Mary Dunn papers

Abstract

The Mary Dunn papers (dated 1970-1999, undated; 1.3 cubic feet; 1 box, 1 flat box, 2 photo boxes) primarily comprise clippings, newsletters, pamphlets, brochures, agendas, meeting minutes, and ephemera that document Mary Dunn's involvement with Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Convention as well as her activities with political action groups the Democratic Socialists of America and the National Rainbow Coalition.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Mary Dunn papers
Date
1970-1999, undated (inclusive)
Extent
1.33 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Community activists
Lexington (Ky.)
Public policy and politics
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by format.
Finding Aid Author
Kaylee McMunn
Preferred Citation
2021ms044 : [identification of item], Mary Dunn papers, 1970-1999, University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Mary Dunn was born September 19, 1930, in Nashville, TN, to Dr. Raphael Semmes Duke and Louise (Potter) Duke. Mary graduated from Ward Belmont in Nashville, TN, and moved to Lexington in 1948 to study at the University of Kentucky. After graduating, Mary remained in Lexington. She married university administrator Keller Dunn and had two daughters. In the 1960s, as issues of civil rights, feminism, and the Vietnam War were in the national spotlight, Mary became more politically aware. In 1967, she joined the Lexington Peace Council, which prepared education resources in opposition to the Vietnam War. During this time, through exposure to national conversations and events as well as books such as Marilyn French's The Women's Room, she became more active in the feminism movement. Around this time, she and her husband divorced; Mary attributed this separation to their different goals in life.
Mary was very active in various political movements and conversations both in Lexington and nationally. She was very vocal in opposition to the purchase of South African granite for use in a Lexington library building and, in response, worked with local groups to raise money to send to South African refugee camps in South Africa. She was also vocal about the prevalence of prejudice and racism in Lexington. She was an outspoken critic of Gov. A.B. "Happy" Chandler following his using a racial slur at a University of Kentucky Board of Trustees Committee meeting and advocated for his resignation. Additionally, following the renaming of Walnut Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and she warned against interpreting the decision as evidence that racism does not exist in Lexington. Nationally, she became heavily involved with the Democratic Socialists of America and served on the group's national executive board. She was active in the National Rainbow Coalition and the formation of a Kentucky chapter of the organization. She was also a vocal opponent of U.S. involvement in Central America. She campaigned for Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential bid and served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention that year. She was also involved with the National Abortion Rights Action League.
Mary died on June 24, 2022.
Sources: Lexington Herald-Leader, June 30, 2022 https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kentucky/name/mary-dunn-obituary?id=35429524
Scope and Content
The Mary Dunn papers (dated 1970-1999, undated; 1.3 cubic feet; 1 box, 1 flat box, 2 photo boxes) primarily comprise clippings, newsletters, pamphlets, brochures, agendas, meeting minutes, and ephemera that document Mary Dunn's involvement with Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Convention as well as her activities with political action groups the Democratic Socialists of America and the National Rainbow Coalition.
The collection is arranged by format into two series. The Political activism subject files series comprises the bulk of the collection and includes clippings, newsletters, pamphlets, brochures, agendas, meeting minutes, and ephemera that document Mary Dunn's political and social activism. The Photograph series comprises eight photographs documenting Mary Dunn's political action, including a Rainbow Coalition meeting at Shiloh Baptist Church in Lexington, a Lexington Peace Council group protest in downtown Lexington, and other political action events. Two photos feature Michael Wilson, a former city councilman, at a Rainbow Coalition meeting at Shiloh Baptist Church in Lexington. One photo also features Theodore Berry, who founded the Black Student Union at the University of Kentucky.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment
Use Restrictions
The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

Political activism subject files, 1973-1999, undated

Amber Moon correspondence, undated

  • Box 1, folder 1
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Assorted Lexington event brochures, 1987-1988, undated

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Assorted Lexington related newspaper clippings, 1982-1989

  • Box 1, folder 3
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Assorted newspaper clippings, 1986

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Central America awareness and protest newspaper clippings, [1980s]

  • Box 1, folder 5
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Central America awareness event flyers, undated

  • Box 1, folder 6
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Central America conflict and military presence newspaper clippings, 1981, 1985

  • Box 1, folder 7
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Central Kentucky Council for Peace and Justice by-laws, correspondence, newsletter, list, clipping, 1987

  • Box 1, folder 8
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Central Kentucky Democratic Socialists of America event flyers, 1988, undated

  • Box 1, folder 9
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Correspondence with Joseph T. Burch. University of Kentucky Dean of Students, 1986

  • Box 1, folder 10
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Correspondence with Mary Dunn related to DNC delegation, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 11
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Correspondence with state officials on Kentucky National Guard in Central America, 1985-1986

  • Box 1, folder 12
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Dekalb County Democratic National Convention pin, 1988

  • Box 2, folder 1-2
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Democratic National Convention (DNC) delegate badges, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 13
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DNC delegate correspondence, agenda, lists, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 14
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DNC newspaper clippings, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 15
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DNC newspaper clippings, 1988-1999

  • Box 1, folder 16
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DNC notes, [1988]

  • Box 1, folder 17
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DNC packet contents, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 18
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DNC planning bulletins, correspondence, lists, seating chart, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 19
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DNC schedule, candidacy form, DSA agenda, flyer, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 20
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Dollars and Sense magazine article, Democrats and Reagan, 1987

  • Box 1, folder 21
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Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) brochure and event flyers, [1988]

  • Box 1, folder 22
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DSA flyers, 1985, undated

  • Box 1, folder 23
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DSA newsletters, 1983-1985

  • Box 1, folder 24
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DSA strategic planning reports, Jesse Jackson campaign, 1986

  • Box 1, folder 25
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Extra! newsletter (FAIR), 1988 March/April

  • Box 1, folder 26
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Fayette County Challenger's certificates, 1984, 1987

  • Box 1, folder 27
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Flyers related to National Guard in Central America, undated

  • Box 1, folder 28
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Frontline: a line of march publication, vol.6 no.4, 1988 August 1

  • Box 4, folder 1
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Jesse Jackson campaign advertisement, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Jesse Jackson campaign at DNC, platform, bulletin, correspondence, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 29
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Jesse Jackson campaign brochures and sticker, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 30
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Jesse Jackson campaign clippings, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 31
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Jesse Jackson campaign correspondence, mailers, memo, 1987-1988, undated

  • Box 1, folder 32
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Jesse Jackson campaign event bulletin, photo, 1984, undated

  • Box 1, folder 33
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Jesse Jackson campaign flyers and mailers, 1987-1988

  • Box 1, folder 34
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Jesse Jackson campaign newspaper clippings, 1984, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 35
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Jesse Jackson campaign schedules and lists, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 36
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Jesse Jackson campaign, strategic planning lists, agendas, reports, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 37
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Jesse Jackson pin, 1988

  • Box 2, folder 3
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Justice for Janitors: Service Employees International Union" pin, undated

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Kentucky Democratic Party correspondence to DNC delegates, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 38
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Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition event flyers, ticket, 1987

  • Box 1, folder 39
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Kentucky Rainbow Coalition at DNC event flyer and speech, 1988-1989

  • Box 1, folder 40
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Kentucky Rainbow Coalition membership application slip, undated

  • Box 1, folder 41
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Kentucky Task Force on Hunger bulletin and correspondence, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 42
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March on Washington bumber sticker, sticker, 1983

  • Box 1, folder 43
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March on Washington newspaper clippings, schedule, map, 1987

  • Box 1, folder 44
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Mary Dunn delegate pin, undated

  • Box 2, folder 5
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Mary Dunn nametag with Democratic Socialists of America emblem, undated

  • Box 2, folder 6
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Mary Dunn newspaper clippings, Amber Moon and Red Star Sisters, 1973-1991

  • Box 1, folder 45
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Michael Dukakis, Bentsen campaign mailer, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 46
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Michael Dukakis campaign mailer, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 47
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Michael Dukakis campaign newspaper clippings, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 48
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Michael Dukakis campaign newspaper clippings, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 49
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Minority reports and proposed amendments to the platform, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 50
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National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) by-laws and request for chapter status, 1986-1987

  • Box 1, folder 51
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NARC clippings and articles, 1984-1988, undated

  • Box 1, folder 52
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NARC correspondence, report, 1987-1989

  • Box 1, folder 53
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NARC event flyer, undated

  • Box 1, folder 54
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NARC meeting and convention agendas, minutes, flyers, pamphlets, 1984-1989

  • Box 1, folder 55
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NARC newsletters and publications, 1986-1989

  • Box 1, folder 56
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NARC statement on war in Central America, 1986

  • Box 1, folder 57
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NARC strategic planning reports, mailers, correspondence, Jesse Jackson campaign, 1987, undated

  • Box 1, folder 58
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National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) Choice delegate pin, 1988

  • Box 2, folder 7
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National Abortion Rights Action League at DNC, correspondence, bulletin, brochures, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 59
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Planned Parenthood at DNC folder contents, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 60
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Protest posters, undated

  • Box 4, folder 3
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Public Citizen magazine, founded by Ralph Nader, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 61
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Rainbow News: Oregon Rainbow Coalition, 1986 November

  • Box 4, folder 4
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Service Employees International union correspondence, pamphlet, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 62
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Socialist feminist bibliography list, undated

  • Box 1, folder 63
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"Songs for Socialists" booklet, undated

  • Box 1, folder 64
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Southern Organizing Committee for Economic and Social Justice newsletter, 1989

  • Box 1, folder 65
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State Representative Larry Jones Hopkins financial disclosure statement, 1984

  • Box 1, folder 66
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The Guardian: independent radical newsweekly, 1988 August 3

  • Box 4, folder 5
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UAW Ammo pamphlet, anti George H.W. Bush, 1988

  • Box 1, folder 67
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"Watermelon Agenda" related to sit in at Rep. Larry Hopkins office, [1985]

  • Box 1, folder 68
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"Watermelon" newspaper clippings related to sit in, 1985

  • Box 1, folder 69
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Women's International League for Peace and Freedom event flyer, brochure, undated

  • Box 1, folder 70
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Photographs, 1970-1988, undated

Group at picnic, back reads,"Sat. Picnic - [Priority Caravan] - Unitarian Church - July 1970", 1970

  • Box 3, item 1
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Group on steps, back reads, "Pat Gregory - 1970", 1970

  • Box 3, item 2
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Group protest, back reads, "April 15, 1970 - Courthouse - Lex. KY. - Lex. Peace Council + UK Student mobilization committee", 1970

  • Box 3, item 3
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Group protest, back reads, "Lexington Peace Council - UK SMC - Thursday May 1970 - Lex. Theol. Seminary lawn", 1970

  • Box 3, item 4
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Group walking, back reads, "4 [priority caravaners] at picnic on Sat. at Unitarian Church - Mike Mosher - Jean Robertson - Kathy - Karen Bigelow", undated

  • Box 3, item 5
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Mary Dunn (far left), Theodore Berry (far right), Michael Wilson (center right), and unidentified individual, Rainbow Coalition meeting at Shiloh Baptist Church, Lexington, KY, [1988]

  • Box 3, item 6
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Mary Dunn with group, Michael Wilson far left, Rainbow Coalition meeting at Shiloh Baptist Church, Lexington, KY, [1988]

  • Box 3, item 7
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Unidentified group, Rainbow Coalition meeting, Lexington, KY, [1988]

  • Box 3, item 8
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.