The papers of the League of Women Voters of Mount Clemens-Clinton Area document the activities and political positions of the League between 1932 and 1989. The collection is divided into three series: Administrative, Topical, and Visual Materials.
The League of Women Voters of Mount Clemens was first organized in November 1927 as a study group to educate women about current voting issues and their civic responsibilities. In the following decades, the League expanded its mission to inform and influence political leaders, local governments, and the general voting public by means of political activism, sponsorship of speakers and debates, and fact-finding studies and publications. Although the League took positions on political issues, they did not support or oppose political candidates and parties. In 1972, the League became known as the League of Women Voters of Mount Clemens-Clinton Area. In 1989, the League was disbanded due to declining active membership and lack of leadership.
The League's activities were determined at the national, state, and local levels. In later years, the state and national levels of the League of Women Voters had increasing influence on the activities, organization, and documentation of the Mount Clemens-Clinton Area League. Local League members met regularly at general and annual meetings and at morning, afternoon, or evening unit meetings. Board members and committee chairs also met separately at monthly board meetings. Board members included a president, two vice presidents, two secretaries, and a treasurer as well as various committee chairs. Examples of committees included voter's service, publications, finance, membership, national item, state item, local item, and nominations. New board members were elected in conjunction with annual meetings in March or April.
At unit meetings, the League discussed contemporary issues. In the late 1920s and 1930s, the League studied issues such as child labor and welfare, women in industry, tariff laws, political conditions in Germany and Japan, and public schools. In the 1940s, the League was interested in atomic energy, national defense programs, public health programs, inflation, unemployment, and the threat of Russia. In the 1950s, discussions centered around the United Nations, world trade, the federal loyalty security program, forms of municipal government, and local sales taxes. In the 1960s, the League focused on juvenile correction, water resources, public welfare, the peace-keeping role of the United Nations, China, and urban growth around Mount Clemens. In the 1970s, the League considered land use policies, environmental impact, energy resources, the financing of public education, and local urban development plans. In the 1980s, discussions were about toxic waste, transportation, health care, South Africa, national security, natural resources, vocational education, and the federal deficit.
The League was particularly active in the local community. Members researched local issues, campaigned for local reforms, distributed publications, and sponsored local activities. The League's first project was to study abuses of child labor in Mount Clemens. In the 1940s, the League demanded the establishment of a county health department, open elections with voting machines for school board members, and a better Child Labor Law in Michigan. In the 1950s, the League campaigned for a new city charter, permanent voter registration, a constitutional convention for Michigan, and a recreational center. The League also sponsored high school students to attend United Nations sessions. In the 1960s, the League organized an International Trade Fair and conducted surveys on Mount Clemens' school system and housing needs. It also studied water pollution in the Clinton River, supported the city development plan for urban renewal, and campaigned for the implementation of a city manager and commission form of local government. In the 1970s, the League actively opposed the channelization of the Clinton River and the construction of senior housing in MacArthur Park. It discovered local violations in the Housing and Urban Development guidelines, and it participated in studies on segregated schools in the Detroit area and regional governments in Southeast Michigan. In the 1980s, the League examined funding issues and the need for public libraries in outlying areas. Throughout its existence, the League created brochures with general information about the local community.
The Mount Clemens-Clinton Area League was probably best known for its non-partisan, didactic voter's service activities. League members distributed pamphlets that provided general information about elected officials and governmental organizations. Before elections, the League sponsored Voter's Guides in the local newspaper that gave factual information and candidates' positions on specific issues. To create the Voter's Guides, League members sent questionnaires to political candidates and asked them to respond succinctly to given questions. The League also organized candidate meetings before elections to acquaint voters with the candidates and current issues.
In summary, the papers of the League of Women Voters of Mount Clemens-Clinton Area document the interests, activities, and dissolution of the League. The collection is significant for its coverage of politically charged issues in the Mount Clemens and Clinton Township area and for its documentation of the changing interests and participation of women in political processes.
