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Women's Collections: Subject Guide: Reproductive Rights

Reproductive Rights: Manuscript Collections

Archdiocese of Atlanta Pro-Life Newsletter Collection, 1977-1993 (W046)
In September 2001, the Special Collections Department of Georgia State University's Library accepted the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta's offer of this collection of newsletters reflecting the anti-abortion and pro-life beliefs of some Americans, including Georgians and other Southerners. The collection includes newsletters (1977-1993) produced by state organizations (Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania ) as well as national organizations (including Americans United for Life, National Right to Life Committee, Stop Planned Parenthood, and Feminists for Life of America) and individuals.

Nancy N. Boothe Papers, 1980-2009 (W079)
The Nancy N. Boothe papers, 1980-2009 [bulk 1990-1997], are composed of articles, notes, reports and a wide variety of feminist publications. Much of the material documents the U.N. Fourth World Conference on Women, which Ms. Boothe attended as Executive Director of Atlanta's Feminist Women's Health Center. Artifacts, artwork and textiles relate to the conference and to other women's and health issues.

Committee on Women, Population and the Environment Depo Diaries Records, 1999-2008 (W114)
Formed in 2001, the Committee on Women, Population, and the Environment is a multi-racial alliance of feminist community organizers, scholarly activists, and health practitioners committed to promoting the social and economic empowerment of women in a context of global peace and justice; and to eliminating poverty. The collection consists of correspondence, minutes, and printed materials pertaining to the organization and activities of the Depo Diaries, a national storytelling project documenting the contraceptive Depo-Provera.

Georgians for Choice Records, 1974-2008 (W078)
Formed in 1986, Georgians for Choice brought together a number of women's organizations in an effort to greater impact the protection and expansion of women's reproductive freedom in Georgia. The records consist of correspondence and printed material, as well as minutes and agendas, financial records, legal records, photographs, audio-visual records, and artifacts including textiles, that document the legislative, organizational, advocacy, and educational work of the organization.

Beth Judy Collection of Girl Vigilante Records,1989-1992; undated (W087)
The Girl Vigilantes were an anonymous group of political activists (men and women) in Atlanta, Georgia, who used images and action to draw attention to reproductive rights and other social issues. They specialized in public statements, usually visual, that combined powerful imagery, wit, and surprise.

NARAL Pro-Choice Georgia Records,1964; 1973-2006 (W072)
Incorporated in 1980 as the Georgia Abortion Rights Action League (GARAL), NARAL Pro-Choice Georgia was the Georgia affiliate of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). Its records, 1964, 1980-2006, document the direction and administration of the organization, its involvement in the political process in the state, the projects and programs it undertook to further its mission, and materials it gathered regarding reproductive health and rights, activism in Georgia, and political issues.

Planned Parenthood of Alabama and Mississippi Records (W144) IN PROCESS: Please contact the archivist for access

Planned Parenthood of East Central Georgia Records, 1965-2005 (bulk 1970-1999) (W156) IN PROCESS: Please contact the archivist for access
Planned Parenthood of East Central Georgia was founded in Augusta, Georgia, in October of 1968 as Augusta Area Planned Parenthood Associates, Inc. providing family planning services and education. The Augusta based organization's records, 1965-2005 (bulk 1970-1999), reflect its administration, mission, projects, and daily operations of the facility.

Planned Parenthood Southeast Records, 1955-2011 (Bulk 1972-2008) (W084)
Founded in 1964, Planned Parenthood Southeast provides voluntary family planning services and education. The Atlanta-based organization's records, 1955-2011 (bulk 1972-2008), reflect its administration, projects, daily operations, and engagement with legislative issues, as well as that of its predecessors, Planned Parenthood of the Atlanta Area and Planned Parenthood of Georgia.

Leola Reis Papers, 1997-2013 (W175)
the Leola Reis Papers are comprised of articles, marketing materials, and correspondence. Much of the material refers to Reis' marketing position at Panned Parenthood of Georgia / Southeast. Additional materials refer to Reis' volunteer work with multiple organizations relating to reproductive rights and sex education.

Judy Tabb Papers, 1981-2008 (W157) IN PROCESS: Please contact the archivist for access

Elaine Taylor Klaus Papers, 1989-2007 (W154)  
Elaine Taylor-Klais served on the NYC Commission on the Status of Women, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the Governor’s Council for Maternal and Infant Health for the state of Georgia. She also founded one of the largest independent PACs in Georgia, Vote Choice. The Elaine Taylor-Klaus papers consist of correspondence, phone logs, meeting agendas, minutes, artifacts, videos and printed materials.

Reproductive Rights: Oral Histories

Elaine Alexander
Born in 1934 in Cambridge, MA, Elaine Alexander graduated from Lesley College with a BA in Education. She married Miles Alexander in 1955, and they have lived in Atlanta for close to 60 years. Alexander has served on numerous civic and Jewish boards and commissions. As well as serving as Executive Director of Leadership Atlanta from 1978-1992, she is a life board member of the American Jewish Committee and Southeast Region’s Anti-Defamation League, and she was a founding member of the Black/Jewish Coalition. She has also actively supported organizations that help women. She was a member of the Executive Committee of the Georgia Commission on the Status of Women from 1976-1979, and served on the board of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation from 1997-2004. She was also the founding president of Vote Choice / A Georgia PAC, and has long been an avid and vocal supporter of Planned Parenthood.

Alexander has also served as vice chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, and has supported a number of political campaigns, including those of Maynard Jackson, John Lewis, Elliott Levitas, Michael Dukakis, Shirley Franklin and Kasim Reed. Among her many accomplishments, in 1985, Alexander was a recipient of the YWCA Women of Achievement Award, and in 2005, she received Planned Parenthood of Georgia’s Living Legend Award. The Anti-Defamation League has also honored her with their Community Service Award (1997), and in 2010, she received the American Jewish Committee Humanitarian Award.

Nancy Boothe
Nancy N. Boothe RN, MS, LPC received her undergraduate nursing degree at the Medical College of Georgia and completed her graduate work in counseling at Troy University. Her career spans 30 years of healthcare service as a nurse, therapist, hospital administrator, and Quality Iprovement Consultant. As the Executive Director of the Atlanta Feminist Women's Health Center, she has presented internationally promoting positive women's health policy. She has commented that the "degree of violence perpetuated against women worldwide is limited only by that which their government refuses to tolerate and when the community says "no more."

Stephanie Davis
Stephanie Davis is the executive director of Georgia Women For a Change, a non-profit public policy institute with a gender lens, that represents Georgia activists across a spectrum of issues including health care, economic justice and challenging violence against women and girls. Georgia Women for a Change introduced legislation to combat human trafficking and institute flexible sick leave policy. Davis served as the first Policy Advisor on Women's Issues to Mayor Shirley Franklin and in that role, coordinated the "Dear John" campaign to end the prostitution of children in Atlanta. As the first director of the Atlanta Women's Foundation, where she served for 11 years, Davis was responsible for raising several million dollars, establishing an endowment and positioning the Foundation to be the fastest growing women's fund in the country. Davis currently serves on the Board of Synchronicity Theatre and the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She is a graduate of Skidmore College and recieved one of the country's first Masters in women's studies from Goddard College.

Leola Reis
Leola Reis was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1963 and graduated from Queens University with a B.A. in English. Reis began her work for Planned Parenthood of Georgia as a clinic counselor and a liaison for judicial bypass (1995-1997). Reis then became Planned Parenthood of Georgia’s Coordinator of Marketing, Communications, and Public Policy (1997), Director of Marketing, Communications, and Public Policy (1997), Vice President for Marketing and Communications (2000), and eventually Vice-President for External Affairs. Reis also served on the board of Refugee Family Services (2005-?), the Atlanta Women’s Foundation Grant Committee (2004), and a panel for the Alan Guttmancher Institute (2003). Reis was also involved in extensive volunteer work with First Line as an after-hours counselor, teaching a course called Judaism and Sexuality, as well as working as a facilitator at Juvenile Justice Fund’s Summit to End Sexual Exploitation (2006).

Roger Rochat
Dr Roger Rochat completed his residency at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. He joined CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service and was assigned to the Family Planning Evaluation Activity and the Georgia Health Department. One of his first tasks was to determine whether the new Georgia state law legalizing abortion would reduce maternal mortality. Because of restrictive access to services, it would not. A lawyer cited this social inequity in Doe v. Bolton, the Supreme Court case from Georgia that was decided concurrently with Roe v. Wade. In 1981, Dr. Rochat became the first Director of the Division of Reproductive Health for the CDC. In 1985, he developed the Global Health Track in Community Health at Emory, then worked 2 years for USAID in India, and then spent six years developing Maternal and Child Health epidemiology in the Georgia Health Department. After 30 years with CDC, working in 30+ countries and with many State Health Departments, he retired from CDC in 1999, went with his brother briefly to Antarctica, and then joined the Rollins School of Public Health where he has appointments in Departments of Global Health and Epidemiology and in Emory Medical school’s Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. He serves as Director of Graduate Studies, Hubert Department of Global Health and co-teaches four public health courses related to reproductive health, including The GEMMA Seminar: The Global Elimination of Maternal Mortality from Abortion.  Roger and Susan Rochat have endowed the GEMMA fund to support Emory MPH students conducting international research aimed at eliminating maternal deaths from abortion.

Judith Rooks

David Ross
Attorney David Ross served on the board of directors of Planned Parenthood of Atlanta from 1987-1990, was board chair from 1991-1992, and went on to serve the Planned Parenthood Federation of America from 1993-1994. Ross played a significant role in establishing a corps of local attorneys representing young women who were seeking judicial bypass after the passage of Georgia's parental notification law.

Kay Scott
Kay Scott was born in Oklahoma in 1944. She attended Mercy Hospital School of Nursing and worked in healthcare as early as age 15. Scott worked in a women’s health clinic in a Model Cities project in Texas and attended the UCLA School of Medicine before starting at Planned Parenthood in Austin, Texas in 1976. She moved to Atlanta in 1980 where she worked for Planned Parenthood Southeast until 2012. Scott has been a longtime supporter of family planning, the women’s movement, and reproductive rights. Scott was still working for Planned Parenthood Southeast in 2010 when this interview was conducted.

Judith Taylor
Born in Brooklyn, NY in 1936, Judith Taylor graduated at age 19 from Brandeis University and moved to Atlanta after her marriage to Mark Taylor. As State Public Affairs Chair for the National Council of Jewish Women, Taylor lobbied in the state legislature on issues relating to women, children, and the elderly, including the ERA, changing rape laws, and juvenile justice. She campaigned for the first female Atlanta City Council members and helped to found Vote Choice, a Georgia PAC. She was also a founding mother of the Atlanta Women’s Foundation. the first woman to serve as Vice President of the Planning and Allocation Division of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, and the second woman Vice President of its Community and Government Relations Division. Judith is an alumni, as well as alumni chair, trustee and treasurer of Leadership Atlanta, and a lifetime member of the Board of the Southeast Region of the Anti-defamation League.

Taylor has been recognized for her many accomplishments: in 1984, she was a member of the first YWCA Academy of Women Achievers. Then, in 2008, she and Mark were the recipients of the Jerry and Dulcy Rosenberg SHORASHIM Award, and in 2010, they were both recipients of Planned Parenthood of Georgia’s Living Legends Award.

Elaine Taylor-Klaus
Elaine Taylor-Klaus has followed a lifelong mission to pursue justice and empowerment. Born 1964 as a third generation Atlantan, Taylor-Klaus attended Wesleyan College and proceeded to become a CORO fellow in New York.  After completing her education, she focused on women’s rights issues, particularly family planning and choice. She did so by serving on the NYC Commission on the Status of Women, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the Governor’s Council for Maternal and Infant Health for the state of Georgia. One of Taylor-Klaus’ most notable acts for the Pro- Choice movement was her creation of one of the largest independent PACs in Georgia, Vote Choice. After marrying David and having three children with ADHD, Elaine turned her activism to Public Health and families with children with learning disabilities. Taylor-Klaus is the co-founder of ImpactADHD, a resource for parents raising children with ADHD. Recently, she created Touchstone Coaching with her husband and business partner.

Sarah Weddington
Sarah Weddington was born in Abilene, Texas in 1945. After receiving her J.D. degree from the University of Texas, School of Law in 1967, Weddington began a career in law and politics, with a strong interest in women's rights. In 1973, shortly after completing law school, Weddington worked pro bono to represent a group of women who had established an abortion referral program at the University of Texas. Through this association, she successfully argued the landmark case Roe v Wade, and in doing so, became the youngest person to win a case before the Supreme Court. Also in 1973, Weddington began her political career by becoming the first woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives. She continued to serve in this position for three terms. From 1978 until 1981, Weddington served as Assistant to President Jimmy Carter and directed the Administration's work on women's issues and leadership outreach. In 1977, she became the first woman to hold the position of General Counsel of the US Department of Agriculture, and was the first female Director of the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations from 1983 until 1985. In addition to her successful political career, Weddington worked with the community to establish women's equal rights by helping to establish the Foundation for Women's Resources. This organization sponsored activities such as the Leadership Texas and Leadership America programs and created the Women's Museum that opened in Dallas in September 2000. Because of her extensive work in politics and community service, especially through women's advocacy, Weddington has received numerous awards and honors: In 1999 she was named Texas Woman of the Century by the Women's Chamber of Commerce of Texas and in 1998 was given the Leadership America's Hummingbird Award for contributions toward the advancement of women's leadership. Also, the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders awarded Weddington the Woman of Distinction Award (1993), and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America gave her the Margaret Sanger Award, the highest award of the organization. She was named one of Esquire Magazine's top ten ""Outstanding Women in America"" and was given the Ladies' Home Journal Woman of the Future Award. Weddington also holds honorary doctorates from McMurray University, Hamilton College, Austin College, Southwestern University, and Nova Southeastern University.

Reproductive Rights: Periodicals

Women's Printed Collections: Periodicals

  • AACE Newsletter (Atlanta, GA: Activating Awareness for Choice and Equality)
  • Abortion Access Project News (Cambridge, MA: The Abortion Access Project)
  • Abortion Access Project. HAC News (Cambridge MA: Abortion Access Project), circa 2004
  • Abortion Trends (Lakewood, CA: W/W Communications)
  • The Advocate / Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of North Carolina
  • The APAC Activist / Atlanta Pro-Choice Action Committee (Atlanta, GA: APAC)
  • Atlanta Pro-Choice Action Committee Update (Atlanta, GA: Atlanta Pro-Choice Action Committee)
  • The Body Politic: Monthly Pro-choice News Report (London: Hutchinson & Co.)
  • Choice: Keeping Abortion Safe, Legal and Accessible (Washington, D.C.: National Abortion Federation)
  • Choice Notes: A Publication of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health (New York, N.Y.: Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health)
  • Choice Words (Atlanta, GA: Republicans for Choice)
  • Clergy Voices: The Newsletter of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Clergy Advisory Board. (Washington, D.C.: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.)
  • Collective Voices (Atlanta, GA: SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective)
  • Conceptions (Atlanta, GA: Planned Parenthood of the Atlanta Area)
  • Conscience (Washington, D.C.: Catholics for a Free Choice)
  • Conscience: a Publication Dedicated to Reproductive Freedom for Women (Saratoga Springs, NY: Adirondack Religious Coalition for Choice)
  • Defining Issues: An In-Depth Look at Organizing Tools and Public Policy Issues at Home and Around the World / Planned Parenthood
    Federation of America
    (Washington, D.C.: Public Policy Division, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.)
  • Dispatch (Washington, D.C.: Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights)
  • Faith & Choices (Washington, D.C.: Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice)
  • Faith and Health (Atlanta, GA: Emory University. Interfaith Health Program)
  • Family Planning Perspectives (New York: Alan Guttmacher Institute, etc.)
  • The Fight for Reproductive Freedom: A Newsletter for Student Activists (Amherst, MA: Civil Liberties and Public Policy Program
    at Hampshire College)
  • GARAL News (Decatur, GA: Georgia Abortion Rights Action League)
  • GARAL's Choice News (Atlanta, GA: Georgia Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League)
  • G-CAPP News (Atlanta, GA: Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention)
  • Georgians for Choice Newsletter (Atlanta, GA: Georgians for Choice)
  • Georgians for Choice Report (Atlanta, GA: Georgians for Choice)
  • Guttmacher Policy Review (New York, N.Y.: Guttmacher Institute)
  • Gwinnett Citizens for Choice (Duluth, GA: Gwinnett Citizens for Choice)
  • Health and Sexuality (Washington, D.C.: Association of Reproductive Health Professionals)
  • Illuminata: Newsletter for the Clergy for Choice Network (Washington, D.C.: Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice)
  • The Insider (Atlanta, GA: Planned Parenthood of Georgia, Inc.)
  • The Insider (Atlanta, GA: Planned Parenthood Southeast, Inc.)
  • The Institute for Reproductive Health Access: [Newsletter] (New York, NY: Institute for Reproductive Health Access)
  • International Society of Abortion Doctors. Focus on Abortion: The Official Bulletin of the International Society of Abortion Doctors
    (ISAD)
    (Castricum, Netherlands: International Society of Abortion Doctors)
  • Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Voice for Choice: Newsletter of the Kentucky Religious Coalition for
    Reproductive Choice
    (Louisville, KY: Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice)
  • Low Income Americans and Reproductive Health Care: Newsletter of the Low-Income Access Project of the Institute for Reproductive
    Health
    (New York, NY: Institute for Reproductive Health Access)
  • Missouri Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Update / Missouri Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (St. Louis,
    MO: Missouri Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice)
  • Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. (Atlanta, GA: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for
    Disease Control)
  • Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC Surveillance Summaries (Atlanta, GA: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services,
    Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control)
  • The MSFC Update: The Newsletter of Medical Students for Choice (Washington, DC: Medical Students for Choice)
  • NAF Reports: A Newsletter to Help You Stay Informed (Washington, D.C.: National Abortion Federation)
  • NARAL Campus Newsletter (Washington, DC : NARAL Campus Organizing Project)
  • NARAL Pro-Choice California Newsletter (San Francisco, CA: NARAL Pro-Choice California)
  • NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota. Pro-Choice Minnesota News (Saint Paul, MN: NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota)
  • National Center for the Pro Choice Majority. The Pro Choice Report (Hightstown, NJ: The National Center)
  • National Network of Abortion Funds. NNAF (Amherst, MA: National Network of Abortion Funds)
  • National Right to Life News: Official Publication of the National Right to Life Committee, Inc. (Washington, D.C.: The Committee)
  • New Mexico Right to Choose News (Albuquerque, NM: New Mexico Right to Choose / NARAL)
  • NNAF / National Network of Abortion Funds (Amhurst, MA : National Network of Abortion Funds)
  • Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Update (Columbus, OH: Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive
    Choice)
  • Oklahoma's Religious Voice for Choice (Tulsa, OK: Oklahoma Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice)
  • On Fertile Ground / Feminist Women's Health Center (Atlanta, GA: Feminist Women's Health Center)
  • Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health (New York, NY: Alan Guttmacher Institute)
  • Planned Parenthood Review (New York, N.Y.: Planned Parenthood Federation of America)
  • Planned Parenthood Action Letter: A Weekly Report on Public Policy Issues in Washington, the States and the World (Washington,
    D.C.: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.)
  • Planned Parenthood of Georgia, Inc. Impact (Atlanta, GA: Planned Parenthood of Georgia, Inc.)
  • Pro-Choice / Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion (White Plains, N.Y.: ProChoice Resource Center of the Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion)
  • ProChoice Idea (Mamaroneck, N.Y.: ProChoice Resource Center)
  • Pro-life Newsletter (Atlanta, GA: Archdiocese of Atlanta, Pro Life Office)
  • Providing Early Options (Washington, D.C.: National Abortion Federation)
  • Public Affairs Action Letter / Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. Public Affairs Division (Washington, D.C.: Public
    Affairs Division)
  • Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights Newsletter (Washington, D.C.: The Coalition)
  • Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice of Massachusetts. Keeping the Faith for Choice (Brookline, MA: Religious Coalition
    for Reproductive Choice of MA)
  • Reproductive Freedom News (New York, N.Y.: The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy)
  • Reproductive Rights Update (New York, N.Y.: American Civil Librities Union / Reproductive Freedom Project)
  • Republicans For Choice. Choice Words (Atlanta, GA: Republicans for Choice)
  • Republicans For Choice: [Newsletter] (Washington, D.C.: Planned Parenthood Republicans for Choice)
  • Savannah Citizens for Choice [Newsletter] (Savannah, GA: Savannah Citizens for Choice)
  • Update / Atlanta Pro-Choice Action Committee (Atlanta, GA: APAC)
  • Update / Medical Students for Choice (Berkeley, CA: Medical Students for Choice)
  • Voice for Choice (New York, N.Y.). A Voice -- For Choice: Newsletter of the New York Metropolitan Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (New York, NY: The Coalition)
  • Washington NARAL. Choice News (Seattle, WA: Washington NARAL and Washington NARAL Foundation)

Reproductive Rights: Pamphlets

Women's Printed Collections: Pamphlets

  • Abortion (Box A-1)
  • Abortion -- Law and legislation (Box A-1)
  • Abortion -- Religious aspects (Box A-1)
  • Abortion -- United States military (Box A-1)
  • Equal rights amendments -- Abortion (Box E-1)
  • National Abortion Federation (Box N-1)
  • Pro-life movement (Box P/Q-1)
  • Reproductive health (Box R-1)
  • Reproductive rights (Box R-1)

Reproductive Rights: Digital Collections

Special Collections and Archives

Special Collections and Archives

Oral Histories at GSU

Archives for Research on Women and Gender

Donna Novak Coles Georgia Women's Movement Archives

Lucy Hargrett Draper Collections on Women's Rights, Advocacy, and the Law

Phone: (404) 413-2880
E-Mail: archives@gsu.edu

Mailing Address:
Special Collections & Archives
Georgia State University Library
100 Decatur Street, SE
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3202

In Person:
Library South, 8th floor

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