Carolyn McDade papers
Scope and Contents
Personal and professional papers, including correspondence, music, writing, and organizational documents.
Dates of Materials
- Creation: 1940 - 2023
Creator
- McDade, Carolyn (1935 June 19) (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for use without restriction beyond the standard terms and conditions of Smith College Special Collections.
Conditions Governing Use
To the extent that she owns copyright, Carolyn McDade has retained copyright, in her works donated to Smith College, until her death or until she notifies Smith College that they own copyright on a stated date. Copyright in other items in this collection may be held by their respective creators. For reproductions of materials that are governed by fair use as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission to cite or publish is required. For those few instances beyond fair use, or which may regard materials in the collection not created by Carolyn McDade, researchers are responsible for determining who may hold materials' copyrights and obtaining approval from them. Researchers do not need anything further from Smith College Special Collections to move forward with their use.
Biographical Note
Born June 19, 1935 to a Southern Baptist family, Carolyn McDade is a feminist, a writer of women's music, and self-described activist. She studied education at Louisiana Tech, where she received her BA in 1957. Once she married and had three daughters, she had to put music to the wayside. McDade picked it up again in 1970 by beginning a series of recording projects. Her song "Spirit of Life" remains popular in the Unitarian Universalist Church. She later began to lead religious workshops and retreats, including at Womancenter, which she co-founded in Massachusetts in 1983. The center closed in 1991 due to financial difficulties. Her activism in the 1980s included involvement with war tax resistance and the establishment of a refugee sanctuary at the Community Church in Boston. She has also been involved in the Unitarian Universalist Women's Federation, the National Assembly of Religious Women, and the Radical Women's Caucus of Unitarian Universalists.
Extent
12.958 linear feet (14 containers)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Born June 19, 1935 to a Southern Baptist family, Carolyn McDade is a feminist, a writer of women's music, and self-described activist. The collection includes personal and professional papers, including correspondence, music, writing, and organizational documents.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
As a preservation measure, researchers must use digital copies of audiovisual materials in this collection. Please consult with Special Collections staff to request the creation of and access to digital copies.
This collection contains materials received from the donor in digital form that are not currently available online. Please consult with Special Collections staff to request access to this digital content.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated to Smith College Special Collections by Carloyn McDade, 2014 and 2023.
Processing Information
The contents of computer media in this collection has been copied to networked storage for preservation and access; the original directory and file structure was retained and file lists were created.
Subject
- Theological Opportunities Program (Organization)
- McDade, Carolyn (1935 June 19) (Person)
Source
- McDade, Carolyn (1935 June 19) (Donor, Person)
Genre / Form
- Account books
- Computer media
- Fliers
- Invoices
- Newsletters
- Notes
- Resumes
- Sheet music
- Videotapes
- Writings
- correspondence
- photographs
Topical
- Audiotapes
- Electronic records
- Feminism -- Religious aspects
- Feminism and music
- Feminist music -- Performances
- Feminist spirituality
- Feminist theology -- United States
- Music -- Manuscripts
- Musicians -- United States -- 20th century
- Newspapers
- Publications
- Religions -- Study and teaching
- Songbooks
- Women and religion
- Women in the music trade
- Women's liberation
- Women's music
- Women's music
- Women's music -- Performances
- Women's music -- Photographs
- Title
- Finding aid to the Carolyn McDade papers
- Status
- Legacy Finding Aid (Updated)
- Author
- Ellice Amanna
- Date
- 2019-11-13
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2017-07-26T17:48:24-04:00: This record was migrated from InMagic DB Textworks to ArchivesSpace.
- 2019-03-15: Finding aid updated to current standards and published
- 2019-11-13: File level inventory added
- 2020-05-27: Description added for born-digital content.
Repository Details
Part of the Sophia Smith Collection of Women's History Repository
