]> org_nc_panelofamericanwomen Finding Aid of the North Carolina Panel of American Women Records, 1967 - 1974 Processed by: James O. Sorrell; machine-readable finding aid created by: Fran Tracy-Walls &hdrNcDncsa; 2007 Machine-readable finding aid derived from XML authoring program. Date of source: October, 2002 Description is in English July, 2007 Moved from v.1 to v.2002 by Ashley Yandle Finding Aid of the North Carolina Panel of American Women Records, 1967 - 1974 North Carolina State Archives &tpNcDncsa; Descriptive Summary North Carolina State Archives. North Carolina Panel of American Women. North Carolina Panel of American Women Records, 1967 - 1974 Org.136 Materials in English 2 For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Public Services Branch, North Carolina State Archives. The Panel of American Women began in 1956 as a group of four women from different ethnic and religious backgrounds in Kansas City, Missouri. The Panel used the format of presentation and discussion to increase awareness of prejudice, discrimination, and racism. An overriding purpose of the group was to foster better race relations after the initial moves in the 1950s toward integration. A North Carolina Panel was established in Raleigh by 1968. The records of the North Carolina Panel of American Women consist largely of written questions from audience members to the panel, audience evaluations of and comments on panel presentations, and thank you letters and other correspondence concerning appearances before local groups. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Available for research.

Copyright is retained by the authors of these materials, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law (Title 17 US Code). Individual researchers are responsible for using these materials in conformance with copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Org.136, North Carolina Panel of American Women Records, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC, USA.

Acquisitions Information

Received as a gift from Bettye Martin, Sanford, N.C., on November 3, 1994; accessioned on November 17, 1994.

Processing Information

Processed by James O. Sorrell, December, 1994

Encoded by Fran Tracy-Walls, October, 2002

Historical Note

The Panel of American Women began in 1956 as a group of four women from different ethnic and religious backgrounds in Kansas City, Missouri. The Panel used the format of presentation and discussion to increase awareness of prejudice, discrimination, and racism. An overriding purpose of the group was to foster better race relations after the initial moves in the 1950s toward integration. From a small group in Kansas City, the Panel of American Women grew into a national movement with chapters in various states.

A North Carolina Panel was established in Raleigh by 1968. The premise of the Panel was that prejudice and intolerance toward minority groups are primarily the result of misunderstanding and lack of exposure. The Panel hoped to help overcome this by having each woman on the panel discuss in its presentations to civic, school, religious, and other groups how racial or religious prejudice had affected her life and how she had reacted to it.

Collection Overview

The records of the North Carolina Panel of American Women consist largely of written questions from audience members to the panel, audience evaluations of and comments on panel presentations, and thank you letters and other correspondence concerning appearances before local groups. They date from 1967 to 1974.

Collection Arrangement

This collection is organized into 3 series: Correspondence, Organizational, and General Records; Photographs, Clippings, and Scrapbook Materials; and Panel Presentation Materials.

Online Catalog Headings

These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.

Subject Terms Civil rights--United States. Civil rights workers--North Carolina. North Carolina Panel of American Women. Panel of American Women. Women--Societies and clubs--North Carolina. Related Collections

Additional information on topics found in this collection may be found in the Manuscript and Archives Reference System (MARS) http://www.ncarchives.dcr.state.nc.us.

See also: A description of the records of the National Panel of American Women can be found at http://www.umkc.edu/whmckc/Collections/I0834KC.htm. This collection is housed at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Kansas City, Missouri. Container List Correspondence, Organizational, and General Records, 1968-1973, n.d. 1 Handbook and General Information Correspondence: National and Regional Coordinator, 1968-1973 Photographs, Clippings, and Scrapbook Materials, 1968-1973, n.d. Newspaper and Magazine Clippings, 1967-1973, n.d. Scrapbook Materials Panel Presentation Correspondence and Materials, 1967-1974, n.d. Correspondence, 1967-1974 Questions to the Panel 1967-1970, n.d. 1974 2 n.d. Panel Evaluations and Comments, Shaw University, 1970 Panel Evaluations and Comments, Sanderson High School, 1971 Panel Evaluations and Comments, n.d.