Collection Overview
Future is Female Project
Future is Female Project Records
1979-1990
MS 463
15 boxes
(18 linear ft.)
English
Sophia Smith Collection
Smith College
Northampton, MA
A research project undertaken in the early 1980s by Annie Cheatham and Mary Clare Powell. They interviewed North American women about their efforts to create alternative structures for family life, arts, education, work, and politics. The results were published in the book, This Way Daybreak Comes: Women's Values and the Future (1986). Project records contain research material, writings, speeches, correspondence, slides, and photographs. Of particular interest are audio interviews of women in a variety of occupations and living situations throughout North America.
Historical Note
The Future Is Female Project was a research project undertaken by Annie Cheatham and Mary Clare Powell. In the early 1980s, Cheatham, who had worked as Director of the Congressional Clearinghouse on the Future, and Powell, an artist, interviewed North American women for information about their efforts to create alternative structures for family life, arts, education, work, and politics. The resulting book, This Way Daybreak Comes: Women's Values and the Future, was published in 1986.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
Project records contain background research material, writings, speeches, correspondence, slides, and photographs pertaining to the Future Is Female Project and the writing of This Way Daybreak Comes. Of particular interest are audiotaped interviews of women in a variety of occupations and living situations throughout North America.
The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection with the following caveats:
- The collection is stored offsite; researchers must give 48 hours advance notice.
- Access to audiovisual materials may first require production of research copies.
- This collection has not been fully processed and therefore may be difficult to use.
The material in this collection may be protected by copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights for permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use." Permission must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.
Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:
Future is Female Project Records, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.
Feminism--North America--History--20th century--Sources
Women--History--20th century--Sources
Women artists--History--20th century--Sources
Women--North America--Interviews
Powell, Mary Clare. This Way Daybreak Comes: Women's Values and the Future (1986)--Sources
Cheatham, Annie. This Way Daybreak Comes: Women's Values and the Future (1986)--Sources
1
This Way Daybreak Comes: manuscripts, drafts, notes, and correspondence, 1984-85
1
Future Is Female, 1979-86: traveling interview project materials, correspondence, publicity, notes, printed materials, schedules, financial materials
1
Research, printed material, 1981-86
2-3
Book chapters/ Future Is Female interviews, publicity, research materials, audiotape, correspondence, 1981-84
4-5
Research materials: printed material, clippings, publicity, brochures re: art chapter, 1981-84
6
Research materials
6
Book galleys, 1990
6
Interview log
7
Audiotaped interviews 1982-85
8
4 card files of addresses, n.d.
9
Book cover art
9
Feminist Futures International Network newsletters, drafts, mailing lists, [edited by Cheatham/ Powell-Institute for Women and the Future], 1988
9
Correspondence, response to book, 1983-88
9
Organization subject files re: proposed conference, circa 1980
9
Subject files, research materials, correspondence, 1979-88
10
Photos, correspondence, memorabilia, 1985
10
Book mail, 1985-87
10
Women's movement printed material, books of poetry, magazines, directories, 1980-86
11
Book clippings, 1986
11
Book drafts, notes, press materials, publishers correspondence, 1984, n.d.
12
Book royalties, press and publishers correspondence, reviews, 1984-87
12
Conferences, proposed projects, 1987
12
Speeches and presentations, 1987
13
Audiotaped speech, speeches
13
5 inch disks of Daybreak
13
Slides of art and individuals, 1982-86
13
Journals, logs, correspondence, and photos from trip, 1982-85
13
Daybreak, hard and soft cover
13
Future is Female newsletter, 1982
13
Schedules and mailing lists
14
Trip narratives and slides, ca. 1982
15
Scrapbook re: art exhibit, 1981-82