Karen Stamm Papers
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Abstract
Karen Stamm participated in several women's reproductive rights campaigns and organizations during the 1970s and 1980s. This collection consists of correspondence, reports, background papers, and publications related to her efforts with those organizations for reproductive rights and against sterilization abuse, particularly of low-income women and women of color.
Historical/Biographical Note
Karen Stamm participated in several women's reproductive rights campaigns and organizations during the 1970s and 1980s, including the National Women's Health Network (NWHN), the Reproductive Rights National Network (R2N2), the Committee to End Sterilization Abuse (CESA), and its successor, the Committee for Abortion Rights and Against Sterilization Abuse (CARASA). She received her law degree from Rutgers Law School in 1985 and practiced landlord and tenant law and estate planning.
Through NWHN, R2N2, CESA, CARASA, and other organizations, Stamm advocated for reproductive rights and affordable healthcare for all women, regardless of race or socioeconomic status. She worked to end sterilization abuse as population control and for greater transparency of sterilization practices among hospitals and municipal healthcare agencies.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series: Series I: Personal and academic papers, arranged by topic; Series II: Organizations, arranged alphabetically; and Series III: Subject files, arranged alphabetically. Some materials were arranged and re-foldered before 2017.
Scope and Contents
The Karen Stamm Papers (1970-2004, bulk: 1970-1990) document Stamm's dedication to and participation in several women's reproductive health and rights organizations at national and state levels during the 1970s and 1980s. The collection also touches on tensions between advocates for abortion rights and those against sterilization abuse.
Included are correspondence, reports, pamphlets and other publications from these organizations. Also included are newspaper clippings and photocopies of clippings and articles that Stamm collected on abortion, sterilization abuse, AIDS, women's health, and related legislation.
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Organizations
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Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions with the exception of student papers not written by Karen Stamm. These materials are closed in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by Karen Stamm were transferred to New York University in 1999 by Karen Stamm. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from the Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive. Please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Karen Stamm Papers; TAM 212; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Karen Stamm to Tamiment Library in 1999. An oral history interview of Stamm conducted by Tamar Carroll was donated in 2004. The accession numbers associated with these gifts are 1999.018 and 2014.108.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Born-digital materials have not been transferred and may not be available to researchers. Researchers may request access copies. To request that material be transferred, or if you are unsure if material has been transferred, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Materials have been arranged loosely by topic and chronologically, maintaining the order in which they were received, when possible. Folder titles have also been maintained, when possible. Student papers not written by Karen Stamm have been re-housed in a separate container.
