In 2005 Nancy James and I submitted entries into a database that became this book: Feminists Who Changed America 1963-1975. Barbara J Love, editor. Foreword by Nancy F. Cott. University of Illinois Press, Urbana and Chicago, 2006. Nancy purchased two of them and gave me one. In 2018, I'm giving mine to our local library. Here are the entries for: Nancy Ann James and Carol Caroling Geary.
Nancy Ann James
Entry in the book
James, Nancy Ann (1933 - ) (also known as Nancy Pirsig) became aware of the inequities between men and women, in both the civil service and the faculty, while working in a civil service position at the University of Minnesota (1964-1975). In the late 1960s, she was part of a small group of women (faculty and civil service) who formed the Council for University Women's Progress. Welcomed by the administration as an official part of the university's Minneapolis-St. Paul Campus, CUWP improved the lives of women on many fronts.
James also helped rewrite the large civil service manual to make it gender neutral. CUWP encouraged the administration to recognize the problem of sexual harassment and provide training in sexist behavior to supervisors; persuaded the administration to request that all committees include women; encouraged fearful or intimidated women with grievances to confront their supervisors (and provided an escort, if requested); and mediated disputes between individual women and their bosses.
Unfortunately, says James, "It was because of some of these activities that, after several years, the university's attorney persuaded the administration that CUWP was behaving like a house union, which was prohibited by law, and the organization was ordered to disband."
In other work, James wrote the article "From Nothing to Everything Just As It Is, " published in The Divine Mosaic: Women's Images of the Sacred Other (Yes International Publishers, 1994). She has also been active in the peace, civil rights, alternative education and environmental movements in MN and FL, and in 2004, helped start a women's group to discuss political issues and actions that the women might take. James, who holds a B.A. from the University of Minnesota, has two children, one deceased.
Inscription
In 2018 I donated this book to the Coastal Branch Library of Walton County, Florida with the following inscription.
In recognition of Nancy Ann James
- Resident of Walton County from 1991 on.
- Participated in the Walton County Conservation and Land Trust Plan in 1992.
- Active in founding and securing funding for building the Coastal Branch Library. Attended the Booklovers club for years.
- Helped establish and served as president of the South Walton Community Council (SWCC).
- Held annual parties for snowbirds at Cassine Gardens.
- Member of Women's Democratic Party of South Walton.
- Helped start and managed the Emerald Coast Meditation Society in addition to several private book/meditation groups from 2009-2016. Taught meditation and yoga in a prison facility for a few years.
- Helped start a women's group to discuss political issues actions that the women might take.
- With Martin Duffy supported George Frankfurter's idea for the First Monday Salon community group.
Donated by Caroling Wholeo Geary
Notes
Wholeo.net pages for Nancy Ann James.
Carol Caroling Geary
Entry in book
(1934 - ) An artist, Geary dropped out from the mainstream pursuit of a job and family in 1966, having developed an awareness of the need for a women's movement. In 1967, she conceived the idea of a "stained glass lib, entwined with women's lib." She completed the dream artwork "Wholeo Dome," a 14-foot stained glass dome, in 1974. Her article "Liberating the Handmaiden," which explains the rational behind the piece and links it to feminist thought, was published in Glass Magazine in 1977. "Wholeo Dome" was also written about in an article by Phyllis Birkby, "Herspace," published in Heresies II: Making Room, Women and Architecture (1981), and is installed at The Farm School in Summertown, TN. Geary who has two children, was also active in the peace movement. She holds a B.A. (1956) and an M.F.A. (1960) from the University of Minnesota.
Notes
Stained glass lib: Liberating the handmaiden. Wholeo Dome and list.
Herspace: Heresies II: Making Room, Women and Architecture (1981, page 28). See also the Birkby page.
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