Human Rights of Arizona, Inc. Records

The Human Rights of Arizona, Inc. Records contains correspondence, notes, minutes, agendae, printed matter, and memorabilia that document the activities of a welfare advocacy organization and the career of one of its founders. The collection ranges in date from 1930 to 1989, and is divided into two series: the Human Rights of Arizona, Inc. Records, and the Ruth Wootten Papers.

The Series I: Human Rights of Arizona, Inc. Records contains correspondence, notes, minutes, agendae, printed matter, and memorabilia documenting the functions of that organization and the related activities of the donor, Ruth Wootten, and of a co-founder, Barbara Norton. It ranges in date from 1960 to 1989 and is divided into six series: Welfare, Health, Environment, Aging, Administrative Records, and Memorabilia and Audio Recordings.

Sub-Series A: Welfare contains correspondence, notes, minutes, agendae and printed matter relating to Human Rights of Arizona members' advocacy of persons seeking governmental assistance for various causes. These date from 1960 to 1989 and are divided into nine subseries: Native American Welfare, Income Maintenance, Child Welfare, Housing, Employment, Racism, Law, Regulation and Advocacy, Nutritional Maintenance, and Miscellaneous Subjects. Box 26, Folder 13 contains Ruth Wootten's article, How Gaunt the Grant: Standards of Assistance. Box 45, Folder 13, Box 46 and Box 47, Folders 1 through 5 are her background reading files on welfare issues in Arizona. Articles by Barbara Norton are housed in Box 47, Folder 8. Her final report to the Lilly Endowment Fund, which outlines the achievements attained by Human Rights of Arizona with a grant of Lilly funds, is in Box 53, Folder 10. A co-authored article by Norton and Wootten, To HEW or not to HEW, is found in Box 59, Folders 11 and 12.

Sub-Series B: Health contains correspondence, minutes, and printed matter which similarly relate to members' advocacy for persons seeking governmental assistance in obtaining medical care. Other materials discuss public health care policy. The series dates from 1964 to 1988 and is divided into two subseries: Mental Health and Miscellaneous Subjects.

Sub-Series C: Environment comprises correspondence, minutes and printed matter addressing Arizona public policy regarding environmental quality and water reclamation projects dating from between 1970 and 1982. The subseries within it are Orme Dam and Environmental Quality.

Sub-Series D: Aging contains correspondence and printed matter concerning governmental policies toward elderly persons. It ranges in date from 1969 to 1989.

Sub-Series E: Administrative Records houses correspondence, minutes, agendae, and printed matter that document the operation of Human Rights of Arizona from 1969 to 1987.

Sub-Series F: Memorabilia and Audio Recordings dates from 1967 to 1975. Included in this series (Box 75) are the audio tapes of Ruth Wootten's program Ideas About Work.

Series II: Ruth Wootten Papers contains collected correspondence and printed matter not related to the Human Rights of Arizona organization. They range in date from 1930 to 1986 and are divided into two series: Illinois Welfare and Miscellaneous Subjects.

Sub-Series A: Illinois Welfare contains correspondence and printed matter revealing Dr. Wootten's educational and professional activities in the area of social service before she moved to Arizona. They principally date from 1953 to 1957.

Sub-Series B: Miscellaneous Subjects comprises correspondence and printed matter dating from 1930 to 1987.