Rehousing Women's History Collections at the Virginia Historical Society

FAIN: PG-50105-07

Virginia Museum of History & Culture (Richmond, VA 23220-3307)
E. Lee Shepard (Project Director: May 2006 to March 2009)

The purchase of archival boxes and other preservation containers and supplies to rehouse 75 linear feet of manuscripts related to women's history in Virginia and the American South from the mid-19th century to the 1990s.

The Virginia Historical Society requests support to preserve some 75 linear feet of significant collections of women's papers in its manuscripts holdings. This grant will contribute to an effort to make women's history collections accessible to scholars and other researchers. These materials enrich our understanding of women's history, particularly as it relates to the social, political, economic, legal, racial, and religious study of Virginia, the South, and America from the 19th century. By definition, these manuscript materials are unique and have been prioritized for processing from among a large group of recently acquired manuscripts collections because of their scope and important content. Many of the manuscripts are threatened or unstable and a major part of preparing them for use by scholars involves critical preservation care.