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Women's Studies

This LibGuide represents an overview of selected primary manuscript sources in Special Collections. The collections represent women whose achievements have already attracted attention as well as those whose contributions have been less visible.
Image of University students on steps of building
Cartoon of woman ironing
Image of group of women

About this guide

The University of Arkansas Special Collections holds a substantial number of collections related to women's history and women's studies. This guide provides both published materials held by the division, as well as manuscript collections. Manuscript collections in this guide include family and personal papers, records documenting women's experiences at the University of Arkansas, records documenting clubs, community organizations, and professional organizations, as well as records documenting women's participation in agricultural extension education, and in politics at the local, state, and federal level.

The rare books collection also includes several significant titles authored by women spanning nearly 500 years. Subjects from women authors in rare books range from poetry and treatises on women in society from Renaissance era Europe to landmark works of fiction and writing on abolitionism and suffrage by activists and social reformers. 

This guide has been adapted from an earlier guide, published in 1989 by Andrea E. Cantrell, former Head of Research Services. Please see the PDF below for a copy of this earlier guide.

The guide is meant to provide a starting point for research into topics related to women's history and women's studies-- it is not a comprehensive listing of all materials related to these topics held by the University of Arkansas Special Collections.