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History of Coeducation in Yale College: Key Collections at Yale (1941-2014)

Introduction

These collections are key archival resources for the history of coeducation at Yale University. We recommend that researchers begin their research with these collections. Clicking on the name of each collection will take you to the finding aid for that collection. From there, individual boxes may be ordered through Archives at Yale.

RU821: Office on the Education of Women (1968-1995)

The records of the Office on the Education of Women (previously known as the Coeducation Office) document all aspects of Yale University's transition to undergraduate coeducation, as well as the status of women at Yale and women in academe. 

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RU1130: Yale University Women’s Center (1969-2014)

This collection includes records (administrative files, event records, publications, staffer journals, etc.) of the Yale University Women's Center from 1969 to 2014.

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Yale Daily News Historical Archive (1878-1995)

The Yale Daily News Historical Archive provides access to digitized versions of printed issues of the Yale Daily News, the student newspaper of Yale University. The full text of these issues is indexed and searchable through the web interface. The historical archive begins in 1878 and ends in 1995 and access to the digital content is open to the world, representing 20,623 issues (including some special issues and supplements). 

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RU526: Vassar-Yale Joint Study Group (1963-1968)

The records consist of committee reports, drafts, and research materials documenting the activities and operations of the Vassar-Yale Joint Study Group, which was formed in 1967 to study a possible merger between Vassar College and Yale University.

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RU11: Kingman Brewster Papers (1941-1983, bulk 1961-1977)

Kingman Brewster, Jr. served as president of Yale University from 1963 to 1977 and oversaw the transition to coeducation at Yale. 

This is a very large collection that covers all of Brewster’s activities as president. Researchers are encouraged to search the finding aid for this collection using keywords (“coeducation,” “women,” etc.) to find boxes most relevant for coeducation.

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Manuscripts and Archives Digital Library

The Manuscripts and Archives Digital Library contains digital reproductions of photographs, posters, drawings, text documents, and other images taken from the research collections of Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library.  The database includes photographs of women athletic teams, campus life and other activities during the early period of coeducation at Yale College from 1969-1973.

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RU578: Yale College Records Concerning the Education of Women (1968-1987)

These records consist of correspondence, committee minutes, and reports documenting the activities of Judith Brandenberg, associate dean of Yale College (1977-1984), concerning the education of women.

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MS1258: Yale Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection

Yale Miscellaneous Manuscripts is a collection of material which pertains primarily to Yale and its graduates, and includes such items as correspondence, diaries, writings, and memorabilia. 

Boxes relevant to coeducation include:

-MS1258, Series I, Box 18 (1969) These are research materials gathered by Yale College student David L. Saurer (1970, M. Div. 1973). As an undergraduate Saurer began research for a project on the history of women at Yale, and while he never seems to have completed the project the material he gathered provides a wealth of useful information about the history of women as students, faculty, staff, and community members at Yale prior to coeducation in 1969.

-MS1258, Series II, Box 70, unnumbered folder: Item no. 275 (1970) Petitions requesting co-education admission policies at Yale University 1970