th anniversaries of the DWCF, and the yearly convention programs, which provide an itinerary for each convention, may also be found here. The Executive Committee files contain meeting minutes of the executive committee, comprised of a representative from each region and state officers. The series also contains examples of forms, such as club quarterly reports, scholarship forms, and honorary membership forms. The Grievances file contains the correspondence of the state officers of the DWCF, who contested the outcome of an DWCF election at the convention of 1993. The lobbying and campaigning portion of the series includes booklets from the government of Florida, as well as campaign items such as bumper stickers and buttons. Newspaper clippings reporting news of the Democratic party, as well as any news briefs about the DWCF, can also be found in this series. The State Historian's files, a collection of materials made from contributions by club members, may also be found here. Eleven unique scrapbooks, containing photographs, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and newsletters detailing the events of each year, are included, covering the years 1957 to 2000.

Contents

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