Montana Feminist History Project Oral History Interviews, 2000-2004

Dolly Browder describes her family’s labor background which influenced her non-conformist attitudes and involvement in political and social justice causes. She talks about forming the first all-women forest fire fighting crew called the Red Star and actively participating in 1970s women’s consciousness raising groups. Browder recalls how she became a midwife, the battle to attain legal status for midwifery in Montana, and training new midwives. Browder concludes by describing her activities in organizations such as the University of Montana Women’s Resource Center, Women’s Place, and MANA (Midwives Alliance of North America).

Diane Sands describes growing up in the 1960s. She talks about the social and political upheaval during that time related to issues such as including race, gender inequality, religion, and feminism. She explains how consciousness-raising groups functioned in Missoula and other Montana towns. Sands also discusses the tension between University of Montana administrators and radical groups on campus. She concludes by recalling the growth of the Women’s Center on campus and the founding of Women’s Studies program.

Judy Smith describes attending college during the 1960s. She talks about her involvement with the Women’s Resource Center on the University of Montana campus as well as Blue Mountain Clinic and WORD [Women’s Opportunity and Resource Development] in Missoula, Montana. Smith concludes the interview by discussing her thoughts on the evolution of feminism and the feminist movement.

Linda Smith describes serving in the Peace Corps and her introduction to feminist and underground publications. She explains her initial interest in printing, working first for an alternative press in Texas and then establishing Mountain Moving Press in Missoula, Montana. Smith discusses her involvement in WORD [Women’s Opportunity and Resource Development]. She talks about developing an interest in community building and organization in relation to growth management, open space, and neighborhood councils. Smith concludes by describing her involvement with In Other Words, a Missoula, Montana feminist forum radio show on NPR, and her concerns about how to encourage young women to become politically active.

Sandanho Danison talks about her decision to become a midwife and her midwifery training at The Maternity Center in El Paso, Texas. She relates her experiences as a midwife in Missoula, Montana, detailing her relationships with both mothers and doctors. Danison weighs the pros and cons of children’s vaccines and describes the importance of individuals taking responsibility for their own health. She concludes by discussing the future of midwifery.

Kate Kahan discusses her midwife experiences and describes how they empowered her as a woman and led her to attend college. She talks about her leadership roles in the Women’s Center at the University of Montana. Kahan explains the evolution of and controversy surrounding the “Take Back the Night” event on campus. She concludes by describing her work with WEEL [Working for Equality and Economic Liberation].

Willa Craig summarizes her background and explains how she started working in the women’s health care field in Missoula, Montana. She talks about working at Planned Parenthood as a birth control counselor and then at Blue Mountain Clinic. Craig explains her stance as a pro-choice advocate and discusses serving as the director of Blue Mountain Clinic during the turbulent period of the 1960s and 1970s. She talks about the clinic’s difficulties in locating and retaining physicians who performed abortions. Craig also describes how she dealt with anti-choice protestors, the fire-bombing of the clinic, and the rebuilding process.

Michele Neal discusses her training and 24 years of experience as a home birth midwife in Missoula, Montana. She emphasizes the importance of viewing pregnancy and birth as healthy natural processes rather than illnesses or events requiring medical intervention. Neal recalls some of the highs and lows of her midwife experiences.

Sally Mullen briefly describes her family background before discussing her experiences as a founding member of the Blue Mountain Clinic in Missoula, Montana, which included three stints as executive director of that organization. Mullen describes social views on abortion and how that affected the clinic. She relates her experiences dealing with anti-choice protestors including the time that the clinic was fire-bombed. Mullen talks about the extensive rebuilding process that took place following the incident. She concludes by considering the future of feminism and women’s rights at a national and international level.

This is a recording of a conference of former Montana Constitutional Convention delegates who gathered in Helena, Montana, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Montana Constitutional Convention. The following individuals speak at length about the significance of the convention and the far-reaching impact of the changes made to Montana’s constitution: Dorothy Eck, Diana Eck, Carol Juneau, Henrietta Mann, and Mike Jetty.

Martha Newell describes her involvement with the Montana Pro-Choice Coalition, the Women’s Resource Center, and Blue Mountain Clinic. She briefly discusses her views on abortion.

Bryony Schwan describes her early background, her first sight of Missoula, Montana, and the events that led her to champion both environmentalist and feminist causes. She explains the impact of toxins on the environment. Schwan talks about the efforts of Women’s Voices for the Earth [WVE] and other environmental organizations to eliminate and limit toxins.

Cat Carrel describes her childhood and her education. She talks about her definition of feminism, and how she became the editor of Outspoken, a Missoula, Montana based gay and lesbian newsletter. Carrel also discusses her role as one of the original organizers of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center in Missoula.

Andrea Olsen describes her involvement with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and the Montana Public Interest Research Group [MontPIRG]. She talks about the differences between lesbianism and feminism. Olsen discusses her views on the definition of consensual homosexual sex in the Montana constitution and its effects on the gay community. She concludes the interview by giving her thoughts on the history and future of LGBTQI rights and activism.

Carol Snetsinger explains the events leading up to the initiation of the “equal rights and benefits for partners” lawsuit brought by her and other members of Missoula Montana’s gay community against the Montana University System. She talks about the negative reaction to the lawsuit including the hate mail she received and the arson targeting her co-plaintiffs Carla Grayson and Adrianna Neff. Snetsinger describes the overwhelming community support for her and her co-plaintiffs following these events. She describes serving spokesperson for gay rights in Missoula and Montana and recalls her early months in Missoula searching for a gay community.

Jennifer Euell talks about her childhood and education. She describes her transition from journalism to social work which led to her position as Coordinator of SARS [Sexual Assault Recovery Service] at the University of Montana-Missoula. Euell discusses her interactions with advocacy groups on and off campus and her time working with sexual assault victims.

Tootie Welker describes her childhood and her education. She talks about her definition of feminism and how she started working with organizations that focus on preventing violence against women. Welker discusses her work in this field on a local level in Sanders County, Montana, as well as on a state and national level. She explains the role feminism plays in the field of social work.

Karen Fenton talks about her Native American heritage and her education. She describes working as an educator and domestic violence prevention advocate as well as her crime prevention advocacy work within the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. She explains family violence within the framework of Native American history and traditions. Fenton also discusses changing attitudes toward domestic violence, problems that still exist, and the team approach toward assisting victims.

Jennifer Gibson describes her involvement with the Women’s Place in Missoula, Montana, which offered domestic violence prevention services. She discusses how feminist consciousness became a part of the training at the Women’s Place. Gibson also talks about the organization’s controversial policy of barring men from entering the building in order to provide a safe place for women.

Deborah Tomas describes her involvement with the CETA [Comprehensive Employment and Training Act] program and Women’s Place. She discusses the Women’s Place’s initiatives and activities. She explains the difference in the terms “woman” versus “lady” and talks about her definition of feminism. Tomas recalls the history of the Women’s Place from its inception to its end.

Ann German offers anecdotes from her childhood and how growing up in an all-female household influenced her as a feminist. She discusses her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s as well as the legalization of abortion. German also describes her work as an attorney in Libby, Montana, and some of the cases on which she worked.

Linda Smith describes her childhood and education, her experiences in the Peace Corps and her introduction to feminist and underground publications. She explains her initial interest in printing, working first for an alternative press in Texas, and then establishing Mountain Moving Press in Missoula, Montana. Smith talks about closing the press and then becoming involved in In Other Words, a Missoula, Montana feminist forum radio program on NPR. Smith reflects on the history of feminism from her perspective as a social activist.

Caryl Wickes-Connick discusses her initial interest in helping victims of domestic violence during the mid-1970s. She describes her subsequent work to establish women’s shelters and acquire funding to study spousal abuse. Wickes-Connick recalls her lobbying efforts for laws to protect victims and define domestic abuse as a criminal offense.

Kelly Slattery-Robinson provides personal background information as well as her definition of feminism. She describes her involvement with the YWCA including Missoula, Montana community reactions to the shelter, staff procedures, and organization of the shelter. Slattery-Robinson discusses her affiliation with the Women’s Place, WORD [Women’s Opportunity and Resource Development], and the First Step program at St. Patrick’s Hospital. She explains the impact of her trip to Beijing, China, for the fourth United Nations Conference on Women. She ends with the success of the feminist movement and bills that were introduced into legislature to gain political and economic equality for women.

Judy Wang describes her childhood and early education. She talks about her first career as a nurse and her later decision to become an attorney. Wang discusses the evolution of her work as a city attorney in Missoula, Montana, particularly on domestic violence cases. She describes her work as an advocate for domestic violence victims including education about the issues for both the public and law enforcement officials. Wang also talks about working to reform domestic violence laws in Montana.

Raquel Castellanos Miller describes her background as a feminist and social activist in Missoula, Montana. She explains her work at WORD [Women’s Opportunity and Resource Development] and her collaboration with Toni McOmber. Miller discusses the beginning of the WEEL program [Working for Equality and Economic Liberation] and the Communities Strategic Training Initiative experiences. She talks about WEEL’s media message and pressure on the government to pass legislation to increase economic and political equality for women. Miller concludes by discussing her involvement with the Blue Mountain Clinic and her position as executive director.

Carolyn Wheeler talks about teaching at the University of Montana and the pay-scale discrimination she encounters being a female professor. She also discusses her role in founding the Women’s Studies program at the university. Wheeler concludes by describing her involvement in feminist and Marxist discussion groups during the 1960s and 1970s in Missoula, Montana.

Louise Cross describes her role as a member of the 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention. She talks about working as a social and political activist in Glendive, Montana for many years which included her affiliation with organizations such as the American Association of University Women [AAUW].

Joan Hurdle discusses her early involvement in abortion rights activism in Montana. She talks about serving in the Montana House of Representatives and her work in the Montana Women’s Prison. Hurdle also describes of the feminist movement in Montana from the 1970s to the early 2000s.

Carol Williams describes her early years in Butte, Montana, early role models in American Association of University Women [AAUW], and teaching in the Butte Head Start program. She explains the Peace Links organization and their goal of empowering women’s voices on a community and national level and their later work in promoting international links with women. Williams also describes her viewpoint and efforts on behalf of teachers and education.

Virginia Egli describes her involvement with the AAUW [American Association of University Women]. She talks about her career as a schoolteacher in Glendive, Montana, and her education at University of Montana-Missoula. Egli discusses how suffering from a major stroke and her subsequent recovery inspired her to start stroke-victim’s support group.

Roger Barber and Mary Van Buskirk recall their involvement in the 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention. They describe the significance of including women delegates in the convention. Van Buskirk discusses how her mother served as a convention delegate from Havre, Montana, as well as her mother’s involvement with the Montana League of Women Voters. Both interviewees talk about the individual women who served as delegates including Dorothy Eck, Margery Brown, and Daphne Bugbee.

Joan McCracken describes her early career in nursing and her rising interest in women’s health care. She talks about her long time work with family planning at Planned Parenthood. McCracken discusses how understanding women’s bodies and health care needs has evolved. She also recalls the history of abortion services and rights in Montana.

Pat Regan describes her family background of political activism and her early role models. She recalls deciding to run for the Montana State Legislature and her political campaign. Regan discusses her experiences in the Montana State House including the introduction of equal rights legislation. She also talks about the gender discrimination she faced in the House and gender imbalances in the legislature.

Bridget Hanna describes her work at the YWCA in Missoula, Montana, as the training and outreach coordinator. She talks about her definition of feminism and the roots of violence against women. Hanna also mentions her childhood and the impact that being born deaf had on her decision to be a social activist. She discusses how the gender roles in her family influenced her as a feminists, and she concludes by describing people who have inspired her.

Mae Nan Ellingson describes what brought her to Montana and the University of Montana in 1967. She talks about her experience as an environmental activist with GASP [Gals Against Smog and Pollution] and as a women’s rights activist. Ellingson discusses serving as the youngest of 19 women delegates in the 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention of 1972. She recalls how the convention was organized, the Equal Rights Amendment initiative, the anti-partisan atmosphere, and the role of women during the event. Ellingson describes the International Women’s Year Conference in Montana. She discusses attending law school at the UM during the 1970s and the challenges of being one of seven women in a class of 75. She also recalls the difficulty of finding a job because of her gender. Ellingson concludes by elaborating her views on contemporary women’s issues such as health care and child care and her distaste for feminist jargon and labeling.

Vivian Brooke describes her experiences in the Montana League of Women Voters. She talks about serving as a Montana State legislator during the 1990s and her focus on women’s rights and women’s working conditions. Brooke also describes the different feminist issues in the legislature by decade including abortion rights in the 1970s and the advent of the Christian Coalition in the 1980s.

Nancy Munro describes her initial interest in early childhood education and the events that led to her work as the nutritionist and dietician with the pilot Headstart Program in Montana. She explains the challenges of starting and running the program. Munro also discusses using positive reinforcement to encourage mothers to improve cooking and nutrition habits. She recalls interactions with children, parents, administrators, and legislators.

Barbara Koser Konigsberg discusses her role as an activist and AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in Missoula, Montana, during the early 1970s. She talks about organizing the first all-female fire-fighting brigade and a number of consciousness-raising groups. She describes how the activist groups she was a part of clashed with University of Montana administration and Missoula police when activists tried to take over the ROTC building. Konigsberg also recalls the cross-activism among feminist, anti-war, and civil rights groups in Missoula.

Gail Gutsche recalls her initial interest in feminism and her work as a feminist activist in Montana at Missoula Planned Parenthood and the Reproductive Rights Coalition in 1991. She discusses how that work along with her employment at a feminist publishing company prepared her for serving in the legislature. Gutsche describes her time in the legislature advocating for women’s issues such as insurance coverage for contraception and better sex education. She talks about working with NARAL [National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws], and she describes the institutionalized sexism in the legislature.

Lynn Robson recalls her family’s history including her political influences. She describes how she became a feminist and her involvement with the displaced homemaker program and other feminist groups in Missoula, Montana. Robson concludes by noting the differences in women of her generation and young women of the 21st century.

Maxine Johnson describes her involvement and those of other feminist activist in the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in Montana. She also talks about her activities with the AAUW [American Association of University Women].

Jan Strout discusses how she became a feminist and what her early feminist influences were. She describes working for various non-profit organizations and her interest in looking at feminist politics on a global level focusing on social justice, education, and progressive philanthropy. She reminisces about attending the International Women’s Conference in Beijing, China, and how feminism saved her life.

Janet Scott and Jane Ragsdale describe their backgrounds as feminists and their respective definitions of feminism. They each describes their initial involvement in In Other Words, a Missoula, Montana feminist forum radio program on NPR. Scott and Ragsdale describe the various focuses of the program ranging from feminist and women’s issues, to the environment, social justice, war, and education.

Judy Smith describes her work as a pro-choice activist in Austin, Texas, and moving to Missoula, Montana, to carry on that work. She explains the work of the Missoula Women’s Place, a feminist collective organization, its role as an intermediate step to opening an abortion clinic, and its funding issues. Smith discusses the non-hierarchical organization of the Women’s Place and its support services for rape and domestic violence victims. She also talks about the organization’s efforts to educate the Missoula community about feminist and women’s issues. Smith discusses her own perspective on feminism and how she views herself as a feminist anarchist.

Kelly Slattery-Robinson explains how she started working at the YWCA in Missoula, Montana, and the organization’s accomplishments. She discusses broader issues including feminism, violence against women, and poverty.

Group interview regarding GASP (Gals Against Smog and Pollution) in Missoula, Montana. Participants include Florence "Flo" Chessin, Virginia DeLand, Marty Onishuk, Constance "Connie" Skousen, Grace Lucas, Marilyn Templeton, and Dorothy Peterson.

Lee Niebuhr describes the strong women in her life who influenced her as a feminist. She details her involvement with the Business and Professional Women’s Organization and the Montana Women’s Capital Fund. Niebuhr recalls her participation in the YWCA in Great Falls, Montana, including her role as executive director. She discusses the programs and services offered by that organizations, and she concludes the interview by offering advice to 21st-century young women.

Group interview regarding the Women's Center in Missoula, Montana. Participants include Metti Shank, Becky Hensley, Hannah Crumrine, and Cheryl Steenson Schule.

Donna Stringer discusses her time spent as the affirmative action officer at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, a position that was created as the result of a class action lawsuit at MSU. She reflects on the positive and negative aspects of the job and her decision to leave the position. Stringer, along with Jan Strout, Ellen Kreighbaum, and Nancy Howard, explain the other resources the created for women in Bozeman and Montana State University.

Ellen Krieghbaum describes the genesis of competitive women’s sports in Montana and the Montana Women’s Sports Association. She talks about gender discrimination at MSU in terms of lower salaries and fewer promotions for women. Krieghbaum discusses receiving help from the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and attorney George Morgan in the class action law suit against MSU in the 1970s regarding the fact that women employees were being paid less than their male colleagues.

Group interview regarding Bozeman, Montana Battered Women's Network. Participants include Donna Stringer, Emily Bair, Lucille Pope, and Jan Strout.

Nancy Owens, Katherine Tobie Wiest, and G.G. Weix discuss the LGBTQI population in Basin, Montana and the hardships the group faced in 1983. They talk about the evolution of women’s roles throughout Montana history such as changes in occupation and family structure. The group describes the relationship of Native American women to the political structure of the tribe. The interviewees explain some of the hardships that women of marginal cultures face including cultural barriers and education. They recall the action taken by Montana feminist groups to create equal opportunities for women prisoners. The interviewees discuss well-known Montana feminists, and the role that the University of Montana played in feminist education. They describes their own careers and the challenges of working as educators at a university. They discuss the importance of the study of anthropology and describe what the field can contribute to educating people about the need for multicultural competencies in Montana and education system reform.

Mary Stranahan describes her history of activism and philanthropy in Montana from the late 1970s until the early 2000s. She recalls her involvement in LGBTQI causes, feminist causes, and Montana non-profits. Stranahan talks at length about the process of obtaining funding for non-profit organizations from both public and private sources. She also discusses her personal experience as a physician in Saint Ignatius, Montana.