Loyola University Chicago

Women and Leadership Archives

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04/19/2018 02:00 PM
The WLA will close today at 4:30pm. We apologize for any inconvenience.
04/18/2018 03:00 PM
Welcome to the "Things to Hold" material culture series! Twice per week, we will feature an object from the archives and tell its story. Let's begin with something very large. “No to Nuclear Madness” banner Approx. 1976-2004 Item used by: Chicago Life Community Collection Name: 8th Day Center for Justice Records, 1968-2009 Materials: linen and acrylic paint Dimensions: 78 in x 42.75 in Description: This protest banner was likely held by members of the Chicago Life Community during their anti-nuclear war demonstrations. This fragile banner is made of thin linen fabric and covered with stains and footprints; it is incredible that it remains intact. On the back of the banner where the words are painted, scraps of newspaper are stuck to the fabric, indicating that people painted the banner on a layer of protective paper. Written by: Angela Rothman https://www.luc.edu/media/lucedu/wla/pdfs/8th%20Day%20Center%20for%20Justice.pdf
04/17/2018 03:30 PM
Mundelein grads - did you know we have a digital collection of Mundelein's student newspaper! It includes every issue from 1931 to 1969. Come and see what you remember! http://content.library.luc.edu/cdm/search/collection/coll3
04/16/2018 05:37 PM
When you think of the archives, do you think of papers? There's so much more! This week, stay tuned - we're starting a new series called "Things to Hold." This photo series will showcase 3-D items from the WLA and tell their histories.
04/13/2018 07:00 PM
Did you know that Chicago has a long history of protesting nuclear weapons? In April 1982, the 8th Day Center for Justice - a Catholic activist group focused on social justice - walked with thousands of people in Chicago. They called for a freeze on nuclear weapons. See the 8th Day Center papers here at the WLA: https://www.luc.edu/media/lucedu/wla/pdfs/8th%20Day%20Center%20for%20Justice.pdf

Welcome

Women's Legacy

The Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) collects, preserves, and makes available permanently valuable records of women and women's organizations, which document women's lives, roles, and contributions.

News

Close early April 19
The WLA will close at 4:30PM on Thursday, April 19, 2018. Regular spring hours will resume on Friday, April 20.
Sister Jean: Back in the Day
Before the world fell in love with her, we knew Sister Jean (Jean Delores Schmidt, BVM) from her long career at Mundelein College.
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History Fair Students
We were happy to have a number of History Fair students research at the WLA this year. One pair of students created this documentary about the Equal Rights Amendment. Check it out here!
WATCH VIDEO
Cesar Chavez: Loyola and Mundelein
In honor of Cesar Chavez's birthday on March 31, we are highlighting his connection to Mundelein College and Loyola. Follow the link to hear audio clips and learn more.
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Spring 2018 Hours
Monday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tuesday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Students, Scholars Explore African-American Archives in Chicago Libraries
The UChicago News article, "Students, Scholars Explore African-American Archives in Chicago Libraries" features Megan Naylor, Archie Motley Archival Intern at the WLA last year, along with a photo of her and Melanie Chambliss, current intern at the WLA. Megan and Melanie were both working with the Carol Moseley Braun collection at the WLA.
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120th Anniversary of the Founding of the Polish Women's Alliance of America
Sunday, April 29, 2018, celebrate the PWA 120th Anniversary with the WLA! A lunch and presentation of the WLA/PWA Preservation Project will take place in the Klarchek Information Commons 4th Floor.
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Color Our Collections
The WLA is participating in #ColorOurCollections this year with our very own coloring book!
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Visiting Archivist from Poland
In December, an archivist from the Archivwum Akt Nowych in Warsaw visited the Women and Leadership Archives to review the PWAA records held there, an important step forward in the ongoing preservation and access project for these records.
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The Polish Women's Alliance and the WLA team up to preserve records
The Polish Women's Alliance (PWA) and the Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) have teamed up for the PWA Preservation Project. The PWA is one of the oldest fraternal benefit societies founded by women to help them and those they care about establish financial security and economic independence. Click to learn more about ongoing fundraising efforts to preserve the PWA records at the WLA.
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Suzanne Bost WLA Summer Research Grant Publication
Suzanne Bost, PhD, Professor of English and Graduate Program Director of Women's Studies and Gender Studies at Loyola, was the recipient of the 2015 Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) Summer Research Grant. Her research at the WLA culminated in the article, “Identity and Cross-Cultural Empathy: Writing to Sister Maryagnes Curran, O.S.F.” published in the Summer 2017 issue of Feminist Formations.
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Politics of the Pantry: Photos
We enjoyed hosting the launch for Dr. Emily E. LB. Twarog's book, "Politics in the Pantry: Housewives, Food, & Consumer Protest in Twentieth-Century America" on Saturday, November 18. Despite the rain, we had a wonderful and lively turnout. Special thanks to our panelists, Lynne Heidt, Jackie Kendall, and Bonnie Wilson. Please enjoy a few photos from the event.
PHOTO GALLERY
Marie Skłodowska Curie: Piecing Together the Historical Puzzle
Thank you to everyone who attended the 5th Annual Focus on the Book: "Marie Skłodowska Curie: Piecing Together the Historical Puzzle" on October 26, 2017. Helena Pycior, Professor Emerita of the Department of History at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, presented an interesting program about Marie Skłodowska Curie, renowned scientist and twice Nobel Prize winner, became known as the “healer of cancer.”
PHOTO GALLERY
Mundelein College Records Grant Completed!
The Women and Leadership Archives is pleased to announce completion of an Illinois State Records Advisory Board (ISHRAB) 2016-2017 grant. WLA received a $5,000 grant from ISHRAB to re-organize and make more accessible the records of Mundelein College. The College operated from 1930-1991 and when it closed, was the last all women’s college in Illinois. Loyola’s University Libraries and Gannon Center for Women also contributed funding to the project. Recent Loyola graduate, Caroline Gianakopulos, led the grant project and produced a finding aid, or road map, for the records of Mundelein College. Click here to see the finding aid. A big thank you to ISHRAB and Loyola’s University Libraries and Gannon Center for Women!
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History

Why is there an angel on our webpage?
Curious as to why there is an angel on the side of our page? Click here to learn more!
Researching at the WLA
Want to know how to research at an archives? Find out how to use the Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) in this short video created by Graduate Assistant Ellen Bushong. Lu Wolf, mascot of Loyola University Chicago, experiences the archives first-hand and learns how to use our finding aids, navigate the WLA website, and how to properly handle documents, photos, journals, and much more!