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Norma Lee Feminist Correspondence

 Collection
Identifier: 2008-006

This small collection is housed in 1 box and consists of one series that documents Norma Lee's correspondence concerning activist and feminist activities in the mid to late 1970s. Most notably, the collection contains correspondence from well-known political figures such as Rep. Barbara Jordan. Additionally, you can find correspondence regarding high profile issues and events such the Equal Rights Amendment and the International Women's Year (IWY) National Women's Conference, 1977.

Dates

  • 1975-1979

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Special Collections owns the physical items in our collections, but copyright normally belongs to the creator of the materials or their heirs. The researcher has full responsibility for determining copyright status, obtaining permission to publish from copyright holders, and abiding by current copyright laws when publishing or displaying copies of Special Collections material in print or electronic form. For more information, consult the appropriate librarian. Reproduction decisions will be made by Special Collections staff on a case-by-case basis.

Extent

0.50 linear feet

Biographical Information

Norma Lee was a Houston Area feminist activist born June 1, 1936, in Beeville, TX, to Nell and Marvin Lee. Norma was a graduate of Lamar High School and The University of Colorado at Boulder and received her Masters degree from the University of Houston. After teaching for the U.S. Department of Defense in Germany and Okinawa, Norma spent 38 years as a school librarian for the Houston Independent School District (HISD).

Ms. Lee was very active in her community. She served as a National Organization of Women (NOW) member beginning in 1973, and she also assisted in various activities during the national meeting of NOW in 1974. In 1976, she ran for the position of Democratic Judge for Precinct 32 of the city of Houston and served in that capacity for many years. In addition, Norma was an avid proponent of the Equal Rights Amendment, a Lector, Acolyte, a member of the Altar Guild and New Women's Group of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, a founding member of the Houston Episcopal Women's Caucus Chapter and a delegate from the St. Stephen's to the Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.

Notably, Norma played a role in facilitating the International Women's Year (IWY) National Women's Conference of 1977, which was the first and only national women's conference to be sponsored by the federal government. From November 18 to 21, 1977, over 20,000 people gathered in Houston, Texas to celebrate International Women's Year and identify goals for women for the next decade. Prominent women such as Billie Jean King, Maya Angelou, and Betty Friedan were in attendance. First ladies Rosalyn Carter, Betty Ford, and Lady Bird Johnson attended the event as well.

Ms. Lee passed away on March 28, 2001, and is survived by her partner of 32 years, Ann Robinson.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Ann Robinson, 2008

Related Materials

Creator

Title
Guide to the Norma Lee Feminist Correspondence
Author
Sharleen Guide and Dick Dickerson
Date
2010-03-22
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the University of Houston Libraries Special Collections Repository

Contact:
University of Houston Libraries Special Collections
MD Anderson Library
4333 University Drive
Houston TX 77204-2000 USA
713-743-9750