Introduction
In this Reproductive Rights Classroom Exercise, students are asked to consider Pro-choice and Pro-life materials with a critical eye. They will compare content, language, audience, intent,and tactics/methods in records from three different Pro-choice and Pro-life organizations.
Students will also develop archival literacy skills as they learn how to find and use finding aids, and how to request and handle archival materials.
Possible Learning Objectives:
Class duration: 50 minutes - 1.5 hours. Exercise can be adapted to time available
Appropriate for: Undergraduate and graduate students.
Number of students: Up to 24. Additional students can be accommodated with advance warning.
Class location: Colloquium Room, Special Collections and Archives
Created by: Jill Anderson and Morna Gerrard
Contact Archivist: Morna Gerrard, mgerrard@gsu.edu / (404) 413-2888
Items Needed:
Archivist/instructors select in advance materials showing organizational/mission goals of Georgians for Choice, NARAL Pro-Choice Georgia, and Planned Parenthood Southeast. Also selected are materials showing, as much as possible, mission, goals or strategies for “anti” organizations.
Full finding aids for Georgians for Choice; NARAL Pro-Choice Georgia; Planned Parenthood Southeast are printed, and items selected for exercise are flagged, to allow students to quickly find materials to be called up.
Call slips, pencils, and blank worksheets.
Worksheet with questions/prompts relevant to class needs.
Prior to Exercise:
Ideally, Archivist would have the opportunity to meet with the class before the exercise to provide an introduction to Special Collections.If this is not possible, the professor should ask the students to look at the Archival Research research guide prior to class, with particular emphasis on the “Working with Finding Aids” tab. Students could also be asked to select a finding aid from Special Collections (accessible through the “GSU Special Collections & Archives” tab) on the same guide.
Special Collections and Archives
Donna Novak Coles Georgia Women's Movement Archives
Lucy Hargrett Draper Collections on Women's Rights, Advocacy, and the Law
Archives for Research on Women
Phone: (404) 413-2880
Fax: (404) 413-2881
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
