Phyllis J. Hudson Collection

The materials are arranged in eight series by topic.

Series I: Employment, 1974-2000 holds materials relating to employment issues that mainly concern women but more generally affect librarians. Local organizations are represented here as well as state and national associations. Of particular interest are the large quantity of materials concerning the concept of comparable worth, which was designed to overcome a limitation of the equal pay ideal which occurs when men and women do not work in exactly the same occupations. The comparable worth philosophy compares work done solely by women with similar work done by men.

Series II: Equal Rights Amendment, 1972-2001 shows how women worked both in Florida and nationally to ratify the ERA. Florida ultimately failed to ratify the amendment despite being included in a boycott by the National Organization for Women, and some materials on these subjects may be found here. Additionally, this series includes information about support from the American Library Association.

Series III: Education, 1972-2001 provides information concerning education for women and about women. Research materials on Women's Studies Programs are held in this series with particular emphasis on the establishment of the program at UCF.

Series IV: Reproductive Issues, 1980-2006 documents local and national organizations that either support women's right to an abortion, offer advice on contraception or advocate protection against rape. The Human Life Amendments aimed to offer the unborn the full protection of the constitution.

Series V: Organizations, 1976-2006 shows the range of organizations that women formed not only to protect women's rights but also to preserve their history and to overcome social problems. All the organizations advocate either for issues that specifically concern women or for matters of interest to Floridians.

Series VI: Events, 1975-1996 holds a few materials concerning particular national and international events that advocated women's rights.

Series VII: Domestic Violence, 1995-2006 contains information about the problem of domestic violence with particular emphasis on the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Series VIII: Individual Women, 1966-1984 holds campaign materials, news clippings and research materials on three women, Jane Emmons, Fannie Lou Hamer and Sonia Johnston.

Series IX: Memorabilia, 1980-1998 holds materials such as sashes, stickers, and buttons from rallies and marches concerning women's rights, pro-abortion, and the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).