Manuscripts Collection
There is a good deal of biographical information on Ann Marie Amdahl O'Loughlin (July 30, 1943 - July 15, 1999) in the papers.
The papers include biographical information; correspondence and memoranda; minutes and related meeting and convention materials; membership, mailing, and other lists; speeches, reports, columns, letters to the editor, and other writings; and fliers and brochures, political campaign materials, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and other near-print and print materials. They document O'Loughlin's role as executive board member and president of the GOP Feminist Caucus of Minnesota, active member of the Minnesota Women's Political Caucus, Republican-endorsed candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives, chair or paid staff member of other Republican candidates' campaign committees, and transition team member of a DFL/labor-endorsed mayor-elect of Minneapolis; her personal relationships with prominent Minnesota Republican politicians; and her efforts on behalf of feminist causes.
Also present are personal and family papers that include O'Loughlin's correspondence with family and friends, unbound pages of a World War II era Amdahl family photograph album, and genealogical information.
The papers are arranged in the following five sections: biographical information, women's political organizations, election campaigns and committees, writings, and personal and family papers.
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
Accession number: 15,758
Processed by: Deborah Kahn, October 2005
Catalog ID number: 3730674
Includes a photograph of O'Loughlin, her resum_, a newspaper obituary article, and vital records.
Co-founded by O'Loughlin in June 1973 as GOP Women for Political Effectiveness. The name was changed to GOP Feminist Caucus in January 1975, to GOP Feminist Caucus of Minnesota in February 1986, and (apparently) to GOP Feminist Caucus of Minnesota PAC in 1996. The caucus retained "GOP" in its name during the years (1975-1995) that the Republican Party of Minnesota was known as Independent-Republicans of Minnesota.
O'Loughlin served on the executive board for many years and as president February 1991 - February 1992.
Beginning in 1990, includes meeting materials previously filed separately in the minutes and related papers section (see below).
There are photocopies of newspaper clippings relating to the fashion show, whose proceeds were used to support feminist political candidates, in Box 1 (146.K.9.1B).
Materials relating to executive board meetings, annual membership meetings, and endorsing conventions, including agendas, minutes, financial reports, executive board rosters, mailings, and correspondence.
Includes O'Loughlin's copy of the 1986
Includes the program for the organization's 1989 annual convention, which was held in St. Paul (Minn.).
O'Loughlin was chair of the campaign committee of Independent-Republican (I-R) candidate Arne Carlson's re-election bid for the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 58B.
O'Loughlin was the I-R-endorsed candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 58B. She lost to the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) candidate, Todd Otis.
Includes legal papers relating to O'Loughlin's unsuccessful court challenges of the election outcome in district court and the state supreme court.
O'Loughlin challenged Otis again as the I-R-endorsed candidate in House District 58B and was defeated a second time.
O'Loughlin was volunteer coordinator of I-R gubernatorial candidate Wheelock Whitney's campaign committee.
Sayles Belton, the DFL/labor-endorsed candidate, was elected mayor of Minneapolis in November 1993. The Policy Transition Team, consisting of four subcommittees, was formed to help prepare for Sayles Belton's initial State of the City address and facilitate the transition from campaign concepts to initial actions of the new administration. O'Loughlin was co-chair of the Faith Community/Social Fabric and Family subcommittee.
The papers document the work of the subcommittee, especially O'Loughlin's role in writing the initial drafts and final version of its report.
Primarily with prominent Minnesota Republican politicians.
Topics include politics, the Republican Party, feminism, feminist issues like abortion rights and increased participation of women in politics, feminist heroes like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and what appear to be college assignments.
The album, which begins with photographs of Ann when she was 15 days old, was started by her mother, Marie S. Gilbertson Amdahl, for her father, Orval H. Amdahl, who was serving in World War II when his daughter was born and did not meet her until she was ca. 15 months old. In addition to photographs of Ann and her parents there are photographs of other family members.
Genealogical charts for the Amdahl and O'Loughlin families and autobiographical reminiscences of Thomas and Maxine Coyle O'Loughlin, O'Loughlin's father-in-law and mother-in-law.