Michigan Republican Party official, 1961-1969, assistant chairman of the national Republican Party, 1963-1964 and 1969-1970, candidate for, U.S. senate in 1964, and co-chair of ERAmerica, a national organization promoting the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Papers consist of correspondence, reports, speeches, organizational records of ERAmerica, scrapbooks and photographs.
Call number: 852153 Aa 2 UAm Language: The materials are in English. Repository: Bentley Historical Library
1150 Beal Ave. Ann Arbor, MI
48109-2113 Phone:
734-764-3482 Fax:
734-936-1333 e-mail:
bentley.ref@umich.edu Home Page: http://www.bentley.umich.edu/
Finding aid prepared by: Michigan Historical Collections Staff, updated 2009
Access and Use
Acquisition Information:
The papers of Elly M. Peterson (Donor No. 4155) were acquired by the Bentley Library in various accessions beginning in 1964. Periodic additions have been received.
Access Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
To protect fragile audiovisual recordings (such as audio cassettes, film reels, and VHS tapes), the Bentley Historical Library has a policy of converting them to digital formats by a professional vendor whenever a researcher requests access. For more information, please see: http://bentley.umich.edu/research/duplication/.
Copyright:
Donor(s) have transferred any applicable copyright to the Regents of the University of Michigan but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright was not transferred. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials.
Preferred Citation:
item, folder title, box no., Elly Peterson Papers, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
Biography
Elly McMillan Peterson was born in New Berlin, Illinois on June 5, 1914. She was educated at William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri and Northwestern University in Chicago, and was a graduate of Suburban Business College in Oak Park, Illinois. In 1935, she married William M. Peterson. Except for a twenty-two month stint overseas with the American Red Cross during World War II, Peterson worked in a variety of secretarial and office management positions in the Chicago and Kalamazoo, Michigan area from 1933 to 1957. She moved to Michigan sometime around 1950 eventually making Charlotte, Michigan her permanent residence.
Early on in her life, Peterson began taking an interest in Republican Party politics. At age 21, she became a member of the Oak Park Young Republicans. Following her move to Michigan, she worked for the Republican State Central Committee in a number of different capacities, doing secretarial work and performing various campaign assignments. For some of this period of time, roughly 1957 to 1961, Peterson served as an aide to state party chairman, Lawrence B. Lindemer. In 1961, the level of her responsibilities increased when she was appointed Republican field service representative and later Republican state vice chairman. She was re-elected to this two-year position again in 1963. In 1965, she was elected Republican state chairman, the first woman from a major political party to receive that honor. She served until 1969 when she went to work for the national Republican party.
Elly Peterson's rise within the state party had not gone unnoticed by national Republican figures. She was closely associated with the successful campaigns of Governor George Romney, where her organizational skills, especially in enlisting the support of women voters, had propelled the Michigan governor into the national spotlight as a strong presidential possibility. She was selected assistant chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1963 until July 1964 (when she resigned to run unsuccessfully against Philip Hart for his United States Senate seat). She was re-appointed assistant chairman in 1969 serving until December 1970 when she temporarily retired from partisan politics. As assistant chairman, Peterson was responsible for the Action Now program that was established to involve special voter groups in party politics.
During the next several years in the 1970s, Peterson was involved in a number of different women's organizations. Beginning in 1972, Peterson was a member of Delegation for Friendship Among Women and made trips to China and many of the countries of the Middle East. The purpose of each visit was to promote international friendship among women. In 1974, she served as organizational director of the National Center for Voluntary Action; and in 1975, she contributed her talents to the American Women for International Understanding and the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year. Among all of the issues of this period, Peterson was undoubtedly most devoted to passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1976, she was made co-chair (along with Liz Carpenter) of ERAmerica, an organization established to "provide a national focus for the ERA ratification campaign and to channel money and resources into the unratified states." At that time, ratification of the amendment was stalled, and one of the purposes of ERAmerica was to pump money and enthusiasm into the ratification process. During her two years as co-chair, Peterson was a tireless speaker and effective advocate of the ERA. In 1978, Peterson resigned as co-chair but continued her advocacy in any way she thought useful.
In 1976, Peterson interrupted her retirement from Republican party politics when she accepted on an interim basis the position of deputy chairman of the President Ford Committee. In this organization set-up to run Gerald Ford's election campaign, Peterson was responsible for organizing special voter groups and group volunteers in the presidential campaign. Peterson resigned as deputy chairman after the nominating convention but continued on with People for Ford, an organization that drew together special interest voting blocs.
At the conclusion of the campaign, Peterson continued working for ERAmerica, and then with the failure of the amendment's passage, she devoted herself to civic and charitable organizational work.
Collection Scope and Content Note
The Elly McMillan Peterson papers document the career of a Republican party activist and official, an advocate of the Equal Rights Amendment, and candidate for the U.S. Senate. The papers, comprised largely of correspondence, reports, and memoranda, are organized into seven series: Republican Party Activities, ERAmerican, Other Organizational Activities, Personal/Biographical, Speeches, Photographs, Scrapbooks/Clippings.
Subject Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the finding aid database and catalog of The Bentley Historical Library/University of Michigan. Researchers desiring additional information about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.
China -- History -- 1949-
Elections -- Michigan -- 1962.
Equal Rights Amendments -- United States.
International Women's Year, 1975.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1961-1970.
Politicians -- Michigan.
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1964.
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1968.
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1976.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1945-1989.
Women's rights -- United States.
Women in politics -- Michigan.
Scrapbooks.
Children.
Costumes.
Equal Rights Amendments -- United States.
Graduation ceremonies.
Interiors.
Laborers.
Political elections -- 1964.
Politics and government.
Railroad passenger cars.
Rewards and prizes.
Women.
Women -- Political life.
Women -- Work.
Women's rights.
Photographs.
Republican National Committee (U.S.)
Republican Party (Mich.)
United States. Congress -- Elections, 1964.
United States -- Congress -- Elections -- 1966.
United States. Congress -- Elections, 1970.
ERAmerica (Organization)
American Women for International Understanding.
National Women's Conference (1st : 1977 : Houston, Tex.)
Ford, Gerald R., 1913-2006.
Milliken, William G., 1922-
Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994.
Peterson, Elly Maude, 1914-2008.
Republican Party (Mich.)
Republican Party (U.S. : 1854-)
Romney, George W., 1907-1995.
Romney, Lenore LaFount.
Bliss, Ray Charles, 1907-1981.
Bolger, Ray.
Brooke, Edward W. (Edward William), 1919-2015.
Chafee, John H., 1922-1999.
Dirksen, Everett McKinley.
Evans, Daniel J., 1925-
Ford, Gerald R., 1913-2006.
Hart, Philip A. (Philip Aloysius), 1912-1976.
Morton, Thruston B. (Thruston Ballard), 1907-1982.
Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994.
Percy, Charles H., 1919-2011.
Riegle, Donald W., 1938-
Rockefeller, Nelson A. (Nelson Aldrich), 1908-1979.
Romney, George W., 1907-1995.
Romney, Lenore LaFount.
Stassen, Harold E. (Harold Edward), 1907-2001.
Wilson, Robert Carlton, 1909-
Contents List
Request materials for use in the Bentley Library
Container / Location
Title
Republican Party Activities 1958-1985 [series]
(17 linear feet)
The first series, and by far the largest set of files, has been labeled Republican Party Activities. Grouped by period of time, this series really covers Peterson's entire career as she was a lifelong Republican. As she held many different positions within the party, the series naturally breaks down into chronological divisions: 1958-1964, 1965-1970, 1971-1979, and 1980-1985. Each of these chronological divisions begins with a set of files (arranged roughly by chronology) that include correspondence, memoranda, and other forms of communication. These files are then followed by sub-series of material either resulting from specific activities within the party or offices held either within the state or national Republican party. Thus files pertaining to Peterson's campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1964 will be found within the 1958-1964 division and files created while serving with the President Ford Committee in 1976 will be found in the 1971-1979 division. Other Republican party material can also be found within genre series - Speeches, Photographs, and Scrapbooks/Clippings.
Republican National Committee Assistant Chair files 1969-1970
State files 1969-1970
(arranged alphabetically by name of state)
Box 9
Alabama-California
Box 10
Colorado-Michigan
Box 11
Michigan-New Hampshire
Box 12
New Jersey-Wyoming
(also includes foreign and U.S. possessions)
Inter-office correspondence
Box 12
1969
Box 13
1970
Juanita Hunter (Assistant to EMP) Files
Box 13
Copies of EMP correspondence June 1969-September 1970
(23 folders)
Box 13
Mass mailings 1969-1970
(to National Committeewomen, Republican women leaders, etc.)
Political campaign files
1969
Box 13
Montana (George Mather)
Box 13
New Jersey (William Cahill)
Box 13
Virginia (Linwood Holton)
1970
Michigan (Lenore Romney)
Box 13
Michigan visits by EMP
Box 13
EMP memos and reports
Box 13
General correspondence
Box 13
Staff lists
Box 13
Strategy
Box 13
Anti-Hart material
Box 13
Press and advertisements
Box 13
Minority involvement
Box 13
Miscellaneous
Box 14
Press releases (regarding EMP)
Box 14
Publication: Monday
(often with articles by or about EMP while with RNC)
Box 14
Republican Women's Federation, 1965-67
Box 14
Schedules 1969-1970
(2 folders)
Speech file
Box 14
Text of speeches
(3 folders)
Box 14
Listing of speaking engagements 1969-1970
Box 14
Engagement files 1969-1970
(17 folders)
Topical files (mainly RNC activities) 1967-1970
Box 14
Flying Squadron-X Group 1967-1968
(Republican women's group)
Box 14
Negro Women's Advisory Council
Box 14
Republican National Committee organizational notebook circa 1969
Box 14
Republican Foundation
Box 14
Retirement miscellanea
(includes sample of letters received upon announcement)
Box 14
Voluntary Action
Box 14
Women and the Nixon Administration
Box 14
Women in Politics (collation of questionnaire)
Box 14
Women (miscellaneous)
1971-1979 [subseries]
Box 15
Chronological files
(correspondence, memoranda, etc.)
Box 15
1971-1979
(18 folders)
Topical file 1976
(mainly President Ford Committee)
Box 15
American Political Report
Box 15
Bipartisan Conference of State Party Chairmen
Box 15
Blacks
(2 folders)
Box 15
Business and Professional Groups for Ford
Box 15
Caravans
Box 15
Carter, Jimmy
Box 15
Catholics for Ford
Box 15
Celebrities for Ford
Box 15
Citizens for Ford
Box 15
Connally, John
Convention (Republican National Convention)
Box 15
General
Box 15
Caucus Teams
Box 15
Committee
Box 15
Organization
Box 15
Presidential nomination and acceptance
Box 15
Schedule and events
Box 15
Schedule (EMP)
Box 15
Vice President
Box 15
Women
Box 15
Young Republicans
Box 15
Debates
Box 15
Doctors for Ford
Box 15
Ethnics
Box 16
Farmers for Ford
Box 16
Finance
Box 16
First Family
Box 16
Handicapped
Box 16
Invitations (accepts)
Box 16
Issues
Box 16
Jews for Ford
Box 16
Keyes, Robert
Box 16
Labor Day
Box 16
Lindemer, Lawrence
Box 16
Memos
(6 folders)
Box 16
Michigan Republican State Committee
Box 16
National Advisory Board
Box 16
Older Americans
Box 16
Overseas Voters
People for Ford
Box 16
General
Box 16
Press releases
Box 16
Regional reports
Box 16
Special groups
Box 16
Staff reports
Box 16
Peterson, Elly (personal)
Box 16
Phone banks
Box 16
Polls
President Ford Committee
Box 16
General
Box 16
Fact book
Box 16
Newsletters
Box 16
Press releases
Box 16
State organizations
Box 16
Steering Committee
Box 16
Presidential messages
Box 16
Republican National Committee
Box 16
Republican Women's Task Force
Box 16
Schedule
Box 16
Scheduling-First Family
Box 16
Special events
Box 16
Wednesday Coffee Group
Box 16
Women (miscellaneous)
Women for President Ford
Box 16
General
Box 16
Congressional letter
Box 16
Kickoff (June 13)
Box 16
Memoranda
Box 16
National Advisory Board
Box 16
Newsletter
Box 16
Recruitment
Box 16
Regional directors
Box 16
Youth
Box 16
Miscellaneous
Box 17
State files 1976
(correspondence with Ford supporters)
Box 17
Alabama to Wyoming
(59 folders)
Box 17
Correspondence 1972-1979
(2 folders)
1980- [subseries]
Box 17
Correspondence 1980-1985
(5 folders)
Box 17
George Bush for President materials 1980
Box 17
Michigan gubernatorial campaign 1982
(2 folders)
Box 17
Nomination of Martha Seger to Federal Reserve Board 1984
ERAmerica 1971-1982 [series]
(1.5 linear feet)
The ERAmerica series relates to Peterson's work within this organization to obtain passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. The series includes material that predates the establishment of ERAmerica but which relates to women's issues in general. The files have been arranged alphabetically by topic.
Coalition Update
Box 18
1976-1979
Box 18
1980-1992
(2 folders)
Corporate Board Meetings
Box 18
1976
Box 18
1977
Box 18
1978
Box 18
1979
Box 18
1980
Correspondence
Box 18
undated
Box 18
January-June 1976
Box 18
July-December 1976
Box 18
1977
Box 18
1978
Box 18
1979
Box 18
1980-
Box 18
Economic Sanction Program
Box 18
Equal Rights Amendment Miscellaneous 1968-1980
Box 18
Equal Rights Amendment Arguments/Position Papers/Interpretations, undated 1971-1973
Box 18
ERAmerica Report 1980-1981
Financial Report, Fundraising, etc.
Box 18
1976
Box 18
1977
Box 18
1978
Box 18
Mail Day October 23, 1978
Box 18
Mailings 1976-1981
Mailings to Board, Steering Committee, etc.
Box 18
undated
Box 18
1976-1977
Box 18
1978
Box 18
1979
Box 18
1980-82
Box 18
Miscellaneous 1976-1979
Box 18
Mormon Church and ERA 1979
Box 18
News Releases 1976-1980
Box 18
News Releases (Other Organizations) 1977-1979
Box 19
Organizational Material 1976-1980
Box 19
Organizational Support and Opposition, undated, 1978-79
Box 19
Programs for Peterson Appearances 1976-1980
Box 19
Radio Campaigns [includes two audio-cassettes] 1981
Box 19
Reagan (Ronald) Position on ERA 1976
Box 19
Rescission, 1977-79
Box 19
Resolutions undated
Box 19
Romney, George, Position on ERA, undated 1980
Box 19
Resource Materials/Published Material 1979
Box 19
Speeches, undated 1971-1978
Box 19
Statements (by others), 1971-1979
State Activities
Box 19
Arkansas undated
Box 19
Colorado 1976
Box 19
Florida 1978
Illinois
Box 19
General 1976
Box 19
Springfield June 6, 1982
Box 19
Indiana, 1975-76
Box 19
Michigan, 1980-81
Box 19
Missouri 1978
Box 19
North Carolina 1978
Box 19
Oklahoma 1978
Box 19
South Carolina 1980
Box 19
Various States, 1980-82
Box 19
State Reports, undated 1978
Box 19
Trips undated
Other Organizational Activities 1969-1983 [series]
(1 linear foot)
Papers from Peterson's other group activities have been put into Other Organizational Activities. These files document in part Peterson's many trips abroad with women's organizations, notably to China and the Middle East.
American Women for International Understanding
Box 19
Correspondence 1977-1978
Box 19
Soviet Union, et al. 1969
Box 19
Visit of China Women's Federation to United States 1979
Delegation for Friendship Among Women
Box 19
China trip Proposal 1973
Box 19
Mideast Trip 1974
Box 19
1980-1983
Women for International Understanding
China Trip
Box 19
1975
(2 folders)
Box 19
"An Elly's Eye View of China," 1975
International Women's Year
Commission
Box 20
Conference 1975-1976
Box 20
Correspondence 1975-1976
Box 20
ERA Committee Meeting 1975
Box 20
Miscellaneous 1975-1976
National Women's Conference
Box 20
Houston Women's Conference 1977-1978
Box 20
Memoranda and Correspondence 1977-1978
Box 20
"Report from Houston and NWC 1977," 1977
Box 20
National Center for Voluntary Action 1975
Box 20
National Women's Political Caucus 1971
Box 20
Republican Action Center Program, Ripon meeting 1973
Personal/biographical 1955-2006 [series]
(0.5 linear feet)
Personal/Biographical includes information about awards received by Peterson and some of her private writings.
Box 20
Awards 1964-1985
Box 20
Biographical information
Box 20
Clippings
(3 folders)
Box 20
Column: "To the Ladies" from National Bowlers Journal and Billiard Revue 1946-1947
Box 20
Desk calendars
Box 20
Guestbook from reception upon occasion of her retirement as assistant chairman of the Republican National Committee December 1970
Box 20
Honorary Doctorate 1970
Box 20
Later correspondence and memorabilia 1989-2006
(2 folders)
Box 20
Letters from public figures 1962-2000
(6 folders)
(includes some photocopies; originals of these items have been placed in the vault)
Box 20
Miscellaneous 1962-1979, undated
Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
Box 20
1983
Box 20
1984-1985
Box 20
Telegrams of congratulations following her speech at Republican National Convention 1964
Box 20
A Tribute to Elly Peterson 1984
Oversize Volume 1
A Tribute to Elly Peterson : Volume entitled: "A celebration of Elly Peterson June 9, 1984" 1984
Travels
Box 20
circa 1955
Box 20
1963
Box 20
New Zea 1981
Box 20
Unfinished Novel
(includes written edits)
Box 20
Writings/Observations 1972-1988
Speeches 1953-1996 [series]
(1 linear foot)
The Speeches series includes both manuscripts of her speeches and also published copies. Other speeches of Peterson will be found (as indicated) in the Republican Party Activities and ERAmerica series.
Box 25
Speech Index undated
Box 25
1953
Box 25
1964
National Republican Committee
Box 25
1964
(3 folders)
Box 25
1965
Box 25
1966
(3 folders)
Box 25
1967
Box 25
1968
(2 folders)
Box 25
1969
Box 25
circa 1970s
Box 25
1970-1977
Box 25
1978
Box 25
1979
Box 25
1980
Box 25
1995-1996
Box 25
Miscellaneous undated
Box 25
Women's Issues undated
Audio-Visual Materials circa 1950-2003 [series]
The Audio-Visual materials series consists of photographs, sound recordings, videotapes and a DVD. The photographs include some portraits and personal snapshots, but the bulk of the images relate to Republican Party functions, political campaigns, and her other political activities. The series includes images of many prominent Republican, including Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George Romney. The sound recordings and videotapes include several interviews with Peterson, campaign messages and a tribute to Peterson.
Photographs [subseries]
Biographical/Personal
Box 21
General [snapshots, portraits]
Box 21
Honorary Doctorate, Woods College 1970
Box 21
Honorary Law Degree, Eastern Michigan University 1976
Box 21
Michigan Women's Hall of Fame Awards Dinner 1985
Box 21
Travels in the Orient 1955, 1963
Republican Party--Michigan
Box 21
General
(campaigns, dinners; include Richard Nixon, George Romney, John Tower et al .)
Box 21
Senate Campaign 1964
Republican Party--National Committee
Box 21
General [dinners, awards, Nixon snapshot]
Box 21
Inauguration--Nixon 1969
Box 21
11th Annual Republican Women's Conference 1963
Box 21
"An Evening With Elly," (photo album) 1969
Box 21
Retirement as Assistant Chairman RNC 1970
Box 21
Miscellaneous
Later accessions
Box 21
ERA activities
Box 21
Family and friends
Box 21
Ford, Gerald and family
(see also oversize folder UAm)
Box 21
Groups
Box 21
Michigan subjects
Box 21
Miscellaneous
Box 21
Nixon/White House
Box 21
Political activities
Box 21
Portraits
Box 21
Romney family
(see also oversize folder UAm)
Box 21
Snapshots
Box 21
Women's activities
Photograph Albums [subseries]
Box 21
Retirement from Republican National Committee December 31, 1970
Box 21
Elly Peterson Day June 30, 1985
Videotapes [subseries]
Box 21
A Tribute to Elly Peterson June 9, 1984
(Beta videotape)
Box 21
Interview with EP by William S. Ballenger May 1, 1995
(55 minutes (VHS videotape))
Box 21
Interview with EP, Des Plaines, Illinois August 15, 2003
(VHS videotape)
Box 21
DVD [subseries]
"Elly Peterson: A Woman You Should Know" (Courthouse Square Association)
Sound Recordings [subseries]
Box 21
"An Evening with Elly Peterson" 1969
(Audio-cassette)
Sound Disc 1
Elly Peterson for U.S. Senate 1964
(Phonorecord, 2 60-second cuts)
Scrapbooks/Clippings 1943-circa 1980 [series]
(2 linear feet)
The Scrapbooks/Clippings series, bound volumes and loose pages, includes material from Peterson's service with the Red Cross during World War II, documentation of her political activities with the Republican Party and ERAmerica. The scrapbooks contain clippings, some correspondence, event programs, and other memorabilia.
Box 22
American Red Cross, WWII 1943-1945
(2 folders)
Box 22
American Red Cross, Miscellaneous 1943-1945
Box 22
American Red Cross, WWII, Loose Items 1943-1945
(2 folders)
Box 22
American Red Cross, WWII 1943-1945
(bound and typed excerpts of correspondence from scrapbooks)
Box 22
1960-1961
(unbound, incomplete)
Oversize Volume 2
1963
Oversize Volume 3
1964
Oversize Volume 4
1964-1968
Box 22
Senate Campaign 1964
Box 22
May, Surprise Birthday Party 1968
Box 22
1969-1970
(unbound, incomplete)
Box 22
April-December 1969
1970
Box 23
January-March
Box 23
April-June
Box 23
July-December
Clippings (loose)
Box 23
Senatorial Campaign 1964
Box 23
ERAmerica and Other Women's Rights Involvement 1964, 1969-1979
Box 23
General and Summary Articles on EMP and her Career 1962-1978
Box 23
Miscellaneous 1946-1977
Box 23
President Ford Committee 1976
Republican Party Activities
Box 23
1961-64
Box 23
1965-70
Box 23
Retirement from Republican National Convention 1970
