League of Women Voters of South Carolina Papers

The papers of the League of Women Voters of South Carolina are arranged in the following series: Administrative, League of Women Voters of the United States, Local Leagues, Program Files, Leagues in Other States, Clippings, Audiovisual, Vertical File Materials, and Scrapbooks and Ledgers. The bulk of the collection dates from 1951 to 1994.

Administrative Records comprise a large and important series. General papers include the earliest records of the organization and consist of correspondence and other records of general interest. Annual reports by the state and local leagues to the national parent body, the League of Women Voters of the United States [LWVUS], 1951-1978, summarize the League’s activities. Reflecting League leadership are records of the Board, Conference, Convention, and Council. Also filed here are bylaws, calendars, financial documents, membership records, officer rosters, and publications.

League of Women Voters of the United States records include bylaws, board reports, and an incomplete set of “Report from the Hill,” 1971-1991.

The Local Leagues series consists primarily of minutes and correspondence. Bulletins issued by the various local leagues are maintained in the Library’s Book Division.

Program Files is the largest series. These files relate to state and national study and/or action items, and reflect the League’s broad and diverse concerns. The files chiefly contain correspondence and reference material and are arranged in four sub-series: Federal Government, including information on such disparate subjects as the national budget, federal constitution, foreign policy, and United Nations; Human Resources, including material on housing, education, and the Equal Rights Amendment; Natural Resources, including records relating to coastal zone management and land use in Richland and Lexington Counties; and State Government, including files on apportionment, the state constitution, the judiciary, and voter services. Records relating to Voter Service include candidate questionnaires, election laws and procedures, and voter registration material. The questionnaire files contain individual reply forms as well as compiled reports that were prepared for a variety of primaries and general elections covering national, state-wide, and local elections. Among the League officers whose work is reflected in the collection are Keller Bumgardner Barron, Mary Kelly, Elizabeth Ledeen, Barbara Moxon, Linda Powers Bilanchone, Nanette Smyth, and Marge West.

Leagues in Other States consists of documents and publications generated by Leagues outside South Carolina.

Clippings cover program topics as well as League members and their activities. A number of bound scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings and miscellaneous documents relating to the League.

Audiovisual materials include photographs, slides, audio and video cassettes, and audio and video reels. The photographs date mainly from the 1970s to 1980s and generally depict League members at meetings, with government leaders, and performing voter service. Some of the officials included in the photographs are Governor Robert E. McNair, Congressman Floyd D. Spence, Mayor John T. Campbell of Columbia, and Senator Ernest F. Hollings. Slides are generally in “show” sets covering specific topics of concern to the group and used as part of their outreach programs. Audio and video cassettes and reels and video reels cover miscellaneous topics and public service announcements.

Vertical File Materials contain information gathered by SCPC relating to the League and may duplicate information already present in the collection.