Black Will Be First Woman Nominated to LG&W Board
he article “Black Will Be First Woman Nominated To LG&W Board” was printed in the Memphis Press-Scimitar on September 6, 1973. It was written about Patricia Shaw, a 34 year old insurance executive who was nominated by Memphis City Council, to serve on the board of Memphis Light, Gas, and Water. This makes Pat Shaw the first woman to be nominated to such a position. During this time, she was the assistant vice president and research analyst at Universal Life Insurance. Pat Shaw, being a minority and a woman, was ecstatic to be nominated for such a position. She mentioned that, “ of course the fact that the vacancy opened up from the death of a black member makes this particular nomination very attractive to me, so that we can not only have continued representation of that group but also a woman”. Mrs. Shaw was very active in Civil Rights, but also sexism in the workplace and human rights overall. She believed the biggest issue “was discrimination against anyone because they’re different or because they do not fit certain roles, I think the bigger issue is human rights”.
Memphis Press-Scimitar
MSS 109, Box 1, Folder 14
University of Memphis Libraries
September 6, 1973
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Universal Life Insurance Promotion Letter to Patricia Shaw
Workplace
In this letter Patricia Walker is promoted from Supervisor of the Data Processing Department at Universal LIfe insurance to Junior Officer, with the designation of Assistant Vice President- Assistant Controller. With this promotion, Shaw annual salary was raised to $10,000.00, an above average salary for the decade. It was also an above average salary for women, as well. In the letter, the Senior Vice President thanks Shaw for her hard work and says that he will continue to expect hard work from her. He also goes on to address qualities that patricia needs to improve. He states that one thing to improve is “the attitude one has to former peers and others.” From this statement, one may question the origin of Patricia’s attitude. Growing up as a an African AMerican women, Shaw faced multiple reasons for discrimination and situations where she had to stand had to stand up for herself. Still early in her career, Patricia earned an important position and continued to work her way up in the company years after.
H. A. Gilliam, Sr.: Senior Vice President of Universal Life Insurance
MSS 109, Box 1
University of Memphis Libraries
February 8, 1971
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Shelby State Community College
Introduction to Patchwork and Quilting
This document is from Shelby State Community College (today: Southwest Community College) to Marilyn Califf. Mrs. Califf was asked to teach an Introduction to Patchwork and Quilting in the Fall on Mondays from 7:30-9:30 p.m. She was paid $15 per teaching hour or a total of $180 for the course. Tuition for this class was $15.00. In the 70’s, it seems like $15/hr is low for teaching at a community college. The Feminist movement was beginning to take off during the 70s, but it seems that women were still highly underpaid, compared to their male counterparts.
Marilyn Califf was an avid teacher and she taught these classes to keep quilting alive and to help others appreciate quilts as much as she did. In addition to her class at Shelby State Community College, she conducted quilting workshops for the Memphis Artist-Craftsman’s Association, lectured on Art for the Memphis Jewish Welfare Fund, and was an instructor in painting for the Peabody Center for Senior Citizens. When she was not teaching, Califf volunteered much of her time at the Suicide and Crisis Center where she counseled people in crisis situations by phone.
Linda C. Brasfield
MSS 130, Box 1, Folder 10
University of Memphis Libraries
July 16, 1974
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Picture of the Universal Life delegation at the National Insurance Association Convention
Workplace, Women in the Workplace
In the Universal Life Insurance Company Magazine (ULICO), the Universal Life Delegation is pictured at the National Insurance Association Convention in Detroit. The convention was assembled by President L.R. Taylor, who spoke directly at the event. The topic of his speech was listed as, “Take a Look at Ourselves.” Taylor spoke about tracing the history of black life insurance companies and what steps need to be taken in order for the companies to survive. Patricia Shaw, pictured on the bottom row, third from the left, is listed as the company’s Assistant Vice President. Shaw began her career at Universal Life Insurance as a keypunch operator and eventually worked her to way up to become the company’s president. Before beginning her job at Universal, Shaw worked in Social work, a career that was seen to be “for women,” at the time. Although she had a business degree from The University of Michigan and The University of Chicago, she was unable to find work in the male-dominated business world. Following social work, Shaw knew that it was time to work for her grandfather’s company. From this photograph we can see the progression that has been made throughout shaw’s career. She was able to attend a President’s convention. Women in the workplace were able to progress through hard work, connections, and dedication, despite the discrimination that they faced.
Universal Life Insurance Company
MSS 109, Box 1
University of Memphis Libraries
Fall 1971
Digital Image © 2016, University of Memphis Libraries Preservation and Special Collections Department. All rights reserved.
Sewing Sales & Services
Quilting Supplies sold to Contemporary Quilts
This document is an invoice to Contemporary Quilts from Sewing Sales & Services, Distributors of Notions from Atlanta, Georgia. Contemporary Quilts purchased supplies from this company for their quilts. The supplies include thread (.89 cents a unit), a Gingher Bent Trimmer ($7.51), Fiskars Shears ($5.40), Flaire Trim (.74 cents a unit, .34 cents a unit, and .42 cents a unit), and Quilt Squares ($17.33 a unit). The total amount spent was $327.71. We chose this document to illustrate the prices of quilt supplies and quilt making in the 1970s.
Contemporary Quilts
MSS 130, Box 1, Folder 22
University of Memphis Libraries
March 13, 1976
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Current Resume’ for Marilyn Califf
Marilyn Califf’s Resume
This document is the current resume for Marilyn Califf as of January 1977. She was born on April 27, 1932 in Memphis, TN. She graduated from Central High School in 1950 and went on to pursue a college degree. She began by attending the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL from 1950-1951. Califf left the University of Miami and moved home to attend Memphis State University from 1951-1952. After taking some years off, in 1968 she attended International University of Saltillo in Mexico. Marilyn Califf then graduated from the Memphis Academy of Art in 1970, where she was awarded a BFA in Painting. After graduating from the Memphis Academy of Art, Marilyn Califf began designing quilts, publishing quilts, and began her mail order quilt pattern business.
Califf’s work has been featured in many public collections, including the Brooks Memorial Art Gallery and the Memphis Jewish Community Center. She also has many paintings and quilts that were entered into competitive exhibitions. Some of these include the Atlanta Drawing Society Exhibition, the All-Tennesseans Exhibition, Tennessee Artist-Craftsman’s Association Crafts Fair and many, many more.
The awards for her work include First Prize in Oils in the 1968 Mid-South Exhibition, Honorable Mention in the 1964 B’Nai B’Rith Women Competition, and 3 Purchase Prizes for Quilts at the 1972 Tennessee Artist-Craftsman’s Association.
Marilyn Califf was not only an artist and quiltmaker, but also a writer. She wrote and published
“Your First Quilt” and “The Pillow Book”.
Marilyn Califf
MSS 130, Box 1, Folder 1
University of Memphis Libraries
January 1977
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