Beverly Sims papers, 1970-1995

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Sims, Beverly E.
Title
Beverly Sims papers
Dates
1970-1995 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.52 cubic feet (4 boxes)
Collection Number
6203 (Accession No. 6203-001)
Summary
The personal papers of Beverly Sims, a Black tradeswoman activist from Seattle, including subject files, correspondence, and writings. Contents of these papers relate to Sims' interests and activist projects, which include work related to the rights of women, third world countries and native peoples.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Request at UW

Languages
English
Sponsor
Full processing supported by the Labor Archives Fund and the Labor Archives of Washington State Budget

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Sims was born and raised in Seattle. After attending the University of Washington, she worked for Boeing before becoming a secretary at the Northwest Labor and Employment Law Office (now the Legacy of Equality, Leadership, and Organizing).

While at LELO, Sims became involved in Seattle’s radical politics through her friendship with, and later marriage to, Tyree Scott, the leader of the United Construction Workers Association (UCWA). In 1975, Sims entered the apprenticeship program of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 46— the same union that Scott belonged to— through a court-ordered affirmative action plan specifically for black workers. She was the third black woman to ever enter the program, and the first to complete it. She left the trades in the early 1980s following the birth of her son, Seth, and later worked for King County's HIV/ AIDS prevention program.

Source: http://depts.washington.edu/civilr/sims.htm

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The personal papers of Beverly Sims consist of subject files, correspondence, writings, notes, and ephemera relating to Sim’s own interests and activist projects, including those related to rights of women, third world countries and native peoples. Of particular interest is the subject file on the NGO Forum on Women held Beijing in 1995; Sims was an attendee of this conference.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

Forms part of the Labor Archives of Washington.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Preferred Citation

Labor Archives of Washington, University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, Beverly Sims papers, 6203-001, [box number], [folder number]

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into the following series:

  • SERIES 1: COMMUNICATIONS, 1974-1982
  • SERIES 2: SUBJECT FILES, 1965-1995
  • SERIES 3: CASE FILES, 1978-1979
  • SERIES 4: EPHEMERA AND OTHER FILES, 1965-1985

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

Due to the collection's distinctiveness as a body of records created or acquired during the course of Beverly Sims work and personal life and the importance of bringing out women's contributions to the labor movement whenever possible, this collection was separated from the Tyree Scott Papers (Collection No. 5245-001) during processing in 2018.

Related Materials

Tyree Scott photograph collection (Collection No. PH1093)

Processing Note

Collection separated from the Tyree Scott papers, rehoused, and intellectually and phyiscally rearranged by Rebecca Fuller in 2018.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Series 1:  COMMUNICATIONS1974-1982Return to Top

Container(s): Box-folder 1/1-1/4

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Correspondence
1975-1982
1/2
Writings of Others
1975
1/3
Writings of Others
1974-1975
1/4
Newsletters
1975-1976

Series 2:  SUBJECT FILES1965-1995Return to Top

Container(s): Box-folder 1/5-3/15

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/5
Africa (Angola)
1975
1/6
Black Unemployed Workers Organizing Committee
1982-1983
1/7
Campfire House
1994
1/8
Center for Law and Social Policy
1979
1/9
Central Area Motivation Program
1979
1/10
Committee to Save our Hiring Hall
1981
1/11
Committee to Save our Hiring Hall
1981
1/12
Cuba
1974-1975
1/13
International Paper
1976
1/14
Latin America
1974-1975
1/15
Middle East
1975-1976
1/16
Mitos
1976
2/1
Native Americans
1975
2/2
Native Americans
1976
2/3
NGO Forum on Women, Beijing (1 of 2)
1993-1995
2/4
NGO Forum on Women, Beijing (2 of 2)
1993-1995
2/5
NGO Forum on Women
1995
2/6
NGO Forum on Women (1 of 2)
1994-1995
2/7
NGO Forum on Women (2 of 2)
1994-1995
2/8
International Women's Rights, NGO Forum on Women
1994-1995
3/1
NGO Forum on Women
1995
3/2
NGO Forum on Women, Chinese Currency and Bus Passes
circa 1980s
3/3
Notary Public
1978
3/4
Puerto Rico
1975-1976
3/5
Rape Relief
circa 1970s
3/6
Resources for Community Change
1976
3/7
Seattle Liberation Coalition
1975-1976
3/8
Study Group
1976
3/9
Venceremos Brigade Publication
1974-1976
3/10
Venceremos Brigade
1975
3/11
Venceremos Applications
1976
3/12
Venceremos Brigade
1975-1976
3/13
Venceremos Brigade (1 of 2)
1974-1976
3/14
Venceremos Brigade (2 of 2)
1974-1976
3/15
Women's Struggles
1975

Series 3:  CASE FILES1978-1979Return to Top

Container(s): Box-folder 3/16

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/16
Advocates for Women vs. Marshall, Department of Labor
1978-1979

Series 4:  EPHEMERA AND OTHER FILES1965-1985Return to Top

Container(s): Box-folder 3/17-4/5

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/17
Notes
1975, 1982-1983
3/18
Lists
circa 1970s
3/19
Leaflets, Fliers and Handouts
1982
4/1
Forms
1982
4/2
Songs
circa 1970s
4/3
Poetry
1979
4/4
Ephemera
1975
4/5
Clippings
1975-1980

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • African American women--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Human rights
  • Labor movement--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Labor union members--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Labor unions--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Labor--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Women's rights

Personal Names

  • Sims, Beverly E.--Archives

Corporate Names

  • NGO Forum on Women, Beijing '95 (1995 : Huairou Xian, China)
  • Venceremos Brigade

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington) (curator)