Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

The Virginia League for Planned Parenthood Archives, 1935-2004. Accession M333, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University

Historical Information

The Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, Inc. received its charter from the State Corporation Commission in 1940, two years before the national organization changed its name from the Birth Control Federation of America to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. The founders of the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood include Ellen Harvie Smith, President of the Virginia Tuberculosis Association; Mrs. Fred Alexander, Chairman of Health and Welfare for the Virginia Federation of Women's Clubs; Douglas Southall Freeman, historian and editor of the Richmond News-Leader; Coleman Baskerville, architect; and Dr. H. Hudnall Ware, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical College of Virginia. The organization dedicated its early efforts to education and advocacy for family planning and women's health. In 1975, the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood opened a clinic that offered health services to women and adolescents using a sliding fee scale. Since 1994, the clinic has offered first- trimester abortions. Reproductive health care and education for men and women of all ages continues to be a central focus of the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood.

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of publications, histories, newspaper clippings, letters to the editor, Richmond City proclamations, photographs, scrapbooks, and ephemera. The materials range in date from 1935-2004. The scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings and publications.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by format: papers; photographs; items from photo albums; city proclamations and miscellaneous; scrapbooks; and ephemera. The papers, photographs, city proclamations, and ephemera are organized alphabetically and chronologically therein. The items from photo albums were removed from their original photo albums for the purpose of preservation. The items are grouped by photo album and are numbered to reflect their original order. The scrapbooks are arranged chronologically.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Family planning -- Virginia -- Richmond.
• Family planning services -- Archives. -- Virginia -- Richmond
• Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, Inc
• Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, Inc
• Women's health services -- Virginia -- Richmond.