University Library News

During the 2023-2024 academic year, GSU Women’s/Gender and Sexuality Collections Archivist Morna Gerrard and Graduate Research Assistant Tiffany Gray partnered with donors Suzanne Donner, Anne Deeley Easterly, and Joy Rogers to plan and complete a detailed history of Feminist Action Alliance (ACTION). The Feminist Action Alliance was established in 1973 by young feminist women in Atlanta who wanted to actively make change and improve the lives of women by advancing the full participation of women in social, political and economic institutions. During its lifetime, ACTION developed and delivered diverse programmatic solutions, nurtured significant partnerships, fostered the development of other organizations, and built media relationships to educate, advance and advocate for change.  Feminist Action Alliance was active until 1984, by which time, many of its members had moved into highly successful professional careers.

The history is now complete and a research guide has been developed to provide access to interviews with past members, digitized newsletters, lists of past officers, members, and events, as well as links to finding aids for related collections at GSU and other institutions. Below are reflections of some of the women who dedicated much time and energy into bringing the Feminist Action Alliance history to life.

Reflections from Morna Gerrard, Archivist, Women’s / Gender and Sexuality Collections

In March 2023, I attended a fiftieth anniversary party for members of Feminist Action Alliance, an organization that was run by young feminists in Georgia from 1973-1985. The event was organized by past presidents Anne Deeley Easterly, Suzanne Donner, and Joy Rogers, and it was held at Anne’s home. Many years ago, Anne donated her papers to the Women’s Collections, and she was interviewed for the Georgia Women’s Movement Oral History Project. Anne also sustained the Women’s Collections by establishing an endowment an to support the work that I do. More recently, Anne became a member of Georgia State University’s Women’s Philanthropy Network, and in that capacity, she requested to be the organization’s liaison to the Collections.

At that anniversary event, surrounded by enthusiastic peers who were reminiscing about their experiences with “ACTION”, Anne and I talked about the possibility of raising funds to hire a graduate research assistant to do a deep history of the organization. Initially we requested (and were granted) funds by the Women’s Philanthropy Network, but those funds would not be available in time to hire a student during the anniversary year. So, Anne, Suzanne, and Joy set about raising the funds through donations from ACTION members. I hired an outstanding Graduate Research Assistant, Tiffany Gray, who had just completed her master’s in Rhetoric and Composition at GSU and was going straight into her PhD. Tiffany’s interests lie with women’s voices – particularly those of Mormon women. She plans to work with a Mormon Women’s oral history project and conduct interviews of her own, so her being selected for this position was perfect timing.

In August 2023, Tiffany and I met with Anne, Suzanne, and Joy, who committed to be our advisors throughout the creative process. We made a plan, created a timeline, and got down to work. Tiffany began her research in the collections at GSU, and I reached out to the archivists at Emory University to ask if we could borrow the official ACTION records that are in their custody.  We scheduled 14 oral history interviews that were mostly conducted by Tiffany, and I arranged for materials to be digitized. I created a research guide that would be a landing page for all information and materials related to the project, including the history, images, transcripts, and lists of officers and members. Future researchers have been gifted an amazing resource in this content, and I look forward to seeing how it will be used.

This experience has been incredibly rewarding. Archivists know their collections pretty well, but they don’t always get to know the deep history hidden in those records. They also don’t normally get to collaborate in such meaningful ways with their donors, or with our students. Between working with the records, listening in on the interviews, and talking with our advisors, I learned just how focused, organized, and dynamic this group of young women were, and continue to be.  I also had the pleasure of watching Tiffany thrive through this process. Together, I believe that we mirrored the way that ACTION members worked so purposefully fifty years ago.

Reflections From Tiffany Gray, Graduate Research Assistant

In July 2023, I applied for a Graduate Research Assistant position to work in GSU’s Special Collections on a women’s centric project. However, two weeks later, Morna contacted me and asked if I would instead be interested in working on a different kind of project that involved an opportunity to work directly with donors, conducting oral histories, and spending a year researching and compiling a full history about Feminist Action Alliance. I jumped at the opportunity – especially because this project fit so perfectly with my PhD dissertation research that I’m conducting for an oral history collection about Mormon Women based out of California.

Over the last year I’ve had the chance to train as an oral history interviewer, conduct 11 of the 14 scheduled interviews, and dive into researching Feminist Action Alliance. Along the way, I learned so many things about archival work that I didn’t know. First, archival work is both personal and professional. My time in the archives and conducting interviews affected me personally as I learned about the amazing work and lives of the women of ACTION. Not only was the work about gathering material and organizing everything into a historical account, but it was about me growing professionally as an academic and researcher.

Second, the archive research journey is just that…it’s a journey. Every box, every folder, every document and image told a story about Feminist Action Alliance. Sometimes the story was chronological and easy to follow, and other times pieces were hidden in a folder that didn’t match the description but was essential to giving a more complete accounting of ACTION’s history. Reading through the boxes, both in the GSU women’s collections and on loan from Emory University, I’ve seen how an archival story unfolds by showing what people and organizations prioritized. I’ve learned that records hold clues to the past, and for ACTION, their records show strong, determined women interested in promoting women’s equality through professional engagement and thoughtful community outreach.

Above all, this experience has been about getting to know the women of Feminist Action Alliance and telling their story in a positive and reflective way. The opportunity to work directly with donors Anne Easterly, Suzanne Donner, and Joy Rogers of Feminist Action Alliance is unique – graduate students don’t usually have the chance to work directly with their patrons in an academic environment. Therefore, as a graduate research assistant experience, the triad partnership of myself working with Morna from Special Collections and the women of Feminist Action Alliance represents a novel archival research experience, one that, if given the opportunity, all graduate students interested in archival research and methodologies should find a way to embrace when those opportunities come along. The experience provides researchers not only needed archival training, but also the chance to get to know – really know – the people and organizations they are studying. I’m so grateful Morna offered me the opportunity to go on this journey with her and the wonderful women of ACTION; the experience has been so rewarding in more ways than I can count.

Reflections From Anne Deeley Easterly, Long-term Donor and Project Advisor

My thoughts about the year-long project are many. First, I have gained a profound respect and appreciation of the professionalism of archivists and academics. Morna and Tiffany are two of the most professional and enthusiastic women I have ever encountered. They kept us focused and clearly on target to complete the project. At the same time, I got a glimpse of the pace at which academia crawls. Morna is a skilled negotiator. She craftfully navigated through ‘the system’ to not only collect and archive all of the records at Georgia State, but also secured the valuable records owned by Emory. For her next project, I nominate her to achieve peace in the Middle East.

One year ago 17 of the original members of the Feminist Action Alliance had a 50th reunion. It was one of the most fun, boisterous and exciting afternoons ever.  Three members flew in from out of state. Six from all over the US, plus Alicia from Portugal, participated by Zoom.  The vibe in the room and enthusiasm from the Zoomers about how ACTION had influenced each of our lives and our community was remarkable.  At that meeting, we decided to create a legacy and history of this remarkable organization. ACTION was the right outlet for bright, problem-solving young feminists just starting careers.

My involvement was one of the most formative experiences in my life. Today, I credit ACTION with my business success and leadership skills I formed. In addition, my involvement resulted in many long-lasting friendships and my prolonged commitment to the advancement of women. The original members went on the have remarkable careers. Three earned their PhD’s, two graduated law school.  Many earned MBAs and had successful corporate careers in Atlanta, DC and Boston. One was a nationally recognized philanthropic thought leader. Two of the original members, Heather Fenton and Janet Rechtman, and I were successful business builders and partners. Others also created successful businesses. Many married and raised enlightened children. Most have continued a life working for social justice. From our initial springboard, much was achieved.

After the reunion, Joy Rogers, Suzanne Donner, and I formed a volunteer advisory committee to help Morna create the history.  We shared documents, offered background information, found old members, created content and identified people in grainy photos.  A highlight of this effort was a trip to Florida to retrieve papers and talk to Peg Nugent, the founding President.  She has had remarkable career and is enjoying a well-deserved retirement.
Just like old times, Suzanne, Joy and I worked as a team.  Suzanne provided the structure and flow charts and detailed work sheets.  Joy scoured the internet to locate and reach out to many of the original members. She also had preserved boxes of records, which we spent a day working through, cataloging and laughing over. I raised the money, edited and served as cheerleader.
My sincere thanks goes to Morna, Tiffany, Georgia State and our donors for making this project possible.

Reflections From Suzanne Donner, New Donor and Project Advisor

While individual ACTION members stayed in touch, many years had passed since a group gathered as we did in the spring of 2023. We had a great time reminiscing during that 50th anniversary celebration – learning about the paths people had taken since ACTION, their professional and personal successes, wonderful children and grandchildren, and continuing community activism. We poured over ACTION artifacts that individuals brought to the celebration – posters, pamphlets, newsletters, news clippings, and photos – marveling over some of ACTION’s accomplishments; generally, deciding we looked ok in those photos – even given our 70’s – 80’s outfits and hairdos. It was evident ACTION had a distinctive place in our hearts and minds. The legacy history project was launched to capture the distinctive culture and impact of ACTION. Anne, Joy and I were advisors, working to support Morna and Tiffany.

Reliving and Reframing ACTION’s Impact:
As Morna and Tiffany shared insights from oral history interviews, documents and images reviewed, I found myself re-living personal experiences, largely fondly, and gaining an deeper understanding of the arc of ACTION from its founding to its programmatic and membership peak to its dissolution. The process provided me with a broader historical period and geographic context for framing ACTION’s objectives and successes. Atlanta was a growing and supportive place for young women like us during the 70s and 80s – who were part of the “Second-Wave Feminist” movement.

Another Successful Action Undertaking:
For me, working on the history project was truly ACTION-like. We agreed on objectives; a plan was developed and executed; and results were delivered on time. We respected what each person brought to the effort, listened to various perspectives, learned from each other, and enjoyed each other’s company. To quote Morna’s blog…”together I believe that we mirrored the way ACTION members worked together so purposefully fifty years ago…”

On May 5th, 2024, ACTION members gathered again in person and virtually, with women Zooming in from all over the U.S. and Portugal. Morna and Tiffany led a discussion of the project results, the documented history, and the extensive research artifacts available as a result of the project. Everyone was very appreciative of the efforts of Morna and Tiffany, happy to have participated, and impressed with the comprehensive telling of ACTION’s story.

Later that week, I had lunch with Maurie Freed, a member who wasn’t able to join either spring gathering. Maurie was a key contributor to ACTION’s career day and career development programs for high school girls and training programs for women in the workplace. We hadn’t seen each other in years – but that really didn’t matter. Before ordering, we briefly ran through 30 to 40 years’ worth of personal, career and family events − finding we had both been fortunate in many ways. We then slipped into a conversation about the world for women in the U.S. today – including for Maurie’s daughter and granddaughter and my nieces – and our pleasure with the many changes for the better that have taken hold. While admittedly concerned over regressions on several fronts, we are confident progress will ultimately continue. We departed the restaurant; two optimistic, “Second-Wave Feminists” with a unbroken bond, gladly reaffirmed after all these years.