Betsy Thomas Papers
Scope and Contents
The papers of Betsy Thomas span the years 1960 to 2007, with the exception of a class photo from 1918 with unidentified subjects and significance. The bulk of the material covers the years 1978 to 1996.
The Betsy Thomas papers contain records from both her roles in the University of Idaho Women’s Center and with the National Organization for Women. Materials include correspondence, publications, educational materials, as well as national, regional, and state, and chapter records for the National Organization for Women.
Dates
- Creation: 1918
- Creation: 1960-2007
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1978-1996
Creator
- Thomas, Betsy, 1944-2007 (Person)
Extent
7 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
As a social and political activist, Betsy Thomas’career was heavily invested in advocacy for social minorities and political organization at the grassroots level. From 1985-1997, Thomas was director of the University of Idaho Women’s Center where her work was seen as crucial in developing many Women’s Center programs and traditions. Also, landmark to Thomas’ career was her involvement in the National Organization for Women, which she was affiliated with beginning in 1976.
Arrangement
The order of the folders was rearranged by their association with the Women’s Center or with Thomas’ involvement in NOW. Once this major division was made, folders were grouped according to their content. Duplicates and papers not obviously associated with the Women’s Center or Thomas’ involvement in NOW, excluding Thomas’ personal correspondence, were discarded; this reduced the records by 4 cubic feet.
Materials are ordered in three series. Series 1 and 2 consists of the first donation to the collection, processed in 2011. Series 3 consists of the second donation to the collection, processed in 2024.
Series 1 and 2: The order of the folders was rearranged by their association with the Women’s Center or with Thomas’ involvement in NOW. Once this major division was made, folders were grouped according to their content. Duplicates and papers not obviously associated with the Women’s Center or Thomas’ involvement in NOW, excluding Thomas’ personal correspondence, were discarded; this reduced the records by 4 cubic feet.
Series 3: Materials were donated in folders and this initial arrangement was preserved; materials without a folder were sorted into the most relevant folder by topic or genre. The order of folders are generally arranged alphabetically. Duplicates were discarded.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Mateirals were donate by S. Kay Keskinen in November 2009 (MA 2009-44). Additional materials were donated by Sharl Kay Keskinen in July 2024 (MA 2024-30).
Processing Information
Jenny Johnson processed the papers in November 2010.
Trixie Zwolfer processed the additional donation in August 2024.
Subject
- University of Idaho. Women's Center (Organization)
- National Organization for Women. Moscow Chapter (Organization)
Source
- Keskinen, Sharl Kay (Person)
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to Betsy Thomas papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Jenny Johnson and updated by Courtney Berge. Additional updates and revisions by Trixie Zwolfer in 2024.
- Date
- 2011;2018;2024
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Repository