Elsalyn Palmisano Women’s History Papers

The Elsalyn Palmisano Women’s History Papers are the direct result of Palmisano’s lifelong interest in women’s issues. At the Women’s Center at Brookdale Community College, she set up the library and amassed a significant women’s history collection and subsequently developed a related curriculum with a special focus on women’s role in the history of Monmouth County. As librarian at the Monmouth County Historical Association, Palmisano expanded its collection and wrote a number of pamphlets on various topics. She also developed several slide presentations on subjects relating to Monmouth County history. When the Historical Association received the papers of longtime Keyport resident Vera Conover, Palmisano conducted further research on the Conover/Seabrook family, unearthing significant materials on local history and on the Temperance and Women’s Suffrage movements. While working with the Keyport Historical Society to catalog and preserve these materials, she also became interested in women’s rights activist Alice Paul and researched her role both in the suffrage movement and in the campaign for the Equal Rights Amendment. Much of Palmisano’s work on women’s history was funded by New Jersey Historical Commission grants.
See the guide to the Elsalyn Palmisano Preservation Papers for further biographical information on Palmisano.

Materials in this collection are primarily the result of research funded by grants from the New Jersey Historical Commission and a course taught by Elsalyn Palmisano at Brookdale Community College. Major themes include Keyport history, Molly Pitcher, American Bicentennial, Monmouth County History, Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Women’s Suffrage, and the Women’s Movement. The collection is arranged in four series:

I. Women in Early Monmouth County
II. Legacy of the Seabrook Women
III. Alice Paul
IV. The Women’s Center at Brookdale Community College

The Monmouth County Women series includes materials on women of the Revolutionary War period, the Battle of Monmouth, Molly Pitcher, and the American Bicentennial. Also included are original Brookdale Community College course materials from “Move Over, Molly.”

Seabrook Women materials consist of personal histories of the three individual women, as well as the history of their family homestead (the “Spy House”) and their family’s involvement in the settlement of Keyport and in the local steamboat industry. Also included are materials on the family’s involvement with the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the Women’s Suffrage movement, and the Keyport Literary Club.

Alice Paul materials include histories of the Women’s Suffrage movement, plans for her centennial celebration and display materials featured on Monmouth County Archives and History Day.
The Women’s Center materials consist of items relating to the formulation, administration and daily operation of the center.

Types of materials include course materials; book jackets; correspondence; newsletters; photocopied and/or typewritten documents; newspaper and magazine clippings; academic papers; lecture cards; research notes; bibliographies; book excerpts; pamphlets and booklets; videotapes; color slides and photographs; and display signage. The Seabrook series includes a slide presentation housed in its original slide projector tray.

Some items, including all newspaper clippings, have been photocopied for preservation purposes; these photocopies have been substituted for original materials as necessary. Some items are photocopies of 18th and 19th century documents and publications; dates in the container list reference the date of the original material.

This collection is open to researchers.

The Palmisano Women’s History Papers are arranged in four series:

• Women in Early Monmouth County

• Legacy of the Seabrook Women

• Alice Paul

• Women’s Center at Brookdale Community College

The first series is arranged in original order; in some cases, the contents of original folders have been split into several folders for space reasons. The second series is arranged by subject; contents are in original order. The third series is arranged by subject. The fourth series is arranged by subject; contents are in chronological order, except for folder containing the administrative handbook, which is in its original order. Oversize material is stored in one flat box arranged in series order. Photographs (prints, slides, and negatives) are stored separately. Folder contents are in original order and folders are arranged by series. Contents of a slide carousel tray are in original order.

Use of the Palmisano Papers is unrestricted. See shelf list for folder headings. Some audiovisual materials require VHS or carousel slide projection.

Monmouth County Archives
125 Symmes Drive
Manalapan, NJ 07726
Phone: 732-308-3771

This collection was donated to the Monmouth County Archives by Elsalyn Palmisano in January 2013 (Accession 2013-01).

Finding aid created by Lisa Iannucci on February 5, 2014. Updated November 7, 2014.

Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Women in Early Monmouth: Notes and Correspondence	1975-1978
1	2-3	:Women in History (General Activities and Notable  Women)	1974-1977
1	4	:Women in History (General Activities and Notable Women)	1894-1978
1	5-6	: Women’s History – Manuscript Repositories	1972-1980
1	7	: Women History Conferences	1974-1979
1	8	: Women in History Quizzes	1975-1977
1	9	: Samplers – Women in Monmouth County (MCHA)	1975-1977
1	10	: Women in Union County	1976
1	11	: Women’s Historical Research	1979-1983
1	12	: Portraits (MCHA) County Women, 1750-1850	1944-1977
2	13	: N.J. and Monmouth County Historical Association	1776-1978
2	14	: Newsletter clippings (copies from Palmisano’s home newspaper)	1977-1979
2	15	: Monmouth County NOW (Aug. 26, 1977 Activities-Script)	1909-1977
2	16	: Women in County Lecture – Session II	1977
2	17	: Women and War in New Jersey and Boston (Bibliography)	1976
2	18	: Godey’s Lady Book – Pictures Women’s Dress (1800-1900) (Catalog – Allen House)	1977-1978
2	19	: Book Reviews and Bibliographies	1974-1981
2	20	: Ladies of Trenton Broadside, July 4, 1780, and Sentiments of American Women	1780-1977
2	21	: Freehold Ladies’ Seminary (G. Mezey paper)	1851-1976
2	22	: Exhibits, Films, Plays, Guides to Manuscripts	1975-1983
2	23	: Diary of Eliza Chadwick Scott (A. Morton for A.A.U.W.)	1976
2	24	: Campfollowers (K. Philbrick) (includes photos)	1976-1977
2	25-26	: Molly Pitcher	1723-2001
2	27-28	: New Jersey Women in History	1940-1979
2	29-30	: Revolutionary War – Women’s Activities [folder 1]	1930-1976
3	31	: Women in Early Monmouth County (M. Rush)	1831-1978
3	32	: “Move Over, Molly,” Fall 1976 – Brookdale Community College	1976
3	33	: New Jersey Historical Commission Grant Application for “Move Over, Molly,” 1977	1977-1978
3	34	: Conference NJEA – Nov. 30, 1977	1977
3	35	: “Women in Early Monmouth” Course Materials – Master Copies	1977-1978
3	36	: “Women in Early Monmouth” – Course Packet with course handouts	1977-1978
3	37	: Newspaper Clippings on Elsalyn Palmisano	1977-1978
3	38	: Miscellaneous	1962-1980
3	39	: Multimedia	1977
3	40	Legacy of the Seabrook Women: Conover, Vera, includes photos	1952-1979
3	41-42	: General Keyport History & Steamboats	1877-1979
4	43	: Keyport Literary Club	1892-1979
4	44	: NJHC Grant Applications	1979-1980
4	45	: Seabrook, Annie (Mrs. William Conover), photos	1870-1979
4	46	: Seabrook, Theresa W., photos	1883-1979
4	47	: Women’s Suffrage	1888-1917
4	48	Alice Paul: Alice Paul NOW	2000
4	49	: Archives Day Materials	1977-2000
4	50	: Book Excerpts	1920-1921
4	51	: Centennial Symposium Evaluation Materials	1984-1985
4	52	: Flyers and Pamphlets	1999-2005
4	53	: Newspaper Clippings	1909-2004
4	54	: Women’s Suffrage Research	1919-2005
4	55	: Photographs	2000, undated
4	56	: Videotapes (Includes copies of cover art)	1996-1998
4A	1	The Women’s Center at Brookdale Community College : Administrative	1974-1976, undated
4A	2	: Administrative handbook	1974-1975
4A	3	: Bibliographies	1974-1979, undated
4A	4	: Correspondence	1974-1979, undated
4A	5	: Newsletters	1974-1991
4A	6	: Newspaper clippings	1974-1978, undated
4A	7	: Promotional	1974-1977, undated
4A	8	: Reports	1975-1979
4A	9	: Subject heading lists	1974-1979
5	57	Photographic Materials	1976-1977
5	58	: “Move Over Molly” Lecture Slides – Molly Pitcher	1972-1977
5	59	: “Move Over Molly” Lecture Slides – Camp followers	1976-1977
5	60	: Lecture Slides – M.C.H.A. Museum Portraits	1977
5	61	: Slides – Sites Relating to Other County & N.J. Woman	1974-1977
5	62	: Slides – “Remember the Ladies” Exhibit, N.Y. Historical Society	1977
5	63	: Slides – Women’s Dress – Allen House Exhibit	1977
5	64	: Slides – Women’s Samplers – M.C.H.A. Collection	1977
5	65	: Unusual and Duplicate Slides	1958-1979, undated
5	66	: Seabrook Women Photos & Negatives	1979
5	67	: Alice Paul Photos	2000, undated
5	68	: Slide Carousel Tray – Seabrook Women	1979

 

OVERSIZE BOX

1	1	Women in Early Monmouth: N.J. and Monmouth County Historical Association Manuscript Sources	1776-1787
1	2	: Monmouth County NOW	1919-1970
1	3	: Book Reviews and Bibliographies	undated
1	4	: Exhibits, Films, Plays, Guides to Manuscripts	1975
1	5	: Molly Pitcher	1977, undated
1	6	: New Jersey Women in History	circa 1978, undated
1	7-8	: Revolutionary War-Women’s Activities	1972, undated
1	9	: NJ Historical Commission Grant Application: “Women in Early Monmouth” Course Materials- Master Copies/Course Packet	1978, undated
1	10	: Newspaper Clippings on Elsalyn Palmisano	1977-1978
1	11	: Miscellaneous papers	1976-1978
1	12	Legacy of the Seabrook Women	1973-circa 1979
1	13	Alice Paul: Archives Day Materials	1994-2005
1	14	: Centennial Symposium Evaluation Materials	1985-1994
1	15	: Newspaper Clippings	1977-1979
1	16	: Women’s Suffrage	1922-2005