Miriam Butterworth Papers

Collection

Identifier: 2008-0060

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The collection contains correspondence, clippings, notes, photographs, artifacts, and memoirs regarding Miriam Butterworth's life and activism in local, state, and national campaigns from 1935-2008. Topics include Mrs. Butterworth's life, her career in education, Squam Lake, New Hampshire, and her political activism in presidential and senatorial campaigns, anti-war movements, the Caucus of Connecticut Democrats (CCD),the Sane/Freeze campaign against nuclear proliferation, West Hartford Town Council, and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).

Dates

1935-2011

Access

The collection is open and available for research.

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from both the University of Connecticut Libraries and the owner(s) of the copyright.

Biography

Miriam Brooks Butterworth, educator and political activist, was born on April 14, 1918. She graduated from Chaffee School in 1936 and received a Bachelors Degree from Connecticut College for Women in 1940 and a Masters Degree in 1959 from Wesleyan University in 1959. She married Oliver Butterworth in 1940; they raised four children together. Her experience studying in Nazi Germany in 1938 inspired Mrs. Butterworth to live a life of public service and political activism. She began her professional career as a teacher and later became active in many different political movements, including presidential campaigns, senatorial campaigns, the Freeze campaign to stop the production of nuclear arms, and various movements to increase the general public's voice in politics. She has served as a Eugene McCarthy delegate at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, PUCA commissioner, the West Hartford Town Council member, temporary president of Hartford College for Women, and West Hartford, Connecticut town historian.

Extent

5 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The collection contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, notes, photographs, artifacts, and memoirs regarding Miriam Butterworth's life and activism, as well as her participation in local, state, and national politics.

Arrangement

Series I: Personal Papers (1935-2008) contains correspondence, memoirs, notes, and newspaper and periodical clippings concerning Miriam Butterworth's life. Clippings and correspondence are arranged chronologically. Other documents are arranged alphabetically by subject.

Series II: Subject Files (1963-2005) contains correspondence, clippings, and notes concerning Mrs. Butterworth's career in political activism. Clippings and correspondence are arranged chronologically. Other documents are arranged alphabetically by subject.

Series III: Photographs (1962-2000) contains photographs arranged chronologically.

Series IV: Oversized Materials (1936-2005)contains oversized materials arranged alphabetically.

Acquisition Information

The Miriam Butterworth Papers were donated to Archives & Special Collections in 2008 by Miriam Butterworth.

Related Material

Archives & Special Collections has a substantial collection of materials pertaining to Connecticut politics, as well as anti-war activism. For detailed information on these collections please contact the curator or ask at the Reading Room desk.

Subjects

City councils Subject Source: Fast
Clippings (information artifacts) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Connecticut (state) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
Correspondence Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Maps (documents) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Notebooks Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Peace Subject Source: Fast
Peace movements Subject Source: Fast
Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Political participation Subject Source: Fast
Squam Lake (lake) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
United States (nation) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
West Hartford (inhabited place) Subject Source: Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
Women Subject Source: Fast
manuscripts (document genre) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus