00183 ORGANIZING AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY: An Inventory of Its Organizational Records at the Minnesota Historical Society Finding aid prepared by Kathryn A. Johnson. Minnesota Historical Society

St. Paul MN.

Manuscripts Collection

Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, January 1999.Finding aid written inEnglish August 2008Converted from EAD Version 1.0 to Version 2002 by Monica Manny Ralston, Daniel Sher, and Joyce Chapman. OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION Minnesota Historical Society Organizing Against Pornography (Minneapolis, Minn.). Organizational records. 1975-1990. Administrative records (1984-1990), including bylaws, board minutes, staff files, and financial records; public outreach materials; subject files; newspaper clippings; and audio and video tapes documenting the efforts of an organization formed to increase public awareness of the relationship between pornography and violence against women. 3.5 cu. ft. (4 boxes). See Detailed Description section for shelf location. HISTORY OF ORGANIZING AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY

Begun in February 1984 as the Pornography Resource Center, the organization responded to the growing perception of the relationship between pornography and violence against women, which had been highlighted by groups such as Take Back the Night, Women Against Violence Against Women, and the Neighborhood Pornography Task Force. It was also motivated by the controversy surrounding the passage and subsequent veto of an anti-pornography ordinance by the Minneapolis City Council (1983-1984) and by a course on pornography taught by Andrea Dworkin and Catharine A. MacKinnon at the University of Minnesota Law School (1983). In December 1985 the name was changed to Organizing Against Pornography: A Resource Center for Education and Action.

To identify and publicize the issue of pornography and violence against women the organization provided information on types of pornography, victims' needs, self-examination of individual attitudes towards pornography, and training workers. To accomplish these ends the organization provided speakers, slide shows, published materials, demonstrations, and other publicity aimed at all groups, but particularly teenagers and men.

SCOPE AND CONTENT OF THE COLLECTION

A major portion of the collection is devoted to specific actions taken by the organization against pornographic movie theaters and adult bookstores and to anti-pornography ordinances presented to the city councils in Minneapolis (1983-1984), Indianapolis, Indiana (1984-1989), and Bellingham, Washington (1988-1989). There is information on the conflict between these actions and first amendment rights. Also included are extensive files on the activities of Dworkin and MacKinnon, the co-authors of the Minneapolis anti-pornography ordinance, who together taught a class on pornography at the University of Minnesota Law School (1983).

Administrative records contain fairly detailed board minutes (1985-1989), as well as information on retreats, committees, and programs emanating from the board (1985-1990); information on the staff (1984-1987); information on community and other meetings (1985-1989); reports (1987); and newsletters (1987-1988). Financial records, including information on grants, contain budgets (1984-1989), document fund raising activities (1984-1989), and include files on twelve foundations (1984-1989) and their grants to the organization, particularly the Patrick and Aimee Butler Family, L. J. and Mary C. Skaggs, Gamble-Skogmo, the Minnesota Women's Fund, and General Mills.

The rest of the collection is devoted to the organization's many activities: speakers; slide shows to youth and community groups; surveys of battered women, neighborhood groups, and sexual assault workers; actions taken against theaters and other purveyors; and materials on lawyers Dworkin and MacKinnon. The records include subject files, newspaper clippings, and audio visual materials.

The organization was actively involved in the passage by the Minneapolis City Council of an anti-pornography ordinance, which had been prepared by Catharine MacKinnon in 1983. The ordinance was opposed by civil liberties groups, particularly the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union, and supported by the OAP and other women's groups. The ordinance was passed by the Council, but vetoed by Mayor Donald M. Fraser. There are copies of the ordinance; a chronology and history; list of actions supporting the ordinance; transcript of hearings; and a scrapbook containing photographs, correspondence, and newspaper clippings. The papers reveal the conflict between First Amendment rights and the victimization of women and others by pornography.

Files labelled "Actions" detail the organization's campaigns against the pornographic movie theaters Rialto and Avalon; against the Chicago-Lake adult bookstore; against Solid Gold, a strip tease club; opposing the sale of adult publications, particularly Playboy and Penthouse, by B. Dalton Booksellers, 7-11 Stores, and on the St. Cloud State University campus; and against individual motion pictures depicting violence against women.

Materials relating to Andrea Dworkin and Catharine A. MacKinnon include transcripts of speeches, hearings, and interviews; correspondence; newspaper and magazine articles; audio tapes; and a bibliography, notes, and newspaper clippings documenting the pornography course taught by the two women at the University of Minnesota Law School (1983).

The rest of the collection contains subject files (1984-1989) on many topics including the Bellingham (Wash.) anti-pornography ordinance (1988-1989) and the St. Paul Pornography Action Task Force (1985-1989). Extensive clippings (1975-1989) from Minnesota, Canadian, and other newspapers document pornography. Of particular interest are two folders of clippings (1984-1985) relating to the Jordan (Minn.) child abuse case.

A small collection of audio-visual materials include photographs (largely undated and only partially identified) of anti-pornography activities in the Twin Cities, and audio and video tapes of meetings, national network television programs such as "60 Minutes" and "The Phil Donohue Show," and similar materials.

RELATED MATERIALS

Additional newsletters (1984-1985) of the organization (Resource Center News) are in the Minnesota Historical Society serials collection.

CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: Abused women--Minnesota. Child abuse--Minnesota--Jordan. Erotic films. Freedom of speech--Minnesota--Minneapolis. Fund raising--Minnesota. Motion picture theaters--Minnesota--Minneapolis. Motion pictures--Minnesota--Minneapolis--Censorship. Municipal government--Indiana--Indianapolis. Municipal government--Minnesota--Minneapolis. Ordinances, Municipal--Indiana--Indianapolis. Ordinances, Municipal--Minnesota--Minneapolis. Ordinances, Municipal--Washington--Bellingham. Pornography--Indiana--Indianapolis. Pornography--Minnesota. Pornography--Washington (State)--Bellingham. Rape--Minnesota--Minneapolis. Sex and law--Minnesota--Minneapolis. Sex in motion pictures--Minnesota. Sex oriented businesses--Minnesota--Minneapolis. Sexual abuse victims--Minnesota. Sexually abused children--Minnesota--Jordan. Women--Minnesota--Minneapolis--Crimes against. Women's rights--Minnesota. Women's shelters--Minnesota. Youth--Minnesota--Sexual behavior. Persons: Barkey, Jeanne. Dworkin, Andrea. Fraser, Donald MacKay, 1924-. MacKinnon, Catherine A. Places: Bellingham (Wash.)--Moral conditions. Indianapolis (Ind.)--Moral conditions. Jordan (Minn.)--Moral conditions. Minneapolis (Minn.). Saint Paul (Minn.). Organizations: Men Against Pornography Task Force (Minneapolis, Minn.). Minneapolis (Minn.). City Council. Minnesota Civil Liberties Union. Ponography Resource Center (Minneapolis, Minn.). St. Paul Pornography Action Task Force (Saint Paul, Minn.). University of Minnesota. Types of Documents: Audio tapes. Photographs. Video recordings. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Organizing Against Pornography. Organizational Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number(s): 14,957

Processing Information:

Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, October 1993

Catalog ID number: 09-00038299

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION 143.B.14.10F 1 Background materials and mission statements, 1984-1986. Bylaws, 1984-1986. Board of directors: Minutes, 1985-1989. 2 folders. Transition team, 1985. Correspondence, 1985-1988. Lists, 1985-1988. Responsibilities, job descriptions, recruiting, applicants, and policies, 1985-1990. Retreats, 1986. Self-evaluation. Committees: Administrative/Personnel, 1987-1988. Personnel, 1985-1987. Organizing, 1986. Programs, 1985-1988. Staff: Minutes (including Steering Committee), 1984-1987. Job descriptions, 1985, 1987. Meetings: Community, April 30, 1985. Forum meeting, April 6, 1988. Planning, 1988-1989. 143.B.14.10F 1 Administrative subject files: Management Assistance Project, 1986-1988. Newsletters, 1987-1988. Priority planning, 1988. Progress report, 1987. Three-Year Program plan, 1987. Financial records: Budgets, 1984-1990. 3 folders. Cash flow projections, 1988-1989. Finance/ Development Committee, 1986-1988. Fund raising: Barkey, Jeanne: Notes, 1987. Church Foundations Funders list, 1986. Donor approaches, 1987. Foundation fund raising letter, 1984. Individual drives, 1985-1989. OAP update, 1986-1988. Peterson, Donna, 1989. Phone bank, 1987. Plans, 1988-1989. RAAP canvass, 1989. Status report, 1987-1988. Steinem, Gloria: Fund raising letter, July 9, 1984. Terry Crowley and Associates, 1987-1988. Foundations: Miscellany, 1987-1988. Miscellaneous financial records, 1979-1985. Grant proposals (1987-1988), request summary (1984-1986), and history and contributors list (1984-1986). Grant proposals: Correspondence and notes, 1988-1989. 143.B.14.10F 1 Grant applications, Approved: American Lutheran Church: Development Assistance Program, 1986-1987. Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation, 1984-1989. Carolyn Foundation, 1988-1989. The B.C. Gamble & P.W. Skogmo Foundation, 1987-1989. General Mills Foundation, 1984-1988. Headwaters Fund, 1984-1985. Minneapolis Foundation, 1985-1989. Minnesota Department of Corrections, 1988-1990. Minnesota Women's Fund, 1984-1985. Ms. Foundation for Women, 1984-1986. National Legal Education Project, 1988-1989. The L.J. Skaggs and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation (including information on the NLEP), 1985-1988. 3 folders. 143.B.14.11B 2 Speaking engagements: Request forms, 1988. Evaluations, 1986-1987. College of St. Thomas, November 1987. Other responses, 1984. Miscellaneous papers, undated. Slide Shows: General: Purchase agreements, 1986-1989. Sales requests, 1986-1988. Slide Shows: Teens: Jeanne Barkey notes, July 1989. Distribution, 1989. Girl Scout Council, Greater St. Croix Valley, [1986?]. High school evaluation: Kathy Anlauf, 1987. Lyrics used in shows, undated. Media reference list: Michael Griffin, April 1989. Miscellaneous working papers, undated. Miscellaneous contracts, undated. Scripts: Oct. 26, 1986-Oct. 12, 1988. 6 folders. Scripts: Sex Rolls for Sale, undated. Slide materials: Advertisements and partially identified materials, undated. 7 folders. Surveys: Community Survey for Organizing Against Pornography: Miscellaneous Materials, 1985-1987. Survey questionnaires by group: Battered women's groups and shelters, neighborhood groups, and sexual assault workers, 1984. 4 folders. Pornography ordinance: Minneapolis: Copies of ordinance and chronology, 1983-1984. Frequently asked questions, by Jane Miller. 143.B.14.11B 2 "Pornography and the Law," by Jeanne Barkey, [1983?]. Correspondence, 1983-1984. Transcripts: Public hearings on ordinances to add pornography as discrimination against women, Sessions 1-3, December 12-13, 1993. 3 folders. Public hearings exhibits, December 12-13, 1983. Brief history of organizing for the ordinance in Minneapolis, by Jan Miller, 1984. Information packet prepared by Alderwoman Charlee Hoyt, 1984. Citizens Against Pornography, 1984. City of Minneapolis Task Force on Pornography: Minutes and related papers, February-May 1984. First Amendment analysis, by Michael Gershon, April 23, 1984. Transcript of hearings, June 7, 1984. Miscellaneous materials, 1984. Disorderly conduct (July 14, 1984) trial: Background materials, 1984-1985. Legal information, 1984-1985. Letters from participants, 1984. Actions: A nonviolent action manual, by William Moyer, 1977-1979. Articles that mentions OAP or are OAP inspired, 1987. Avalon Theatre: Important dates memo, 1985-1987. B. Dalton Bookseller (Playboy and Penthouse), undated. City Hall pornography dump, 1984. Chicago-Lake Bookstore, 1983-1987.

SEE: box 4 for photographs.

Close the Solid Gold Committee, 1989: Minutes and related papers. Demonstrations. Licensing. Mailings. Media coverage: Radio, television, and press. Petitions. Self-promotion. Speech materials. 143.B.14.11B 2 Demonstration Guidelines, undated. Dworkin, Andrea: Press Conference, University of Minnesota Press Club, May 14, 1984. Iowa City: Melissa Farley, 1985-1986. Letters to editors, 1989. McCann, Mary: Speech at "Gunshots" rally, November 9, 1984.

SEE ALSO: Video recording filed in box 4.

Marchiano, Linda: Vigil, December 14, 1986. Meredith Corporation campaign, 1985. Neighborhood anti-pornography campaign, Fall 1984. North Minneapolis Sauna, February 1988. Press conference, July 25, 1985. Protest: Attack on Pornography Resource Center, Nov. 9, 1984. Rialto Theatre to Fine Arts Center demonstration, July 27, 1984. St. Cloud State University sale of adult magazines, 1989. Salo (motion picture) protest, February 17, 1984. 7-11 decision (sale of adult magazines), 1986. Speakouts/vigils: Violence against women, 1987. Special bulletin: Telephone threats to the Pornography Resource Center, Nov. 1985. Speeches Given at Pornography Resource Center Events, 1984. The Story of O (motion picture) protest, 1984. Take Back the Night, 1987-1989. Toronto: Feminist statement, Feb. 5, 1984. Valley Women's Vengeance, Northhampton, Massachusetts, 1988. Voight, Ann: Dakota County pornography campaign, 1985. Wagner, Pete: City Pages advertisement campaign, July 1986. Zoning and Planning Committee, OAP memo, Sept. 30, 1986. 143.B.14.11B 2 Indianapolis pornography ordinance: American Booksellers Association vs. Mayor of Indianapolis: List of briefs. Decision: Judge Sarah E. Baker, Nov. 19, 1984. Opinion: U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh District, Aug. 29, 1985. 143.B.14.12F 3 Amicus curiae briefs: Chalfie, Deborah, March 1, 1985. Hoyt, Charlee, et al (Minn.), Feb. 28, 1985. Marchiano, Linda, July 1984. Neighborhood Task Force (Minn.), Feb. 1985. Interest of Amici Organizations, Jan. 11, 1989. Men Against Pornography Task Force: Minutes, 1984-1986. Workshop, [1984?]. Stoltenberg, John: Correspondence and articles, 1984-1988. Andrea Dworkin materials: "Breaking the Silence: Andrea Dworkin's Discourse on Pornography," by Cindy Jenefsky, M.A. thesis, University of Wisconsin, 1985. Letter to Mayor Fraser, July 5, 1984. Response to Star-Tribune editorial, [1983?]. Flyers: Dworkin's appearances in the Twin Cities, May 1984. Speech to the Upper Midwest men's conference, St. Paul, Oct. 15, 1983. Announcements for speech: "Current Challenges in Confronting Violence Against Women," University of Minnesota, May 12, 1987.

SEE ALSO: audio tape filed in box 4.

Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1984-1989. Catherine A. MacKinnon materials: "Pornography, Reality Not Fantasy" (article), Village Voice, undated. "Women as Women in Law: On Exceptionality," Oct. 4, 1982. Transcript of an interview: MacKinnon and Dr. Edward Donnerstein, Jan. 19, 1984. Response to the New York Times, May 3, 1984. "Not a Moral Issue," Yale Law and Policy Review, Spring 1984. "Pornography Symposium: Through the Eyes of Women," Dworkin and MacKinnon, Feminist Connection, Madison, Wisconsin, Oct./Nov. 1984. Draft of speech transcript: New York workshop for lawyers, Nov. 1984. Speech transcript: National Conference on Women in the Law, New York City, March 24, 1985. Interview with Susan Geiger: "Hurricane Alice" (Minneapolis), 1985. Open Letter to Adrienne Rich, July 1985. 143.B.14.12F 3 Transcript of testimony to the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography: "The Civil Rights Approach to Pornography," July 1985. Letter: J. L. Finch, New Mexico, to MacKinnon, Nov. 19, 1985. Reviews of MacKinnon's book Feminism Unmodified, June 1987. Womyn's Summerfest Celebration, College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, July 24, 1988. Article: "The Issues are Substantial," Dec. 7, [1988?]. "Sexuality, Pornography, and Method: 'Pleasure Under Patriarchy'," Ethics, Jan. 1989. MacKinnon and Dworkin: University of Minnesota Law School Course on pornography. Bibliography, notes, and newspaper clippings, Fall 1983. Feminist theory and analysis: Barkey, Jeanne: Feminist pioneer civil rights legislation, undated. Champion, Cheryl. 1 folder, including 2 items. "Pornography - A New Look at an Old Issue," Report for the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault, undated. Law and Inequality, May 1986. Ellis, Megan: Brief to the Fraser Committee from the Working Group on Sexual Violence: "A Masterpiece of Compromise," May 1985. Miller, Jane: "Civil Rights, Not Censorship," from the Village Voice, Nov. 6, 1984. Stanton, Therese. 1 folder, including 5 items: Transcript of speech by Stanton, undated. "Pornography as War," (speech text), April 16, 1984. "Fighting for our Existence," New York Native, Feb. 25, 1985. Transcript of testimony before the U.S. Commission on Pornography, Chicago, July 24, 1985. Article: "Fast Circle: A Feminist Perspective on the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography," June 1987. 143.B.14.12F 3 Vaughan, Sharon Rice: Letter to Off Our Backs, July 22, 1985. Miscellaneous subject files: Applegate, Colleen and WCCO-TV, 1987. Bellingham, Washington: Anti-pornography ordinance, 1988-1989. Catholic contacts, 1987-1988. Clinic violence, 1984. Conservative mail, 1984. Love Takes Action Committee, Oct. 28, 1988. Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women Conference, Brainerd, Oct. 23, 1986. National Anti-pornography Civil Rights Organization, 1986-1989. National Association of Basketball Coaches of the United States regarding Linnea Smith and Playboy Magazine, May 1986. National Coalition Against Sexual Assault, 1986. National Women's Studies Association, [1988?]. Pornography awareness, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1984-1987. Pornography Victims Protection Act, S703, 1988. St. Paul Pornography Action Task Force, 1985-1989. Women in medicine lecture series, 1987. 143.B.14.12F 3 Other files: Correspondence and miscellaneous papers, 1984-1989. Master copies of OAP publications: Child pornography packet, [1985?]. Dworkin, Andrea: Testimony before the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography, Jan. 22, 1986. Facilitator's guide, 1986. General information packet, undated. Important facts, undated. Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance, 1983. Model anti-pornography law, undated. Philosophy and programs, undated. Reference list, undated. Revised book flyer, 1989. Stoltenberg, John: Speeches and articles, 1981-1984. Newspaper clippings: Minnesota: City Pages, 1983-1986. Equal Time/Gay Liberation Community, 1983-1985. Minneapolis Star and Tribune, 1983-1985. 5 folders. Minnesota Daily, 1981-1986. 2 folders. St. Paul Pioneer Press, 1979-1986. 2 folders. Twin Cities Reader, 1983-1984. Jordan (Minnesota) child sexual abuse case, 1984-1985. 2 folders. Farris Alexander, 1975-1984. Other Minnesota newspapers, 1983-1986. 143.B.14.13B 4 Newspaper clippings (other): Canadian, 1983-1984. New York Times, 1976-1986. Wall Street Journal and USA Today, 1984-1985. Other states, 1981-1986. Unidentified, 1984. Printed materials, undated and 1980-1986. Scrapbook items regarding anti-pornography ordinance and other activities: Snapshots, undated. 1 folder, including 6 items. Correspondence, February-May, 1984. Newspaper clippings, Oct. 1983-Feb. 1984. 2 folders. Audio visual materials: Photographs (mainly of demonstrations against pornographic movie houses and similar activities), undated and 1984 and 1986. 2 folders, including 46 images. Audio tapes: Pornography Task Force, Feb. and March 1984. 93 cassettes. Pornography: "60 Minutes," March 25, 1984 and "Phil Donohue Show," April 9, 1984. 1 cassette. "Pornography, Sexual Violence, and the Civil Rights Approach," Women Against Pornography, November 28, 1984. 2 cassettes. Andrea Dworkin at the University of Minnesota, [May 12, 1987?]. 1 cassette. Video tapes: No. 1: "CBS Morning News," Violence Against Women, December 6, 7, 1984. Jeff Levy's Protest, Channels 4 and 11, undated. No. 2: Channel 4 interviews and reports, 1984. Channel 4 I-Team report on sex abuse charges against Robert Wilson, Faribault, Oct. 1984. Channels 4, 9, and 11: Coverage of the Pornography Resource Center "Gunshots" Rally, November 1984. Channels 4 and 9: Protest against movie "Silent Night, Deadly Deadly Night," undated.