Hands Off Washington, Kitsap County Coalition records, 1992-1996

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Hands Off Washington (Organization). Kitsap County Coalition
Title
Hands Off Washington, Kitsap County Coalition records
Dates
1992-1996 (inclusive)
Quantity
.42 cubic feet (1 box)
Collection Number
5335 (Accession No. 5335-001)
Summary
Records of Hands Off Washington, Kitsap County Coalition, an organization that opposed anti-gay initiatives.
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

The records are open to all users.

Request at UW

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Hands Off Washington Kitsap County Coalition, based in Bremerton, Washington, was a regional division of the statewide Hands Off Washington, a program of Washington Citizens for Fairness. Washington Citizens for Fairness was formed in 1992 as a not-for-profit, political organizing committee "to defeat political efforts to limit or deny the civil rights of any resident in our state." In 1994, the group formed Hands Off Washington (HOW) to defeat legislation that would deny civil rights to individuals based on their "actual or perceived sexual orientation." Targeted legislation included Initiative 608, which opposed the establishment of sexual orientation as a protected category similar to age or race; Initiative 166 (similar to 608); and Initiative 167, which was intended to ban adoptions by homosexual individuals or couples. Initiative 608 was defeated in 1995, and Initiatives 166 and 167 were defeated in the following year. Hands Off Washington's name refers to the fact that much of this legislation was proposed and supported by the same anti-gay activists who proposed similar initiatives that passed in Oregon.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The records cover the years 1992-1996, with the bulk of the material dating from 1993 and 1994. The Kitsap County Coalition series includes general organizational information; intra-organizational correspondence; a small amount of general correspondence, including letters from local organizations endorsing the Kitsap County Coalition and its mission, and one from Dave Swartout, a local activist; minutes of Kitsap County Coalition meetings; news clippings and other articles on relevant issues and events; mailing lists, membership lists, and lists of local legislators and media contacts; and ephemera, including fund-raising mailings. The statewide Hands Off Washington series includes similar types of material — intraorganizational correspondence, clippings, ephemera — as well as planning budgets and informational materials from other regional Hands Off Washington chapters and organizations with similar goals.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The creator's literary rights have not been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged in two series:

  • Hands Off Washington, Kitsap County Coalition records, 1993-1996
  • Statewide Hands Off Washington records, 1992-1996

Acquisition Information

Gift of Sue Ablao, June 27, 2003.

Processing Note

Processed by Janet Polata in March 2006.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Hands Off Washington, Kitsap Coalition recordsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Organizational features
1994, undated
1/2
General correspondence
1993, undated
1/3
Intra-organizational correspondence
1995
1/4
Minutes
1993-1996
1/5
Speeches and writings
Includes a paper entitled "Summary of Discussion Points, Traditional Values Coalition Videotape, 'Gay Rights/Special Rights,' " written by Renée DeLapp.
1994, undated
1/6
Ephemera
1994, undated
1/7
Clippings
1993-1994, undated
1/8-9
Lists
Contains lists of local legislators and media organizations as well as lists of volunteers, meeting attendees, and donors/members.
1993-1994, undated
1/10
Notes
undated

Statewide Hands Off Washington recordsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/11
Organizational features
1993, undated
1/12
Intra-organizational correspondence
1996
1/13
Agenda
1994
1/14
Report: summary report from Hands Off Washington thinktank
1993
1/15
Budget files
1995-1996
1/16
Subject files
Box/Folder
1/17
Idaho Citizens Alliance
1993
1/18
Oregon Speaks Out project
1993-1994, undated
1/19
Other coalitions
Contains information concerning other regional Hands Off Washington groups and the City of Tacoma Hate Crimes Task Force.
1992-1993, undated
1/20
Ephemera
1993, undated
1/21
Clippings
1995-1996, undated
1/22
Notes
Contains several pages of unsigned, handwritten notes from a planning meeting. They were presumably taken by Sue Ablas, who donated the Kitsap Coalition records, was active in the Kitsap Coalition, and was also on the board of the statewide Hands Off Washington.
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Gay liberation movement--Washington (State)--Kitsap County
  • Gay rights--Washington (State)
  • Gay rights--Washington (State)--Kitsap County
  • Gays--Legal status, laws, etc.--Washington (State)
  • Homosexuality--Law and legislation--Washington (State)
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Referendum--Washington (State)

Corporate Names

  • Hands Off Washington (Organization)
  • Hands Off Washington (Organization). Kitsap County Coalition--Archives

Geographical Names

  • Washington (State)--Social conditions--20th century

Form or Genre Terms

  • Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
  • Lists
  • correspondence
  • ephemera
  • financial records
  • minutes
  • notes
  • writings