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				Guide to Collections in the University Archives
				Ollie Tucker Osborne Papers
				Collection 93 Osborne, Ollie Tucker (1911-1994). Papers, 1927-1985 22 feet
				Ollie Tucker Osborne's papers detail the activities of one of Louisiana's leading advocates of women's rights during the 1970s. Ollie was extremely active in the League of Women Voters and the Evangeline ERA coalition. She attended conferences or workshops throughout the South. She was appointed to the 1977 state women's convention in Baton Rouge and was elected a state delegate to the national convention in Houston. She helped organize or coordinate a number of workshops and conferences in Louisiana on women's rights. Much of this often frenetic activity can be seen through her papers. Osborne was born in northern Louisiana and educated at Whitmore College and Louisiana State University. Just before graduation she married Louis Birk, a salesman for McGraw-Hill & Company, and moved to New York. After several false starts Osborne launched a career in public relations and advertising which she pursued for twenty years. This included some pioneering work in television advertising. Following the sudden death of Birk in 1952, Osborne returned to Louisiana where she met and married Robert Osborne, an English professor at USL. During the next two decades she was busy as president of Birk & Company, a publisher of reading rack pamphlets. Osborne's introduction to politics at the state level was as an official League of Women Voters observer of the 1973 Constitutional Convention. Early in the year she determined that some on-going communication link was necessary to allay voter fear and apathy about the new constitution. Osborne was also deeply involved in the campaign to ratify the new constitution. This experience introduced Osborne to the Equal Rights Amendment which she decided to support. She became coordinator of the local ERA coalition and deeply involved with the state effort. In addition she worked for or supported women's conferences and organizations which shared or explicated her goals such as National Organization of Women; Women's Political Caucus; Louisiana Women's Conference; Conference on Louisiana Women and others. The papers reflect Osborne's activities in the Women's movement and her career in advertising. There are several scrapbooks concerning her years in New York. The largest series contains League of Women Voters records of the local and state levels. The collection includes memos, correspondence, publicity materials (a great interest of Osborne's) and, often, photographs at the 1973 Constitutional Convention are probably one of the better visual sources on its delegates. The papers were donated by Ollie Osborne as part of the Women in Louisiana Collection.
				SERIES
				I. Personal
					A. 1927-1952				1-1 thru 1-6; Box 47; Box 48
					B. 1953-1994
						1. Personal
							a.	Correspondence	2-1 through 2-11
							b.	Miscellaneous	2-12 through 2-19
							c.	Photographs	2-20 and 2-21
						2. Birk and Company Records, 1953-1971			Box 3
						3. Organizations			4-1 thru 5-9
						4. Police Jury Campaign			5-10 thru 5-15; 48-1
						5. Women's Movement
							a.	Judicial Selections	5-16 thru 5-18
							b.	Discrimination Cases	5-19 thru 6-2
							c.	General and Miscellaneous	6-3 thru 6-8; Box 47, Tape 9
				II.	League of Women Voters (LWV)
					A.	Lafayette, Louisiana (LWV-Lafayette)
						1.	Organizational Records		6-9 through 7-18
						2.	Subject File		7-19 through 8-10; Box 47
						3.	Photographs		8-11 through 8-12
					B.	Other Leagues in Louisiana			8-13 through 9-13; Box 47
					C.	Louisiana [State] (LWV-La)
						1.	Records
							a.	General	9-14 through 11-6
							b.	Ollie Osborne (mainly as Publicity Chair)	11-7 through 12-20; 49-2, 49-3;
									Map Case 24-2
							c.	Workshops, etc.	12-21 through 13-8; 49-4; Box 47
						2.	Subject files		13-9 through 13-24; Box 47
						3.	Task Force Records		14-1 through 14-9
						4.	Miscellaneous		14-10 through 14-19
						5.	Photographs		14-20 through 15-15; 49-4
					D.	United States (LWV-US)
						1.	General Publications and Memoranda		15-16 through 16-8
						2.	Subject Specific Publications and Memoranda		16-9 through 17-4; Box 47
						3.	Miscellaneous		17-5 through 17-11
					E.	Constitutional Convention, 1973 (CC/73)
						1.	Ollie Osborne's Newspaper Articles & Other Writings
							a.	Records	17-12 through 17-21
							b.	Publications	17-22 through 19-35
						2.	League of Women Voters-Louisiana and Constitutional Convention/1973
									19-36 thru 20-6
						3.	Ollie Osborne Miscellaneous		20-7 thru 20-15; Box 47, Tape 2
						4.	Clippings		20-16 through 22-5
						5.	Official Documents		22-6 through 23-19
						6.	Miscellaneous		23-20 through 24-4
						7.	Ratification
							a.	League of Women Voters' Role	24-5 through 25-16; 49-5
							b.	General (Clippings)	25-17 through 26-3
						8.	Photographs		26-4 through 27-5
III.	Women's Conferences and Organizations
	A.	Conference on Louisiana Women (1975)			27-6 through 28-5
	B.	Louisiana Women's Conference (1977)
		1.	Coordinating Committee		28-6 through 29-10; 49-6, 49-7, 49-v.1
		2.	Women and Law Workshop		29-11 through 30-1
		3.	Final Report		30-2 through 30-13
			a.	Photographs	Box 31
	C.	National Women's Conference			32-1 through 33-12
	D.	Others			34-1 through 35-2
	E.	Organizations
		1.	Women's Political Caucus		35-3 through 35-24
		2.	National Organization of Women (NOW)		35-25 through 36-4
		3.	Louisiana Bureau on the Status of Women		36-5 through 36-12
		4.	Others		36-13 through 36-16
IV.	Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
	A.	Evangeline ERA Coalition			36-17 through 37-19; 49-8, 49-9
	B.	ERA United			37-20 through 38-23
	C.	Other Groups			39-1 through 40-13; Box 47, Tape 1
	D.	Research Materials			40-14 through 41-10; Box 47, Tape 6
	E.	Opposition			41-11 thru 42-4; 46-21; 47-1 thru 47-5; 49-8
V.	Miscellaneous
	A.	Lafayette and Louisiana			42-5 through 43-2
	B.	Women			43-3 through 43-10
	C.	Miscellaneous			43-11 through 43-16
	D.	Clippings (mainly from 1970s)			44-1 through 47-5
	E.	Media			Box 47
VI.	Oversize				Box 48; Box 49; Box 50; Map Case 24-2
INVENTORY
I.	Personal
	A.	1927-1952
1-1	Scrapbook (mainly from high school days in Baton Rouge and Amite) ca. 1927
1-2	Scrapbook: Whitworth College, 1928-1930
1-3	Leofost, 1930 (Whitworth College yearbook)
		Ollie was editor
1-4	Diploma, Whitworth College, 1930
	Clipping about wedding, n.d.
1-5	Material from days in advertising (1931-1950)
		newspaper ad with Ollie as model, n.d.; 1938
		article, on TV commercials, Printers Ink, 6/30/1950
		application for Federal employment, 1942
		resume, c. 1947
	See also 48 v. 1 and 48 v. 2
1-6	Material related to settlement of estate of Louis Birk, 1953-1963
I.	Personal
	B.	1953-
		1.	Personal
			a.	Correspondence
2-1	General correspondence: 1954, 1970-1973
	includes: Kenneth Bowen, Jacob Javits, John Breaux, Wade O. Martin, Edwin Edwards
2-2	Same: 1974
	includes: Kenneth Bowen, ERA, John Breaux, Edwin Edwards
2-3	Same: 1975: January-June
	includes: Victor Bussie, Elaine Edwards, Robert Crisler, Karline Tierney, Edwin Edwards
2-4	Same: 1975: July-December
	includes: Sister Theresa Drago, Ed Price, James E. Fitzmorris, Jr,. Virginia Shehee, Francine Merritt
2-5	Same: 1976: January - June
	includes: Fran Bussie, Virginia Shehee, Liz Carpenter, Eleanor Shirley, Edwin Edwards, Karline Tierney
2-6	Same: 1976: July - December
	includes: Eileen Armstrong, Sister Theresa Drago, John Breaux, Karline Tierney, ERA, Louisiana Committee for the Humanities
2-7	Same: 1977
	includes: John Breaux, Sandra S.Thompson, Edwin Edwards (to)
2-8	Same: 1978
	includes: Jimmie Carter (to), Gillis Long, Jacqui Michot Ceballos, Russell Long, Edwin Edwards, Karline Tierney, Sue Fontenot
2-9	Same: 1979
	includes: Jacqui Michot Ceballos, Jean Hurley, Edwin Edwards, Roberta Madden, Sr. Mary Margaret Hughes, Sarah Weddington
2-10	Same: 1980-1982
	includes: Louisiana Home Economics Association, Jacqui Michot Ceballos, Roberta Madden, ERA
I.	Personal
	B.	1953-
		1.	Personal
			b.	Miscellaneous
2-12	Certificates: 1972-1982
		Lafayette Board of Realtors, Associate Membership Jaycee Jaynes Certificate of Appreciation Louisiana Certificate of Merit Mayor's Distinguished Citizen Award Mayor's Woman of Achievement
2-13	Miscellaneous personal papers
		resumes: 1970s handwritten medical information
2-14	Miscellaneous material on house
		includes: petition against name change of street
			proposed house plans, 1978
2-15	Address books (1970s)
2-16	Statements from Pelican Photo: 1/1975; 4/1977-12/1980; 5-6/1982
2-17	Clippings about Ollie Osborne or family, (1973) - 1984
2-18	Letters-to-the-editor: 1974-1985; free lance journalist press releases
		ERA; Hansen case; women; women's movement
2-19	Notes for speech on personal appearance
I.	Personal
	B.	1953-
		1.	Personal
			c.	Photographs
2-20	Photographs
		Ollie Osborne, 1931-1981
			LSU theatre; Red Cross Work, real estate award with Edgar Mouton; Dudley Lastrapes receiving Louisiana Women's Political Caucus award; etc.
		(photos of Ollie Osborne with others scattered throughout the collection)
2-21	Photographs
		family members, house flowers, residences, etc.
I.	Personal
	B.	1953-
		2.	Birk and Company Records, 1953-1971
3-1	Correspondence: 1950s
3-2	Same: 1960-1961
3-3	Same: 1962-1964 (very scattered after 1962)
3-4	Same: 1965-1971, n.d.
3-5	Material related to negotiations with Good Rack Reading Services: 1954, 1963
3-6	Notes on meetings with General Motors people: 1955-1966 (very scattered)
3-7	Promotional material
		flyers; mass mailings; list of buyers reports on promotional efforts
3-8	Inventories: 1966-1970, n.d.
3-9	Status reports (on publications): 1953-1961
		includes: General Editorial Report, 6/1953
3-10	Miscellaneous financial records: 1961-1969
		includes: tentative budget, 3/1961
			financial statements, 6/1967; 6/1968; 6/1969
3-11	Texts of various booklets (typescripts)
3-12	Critical comments on booklets or ideas to develop
		(memos from Ollie)
3-13	Miscellaneous on authors
		lists of addresses; contract, 1967
Box 3 Packet of Birk and Company books, divided by subject
	children, health, cookbooks, miscellaneous & self-help, economics & history, recreation, English, safety, gardening & decorating
I.	Personal
	B.	1953-
		3.	Organizations
		[Groups Ollie Osborne worked with not specifically related to League of Women Voters (LWV) or Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)]
4-1	Lafayette Juvenile and Young Adult (LJYA) Program
		miscellaneous records: descriptions of programs; list of board members; list of needs; consultant's review
4-2	LJYA - Lafayette Board of Realtors campaign
		miscellaneous records: August - December, 1972
			Ollie Osborne correspondence The Realtor's Reporter
4-3	Same: August, 1972 - February, 1973
		press releases, drafts and photo captions
4-4	Same: August, 1972 - February, 1973
		clippings
4-5	Same: photographs (120 and 35 mm negatives and contact sheets; prints)
4-6	Louisiana Conference of United Methodist Women (UMW): March - April, 1976
		correspondence; UMW Yearbook, 1976, Asbury United Methodist Church
4-7	Biblical Faith and Politics Conference: July, 1980
		correspondence; press releases; notes
4-8	Governor's Commission on Registration and Voter Participation: records: March - August, 1974
		minutes, agenda, organizational material, questionnaires, memos, meeting material
			includes project outline
4-9	Same: same: September - December, 1974
		minutes, agenda, correspondence to committee, memos, meeting material, Ollie Osborne notes
4-10	Same: same: January - April, 1975
		minutes, agenda, correspondence to committee, memos, meeting material, Ollie Osborne notes
4-11	Same: Ollie Osborne correspondence re: commission: March, 1974 - February, 1976
		includes suggested revisions of final report
4-12	Same: budget reports: March, 1974 - March, 1975
4-13	Same: testimony before, and letters to commission: B - F
4-14	Same: same: H - W
4-15	Same: committee reports
		Absentee Voter, Primary/General Election, Voter Participation
4-16	Same: same
		Voter Registration, Voting Machines (10/1974 - 3/1975)
			include Ollie Osborne notes of meeting
4-17	Same: Institute of Politics reports on voter registration and Ollie Osborne's notes on reports
4-18	Same: material related to final report
		final committee recommendations, format options, Ollie Osborne's notes, report
4-19	Same: clippings
		voter registration (general), commission
4-20	Same: miscellaneous
		Louisiana Laws, statistics, Ollie Osborne notes, Democratic State Central Committee resolution on primaries, etc.
4-21	Democratic State Central Committee: 1972, 1975-1976; 1979
		rules of order, public relations releases, clippings, correspondence, photographs
5-1	Birch Bayh campaign, 1975-1976
		correspondence
5-2	Same: public relations material
		news releases and clippings (Ollie Osborne work), campaign flyers, brochures, etc.
5-3	Same: photographs of visit to Louisiana
		(35 mm negatives and contact prints)
5-4	Louisiana Council on Human Relations annual meeting, 1980
		correspondence: Lorna Bourg; to Gloria Steinam
5-5	Same: press releases and publicity
		Ollie Osborne's notes, biographical material on Steinam, press releases and clippings, flyers
5-6	Same: miscellaneous
		fact sheet, history, brochure on civil rights oral history project
5-7	Acadiana Legal Services Corp., 1978-1979
		correspondence, drafts of news releases
5-8	Craft Advisory Committee reports, 1980
5-9	Photographs: SMILE (35 mm negatives & contact strips)
I.	Personal
	B.	1953-
		4.	Police Jury Campaign [August - December, 1975]
5-10	Correspondence; forms reporting to state, etc.; solicitation forms and responses
5-11	Flyers, campaign material, clippings & press releases
5-12	Candidate questionnaire from League of Women Voters and Ollie Osborne's response
5-13	Financial records
5-14	Miscellaneous
		state laws, Ollie Osborne's notes, qualifying form, clerk of court brochure, ballot, vote breakdown
5-15	Photographs (35 mm negatives & contact strips; prints)
		See also Box 48
I.	Personal
	B.	1953-
		5.	Women's Movement
			a.	Judicial Selection
5-16	General (1978-1979)
		material from Judicial Selection Project, National Women's Political Caucus, NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, executive order re: selection process
5-17	Material on particular nominees or candidates
		Helen S. Kohlman; Veronica D. Wicker; George Arceneaux, Jr.
			correspondence; resumes; etc.
5-18	Clippings (state and national)
I.	Personal
	B.	1953-
		5.	Women's Movement
			b.	Discrimination Cases
5-19	Barbara Hansen: correspondence and mailing lists
5-20	Same: briefs; motions; rulings; etc.
5-21	Same: legal precedents
5-22	Same: clippings and articles, 1978-1980
6-1	Daryl Starr vs. Lafayette School Board, 1976
		correspondence; clippings; letter-to-the-editor
6-2	Cindy LeBlanc (domestic case), 1980
		Ollie Osborne notes, resume of case
I.	Personal
	B.	1953-
		5.	Women's Movement
			c.	General and Miscellaneous
6-3	Alvarado, Frances G., "Put This Woman to Work... (A Fairy Tale)," [1979] paper for Social Legislation 5408, LSU Law School
		cover letter
6-4	Articles by Pamela Jones; Dorothy Harrell Brown; and Ann Dobie
6-5	Miscellaneous material on law related to women
		excerpts from state and federal law (photocopies)
			includes cover note from Mike Thompson
		PAR Guide to 1972 Election includes comments on amendment concerning women jurors
6-6	Material on state laws
		proposed reforms to Louisiana State Law Institute by Katherine Brash Jeter and Janet Mary Riley (11/1974) brochure on community property law (1976) comments on Credit Rights of Women by Allen Bares, 1979 list of state laws which appear to discriminate against women, 1/1980 Ollie Osborne note
6-7	Miscellaneous
		pages from Louisiana Realtors Association Institute notebook portrait of Edwin Edwards; clipping on Elaine Edwards etc.
6-8	Photographs: Ollie Osborne with director of Louisiana Humanities Commission

Document last revised Thursday, March 14, 2013 9:08 AM

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