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Page 18 FeminislCollediavl v.16.m.l. Fa11 1994 ARCHIVES WOMEN OF WISCONSIN LABOR ORAL HISTORY PROJECT by Jamakaya Little has been recorded about women union activists in W~sconsin, a fact dramatically illustrated by Robert Ozanne's 1984 study. me Labor Movement in Wsconsin, which devoted only 6 of its 290 pages to working women. The Women of Wisconsin Labor Oral History Project was initiated in 1988 by union women determined to ensure that the contributions of women in the labor movement are documented so they can take their rightful place beside their union brothers in the annals of labor history. The Women of W~sconsin Labor Oral History Project was inspired by unionist Catherine Conroy and educator Kathryn Clarenbach, both of whom played leadership roles in the feminist movement in Wisconsin and nationally. The Project has so far interviewed twenty-six women who have played -- and continue to play - important roles in their unions. They come from diverse backgrounds and represent many different occupations. They hail from La Crosse, Wausau, Madison, Menasha, Whitewater, JanesviJle, and Milwaukee. Some began their union activism in the 1930's; others are making their marks today. All of the interviews offer revealing observations about how workplaces have changed for women over the years. They convey the struggles working women have had with employers and with their own union brothers to gainacceptanceand respecton the joband in their unions. The women interviewed touched on many topics, including: union organizing drives of the 1930's; the impact of World War I1 on working women; major strikes and the anti-union tactics of management; sexism and racism in the workplace; opening jobs previously re- stricted to men; the "double day" -- on the job and with the family at home; de-industrialization; the move toward privatization of public sector employment; and the impact of the feminist movement in changing both laws and attitudes about working women. The women interviewed include: Catherine Conroy and Ann Cnunp (CWA); Evelyn Do~er Day (ILGWU, UAW); Doris Thom (UAW); Nellie Wllson (Smith Steelworkers); Joanne Bruch (IVE); Leona Tarnowski (UPWA, UFCW); Darina Rasmussen (ACWA, OPEIU); Alice Holz, Helen Hensler, Helen Altstadt, Dorothy Jafferis (OPEIU); Martha Love, Patricia Yunk, Joan Zeiger(AFSCME); Lee Schmeling (GAKJ, GCIU); Florence Simons (AIW); Nancy Hoffamn (Plumbers); Judith Kuhn (a founder of Milwaukee Women in the Trades); Candice Owley -/AFT); Mary Ann Braithwaite (WFTIAFT); Evelyn Gotzion (FLU at Ray+%, UAW); Rosella Wartner (FLU at Marathon Electric); Cecilia Peterson (ATU); and Evelyn Hunholz (Women's Auxiliary). One non-W~sconsinite, singerlactress Ronnie Gilbert (Actors Equity, SAG, AFTRA), was interviewed in 1992 while in Milwaukee to perform in her play about labor activist Mother Jones. In addition to distinguished service in their union, many ofthese women worked tirelessly in political cam- paigns and organizations like the Urban League, the Al- lied Council of Senior Citizens, the Wisconsin Action Coalition, and the National Organization for Women. Theirs is an impressive record of union solidarity and community service that deserves to be recognized. The Project prioritized interviews with retired union activists who made significant contributions over the decades, a sound decision given the subsequent deaths of four inte~ewees (Comoy, Holz, Domer Day, and Simons). Additional subjects were chosen based on recommendation forms distributed at State AFL-CIO Women's Conferences and other union gatherings. Attempts were made to achieve a balance of geographical, racial, and occupational representation. Organizers ofthe Oral History Project are aware that much more of the history of Wisconsin's working women is yet to be uncovered, but they believe they've made a significant beginning. All of the audio recordings, summaries thereof, and photos and memorabilia of the interviewees are available in a special collection entitled "Women of Wlscon- sin Labor in the Archives Division ofthe State Histori- cal Society. The interviews, ranging from one hour to six hours, were conducted by Jamakaya (formerly J.M. Dombeck), a feminist writer and historian, and the Project was supervised by Joanne Rim. Funding was provided by the W~sconsin State AFL-CIO, the Wisconsin Labor History Society, IAMAW District 10, USWA District 32, and the Coalition of Labor Union Women-Milwaukee. For further information on the Oral History Project, contact Joanne Ricca at (414) 7714700, or the Archives Division of the State Historical Society of W~sconsin, 816 State St., Madison, WI 53706, (608) 2646460.
FEMINIST PUBLISHING A coalition of women+wned independent presses have joined together, in an eEort tagged THE WOMEN'S PRESSES LIBRARY PROJECT, to increase the vis- ibility of their titles in libraries throughout the United States and Canada. The Project plans to work closely with librarians both individually and through various library organizations and publications, in order to keep librarians current on the women's interest titles published by the participating presses. Among the strategies planned are to increase the number of library-appropri- ate book reviews, exhibit at American Library Associa- tion national and regional conferen&, organize author appearances and events in libraries and at conferences, and create catalogs and reference materials for librarians about relevant titles. Some of the presses involved are: Aunt Lute Books (SanFrancism); Astarte Shell Press portland, Maine); Firebrand Books (Ithaca, New York); Kelsey St. Press (Berkeley, California); and Women's Press (Toronto, Ontario). GENDER PRESS is a new feminist publishing venture in Thailand. In its two years of existence, the press has published 25 books, in English or Thai, plus cards, a newsletter in English, and a Thai women's magazine. The titles include fiction, nonfiction, and nonsexist children's books. Supportive funding comes through Friends of Women Foundation from the Ford Founda- tion. Their address: 10321156 Soi Ruarnsirimitra, Pahobothin 18, Lard-Yao Jatujak, Bangkok 10900 Thai- land. (Information from Feminist Bookstore News, Sep tember1October 1994, p.22.) Another new publisher outside the U.S. is Egypt's NOUR PRESS, begun following the last International Feminist Book Fair by a group of five women who p led their Faninist Collediom v. 16. no. 1, Fd 1994 Page 19 sage). The first two books from the press are on communications between women and men in office environments (The Men at the Office) and on working mothers and their children (titled, appropriately, lbo Years Sleep: Working Moms Talk About Having a Baby and a Job). There is also a Spanish version of lbo Years W~thout Sleep. The books are available only by direct order to: Blue Point Books, P.O. Box 91347, Santa Badma, CA 93190-1347. Cost is $9.95 for the first book (includes shipping), $8.95 for each additional book. The University Conversion Project at Cambridge, Mas- sachusetts is trying to identify a number of feminist alternative campus newspapers. As of the middle of November, eight had been identified and most were corn& to each other by email as part of a larger network of alternative campus papers. For information, contact Rich Cowan at University Conversion Project, Box 748, Cambridge, MA 02142. THE FEMINIST PRESS AT THE CITY UNIVER- SITY OF NEW YORK is embarking on its twenty- fifth year of publishing. A three-page piece in their catalog traces the history of the publisher from Flo- rence Howe's "experimenting with womencentered curricula for literature and writing" to the founding of the press in 1970 to its many achievements since. The year 1972 saw the beginnings of the Women's Studies Newsletter, which later became Women's Studies Quar- terly; in the 1980's the Feminist Press published "five significant texts by and about African-American women," including the nwel Brown Girl, Brownstones by Paule Marshall and All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave: Black money to cover office expenses. The press has two books Women's Studies. Looking toward the United Nations to its credit, and also distributes some 100 titles from gathering in Beijing, the press is publishing three in- other publishers on Arab women's topics. Dissatisfied ternational collections on women's studies, politics, and with the response of distributors to their work, Now also nontraditional work. A cookbook and a travel series publishes a newsletter carrying information about are also in the ofig. The press is located at 311 East women's publications as well as women's news and words 9th St., New York, NY 10128-5684. of encouragement to writers. The press will sponsor the first ever Arab Women's Book Fair late in 1995. The address is 9 Mudiriyet El Tahrir Street, Garden City, Cairo, Egypt. (Information from Feminist Bookstore News, SeptemberIOctober 1994, pp.22-23.) BLUE POINT BOOKS is a "grass roots publishing project made possible by the support of a very informal network of working people who are using ow books to share information and experiences" (from email mes-
Page 1 and 2: I I *:* A QUARTERLY OF WOMEN'S STUD
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Page 19: nevertheless remains loyal to Maria
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Page 25 and 26: The entries are sufliciently eclect
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Page 37 and 38: Znd a book about menopause; all, in
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Page 41 and 42: WHAT MAKES PORNOGRAPHY "SEXY'? Stol

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