<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><ead xmlns="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9 https://www.loc.gov/ead/ead.xsd"><eadheader countryencoding="iso3166-1" dateencoding="iso8601" langencoding="iso639-2b" repositoryencoding="iso15511"><eadid countrycode="US" mainagencycode="US-WvMtURHC" url="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/256309">A&amp;M 4668</eadid><filedesc><titlestmt><titleproper>Feminism and Women's Advocacy Collection <num>A&amp;M 4668</num></titleproper><author>Staff of the West Virginia and Regional History Center</author></titlestmt><publicationstmt><publisher>West Virginia and Regional History Center</publisher><p id="logostmt"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://host.lib.wvu.edu/images/logos/wvrhc.jpg" xlink:show="embed" xlink:type="simple"/></p><address><addressline>1549 University Ave. </addressline><addressline> P.O. Box 6069 </addressline><addressline>Morgantown, WV 26506-6069</addressline><addressline>Business Number: 304-293-3536</addressline><addressline>wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.com</addressline><addressline>URL: <extptr xlink:href="https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu" xlink:show="new" xlink:title="https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu" xlink:type="simple"/></addressline></address></publicationstmt></filedesc><profiledesc><creation>This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on <date>2025-08-30 08:16:33 -0400</date>.</creation><langusage>Description is written in: <language langcode="eng" scriptcode="Latn">English, Latin script</language>.</langusage><descrules>Describing Archives: A Content Standard</descrules></profiledesc></eadheader><archdesc level="collection">
  <did>
    <repository>
      <corpname>West Virginia and Regional History Center</corpname>
    </repository>
    <unittitle>Feminism and Women's Advocacy Collection</unittitle>
    <origination label="source">
      <persname role="dnr" source="ingest">Kiger, Meredith E.</persname>
    </origination>
    <origination label="Creator">
      <corpname role="cre" source="ingest">Marshall University. Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Gender in Appalachia</corpname>
    </origination>
    <origination label="Creator">
      <corpname role="com" source="ingest">West Virginia University. West Virginia and Regional History Collection</corpname>
    </origination>
    <unitid>A&amp;M 4668</unitid>
    <unitid type="ark">
      <extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/256309" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref>
    </unitid>
    <unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/resources/7072</unitid>
    <physdesc altrender="part">
      <extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">0.54 Linear Feet</extent>
      <extent altrender="carrier">1 flat storage box 3 in.; 1 flat storage box, 1 in; 1 document case, 2.5 in.</extent>
    </physdesc>
    <physdesc altrender="part">
      <extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">1.973 Gigabytes</extent>
      <extent altrender="carrier">1 .wav file, 1. mov file, and 2 .docx files</extent>
    </physdesc>
    <unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1989/2022" type="inclusive">1989-2022 and undated</unitdate>
    <abstract id="aspace_ac824092e931549e78d7ae050e731951">The collection contains a compilation of materials related to feminism and donated to the West Virginia and Regional History Center (WVRHC). It includes material from the West Virginia University (WVU) Female Equality Movement (FEM), March for Women's Equality and Women's Lives on 1989 April 09 in Washington, D.C., Marshall University's Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Gender in Appalachia, as well as two oral history intervies of Mildred Fizer and Shefa Nola Benoit.</abstract>
    <physloc id="aspace_32cd4591a0e5c6434c564e87b6380576">West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536  / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/</physloc>
    <langmaterial>
      <language langcode="eng" scriptcode="Latn">English</language>
.    </langmaterial>
  </did>
  <accessrestrict id="aspace_8e774a44d0bd2eb3c7ba1c42ad29b052">
    <head>Conditions Governing Access</head>
<p>No special access restriction applies.</p><p>
Researchers may access born digital materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia &amp; Regional History Center reference department at https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc.</p>  </accessrestrict>
  <acqinfo id="aspace_149c757391a670559a35b39db0ce41ba">
    <head>Immediate Source of Acquisition</head>
<p>From Marshall University, Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Gender in Appalachia (CSEGA), 2002</p><p>From Meredith E. Kiger, 2022 March 02</p><p>Gift from Anna Rachel Terman, 2022 March 18</p><p>From Combs, Ethan and Moore, Elisabeth, 2022</p>  </acqinfo>
  <bioghist id="aspace_078547a58ee16f654c09b664eb7cd3b8">
    <head>Biographical / Historical</head>
<p>The Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Gender in Appalachia (CSEGA) is at Marhsall University in Huntington, West Virginia, and focused on promoting research on Appalachia's diversity. It was founded in 1996 and hosted its first conference at Marshall University in 2000. As of 2025, the CSEGA sponsors the Sarah Denman Faces of Appalachia Fellowship Award to support scholarship on gender and ethnicity in Appalachia. </p><p>The March for Women's Equality and Women's Lives was a mass gathering and march sponsored by the National Organization for Women (NOW) on 1989 April 09  in Washington, D.C. in response to Missouri anti-abortion laws pending in the Supreme Court and former President George H.W. Bush's administration aligning itself with the anti-abortion movement in calling for the reversal of <title>Roe v. Wade</title>. The march was attended by roughly 600,000 protestors from around the country, including activists from West Virginia. </p><p>The West Virginia University (WVU) Female Equality Movement (FEM) was a student organization formed prior to 1993 by WVU Center for Women's Studies (CWS) employee Mary Beth Garvin that focuesd on issuing affecting women on the WVU campus. It was best known for co-sponsoring the Take Back the Night events to raise awareness of sexual assault, domestic violence, and safety concerns on WVU campus. The organization was renamed the Gender Equality Movement (GEM) sometime prior to 2012. The organization has no official date of closure but its presence was significantly lessened by 2012.</p><p>Mildred Fizer was born in Culloden, West Virginia, in 1921 and is best known for her work with 4-H in her home state. She worked as the county 4-H agent in Cabbel County, West Virginia from 1946 to 1953 before moving on to serve as the Girls Club Agent at the state level until 1966. In 1966, Fizer became the head of the West Virginia Division of 4-H, making her the first woman to lead a division at the state level. She retired in 1978, whereupon she remained active in volunteer organizations in the Morgantown, West Virginia area.</p><p>Shefa Nola Benoit is the project coordinator for the Mountain Heritage Trails project in West Virginia. Mountain Heritage Trails, Inc. is a nonprofit based in Mathias, West Virginia and dedicated to preserving Appalchian culture and promoting community learning through folkways and local histories. </p>  </bioghist>
  <prefercite id="aspace_ba6d69e031ff3f932e289cc920310869">
    <head>Preferred Citation</head>
<p>[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Feminism and Women's Advocacy Collection, A&amp;M 4668, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.</p>  </prefercite>
  <scopecontent id="aspace_0a0626225abda8302f5b12597d09faf4">
    <head>Scope and Contents</head>
<p>The collection contains a compilation of materials related to feminism and donated to the West Virginia and Regional History Center (WVRHC). </p><p>The collection is a living collection and may continuously be added to as relevant materials are gifted, donated, or transferred to the WVRHC. </p><p>The collection is divided into two series:</p><p>Series 1. Artifacts and Papers</p><p>Series 2. Oral History Interviews</p>  </scopecontent>
  <userestrict id="aspace_d04d0dd31ed46e8bbb92d5bda7087831">
    <head>Conditions Governing Use</head>
<p>Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the <a href="https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/visit/permissions-and-copyright" target="_blank">Permissions and Copyright page</a> on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.</p>  </userestrict>
  <controlaccess>
    <subject source="local">West Virginia Feminist Activist Collection</subject>
    <subject authfilenumber="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh89002922" source="lcsh">Women political activists</subject>
    <subject authfilenumber="https://lccn.loc.gov/n50063455" source="lcsh">National Organization for Women (NOW)</subject>
    <subject source="ingest">West Virginia University - Student organizations.</subject>
    <subject authfilenumber="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85147765" source="lcsh">Women's rights</subject>
    <subject authfilenumber="http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh2023000618" source="lcsh">Activism</subject>
    <subject source="local_LC">4-H clubs -- West Virginia</subject>
    <persname role="dnr" source="ingest">Kiger, Meredith E.</persname>
    <corpname role="hst" source="ingest">Marshall University. Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Gender in Appalachia</corpname>
  </controlaccess>
  <dsc><c id="aspace_47cd9bd809719b57e2c5126ed6cb2331" level="series"><did><unittitle>Series 1. Artifacts and Papers</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/265854" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/archival_objects/240375</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1989/2022" type="inclusive">1989-2022 and undated</unitdate></did><c id="aspace_bda3ac3e40897cbcfb36c7a665701496" level="item"><did><unittitle>West Virginia Feminist Equality Movement (FEM) Felt Banner for the 2004 March for Women's Lives</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/257691" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/archival_objects/232228</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="2004/2004">2004</unitdate><container id="aspace_c53cc8b05550767ee6d868f7f898704b" label="Mixed Materials" type="Box">1</container><container id="aspace_93220d775eec5c154a5fd12ed8e031f9" parent="aspace_c53cc8b05550767ee6d868f7f898704b" type="Item">1</container></did></c><c id="aspace_27f02cee0d314156aa316e7c50a4effe" level="item"><did><unittitle>WV FEM Banner for the 2004 March for Women's Lives Styrofoam Panel</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/257692" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/archival_objects/232229</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="2022/2022">2022</unitdate><container id="aspace_16df58cafbee790a9c17902000a15e06" label="Mixed Materials" type="Box">1</container><container id="aspace_988a3ff0a3eeaa4d49d8e130074290e7" parent="aspace_16df58cafbee790a9c17902000a15e06" type="Item">2</container></did></c><c id="aspace_133fa96d66e5f1416f5a46b0b32c4393" level="item"><did><unittitle>March for Women's Equality and Women's Lives in Washington, D.C. Pin</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/257693" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/archival_objects/232230</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1989-04-09/1989-04-09">1989 April 09</unitdate><container id="aspace_abacb9ad8b44de531283310bb6a5ad22" label="Mixed Materials" type="Box">2</container><container id="aspace_a94edb614175a1ab2db0ef338a87325b" parent="aspace_abacb9ad8b44de531283310bb6a5ad22" type="Item">1</container></did></c><c id="aspace_7dc438e181e126192b929ab5d0cc1d46" level="file"><did><unittitle>Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Gender in Appalachia (CSEGA) - Conference</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/257694" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/archival_objects/232231</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="2000/2000">2000 and undated</unitdate><container id="aspace_c3c0c73a70dc780b09c6327546a4e787" label="Mixed Materials" type="Box">3</container><container id="aspace_c52566516ce7f6a94621a85a3acb4870" parent="aspace_c3c0c73a70dc780b09c6327546a4e787" type="Folder">1</container></did></c></c><c id="aspace_c77d570a15bd5e4f8c3d0aef5bd8481f" level="series"><did><unittitle>Series 2. Oral History Interviews</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/263822" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/archival_objects/238344</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="2021-09-10/2021-09-19" type="inclusive">2021 September 10-2021 September 19 and undated</unitdate></did><c id="aspace_4fa4ca2cf4ef6ceadf2eb0d57afaa6f9" level="file"><did><unittitle>Mildred Fizer Oral History Interview</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/265855" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/archival_objects/240376</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="2021-09-19/2021-09-19">2021 September 19 and undated</unitdate></did></c><c id="aspace_9ec0e3b7fc8fde0769d0788b8833c82b" level="file"><did><unittitle>Shefa Nola Benoit Oral History Interview</unittitle><unitid type="ark"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/265856" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref></unitid><unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/2/archival_objects/240377</unitid><unitdate datechar="creation" normal="2021-09-10/2021-09-13" type="inclusive">2021 September 10-2021 September 13</unitdate></did></c></c></dsc>
</archdesc>
</ead>