Hello all,

I've been working for some time now on an article about NY women's campaign
for jury service between 1917 (the year of woman suffrage in the state) and
the 1950s, and have come across references in materials from the campaign's
advocates to "rural women's" opposition to "mandatory" service.  This
opposition became apparent as early as 1922 and definitely slowed down a
"permissive" women's jury service bill, which didn't pass until 1937.
After the permissive bill passed, advocates continued to work toward
mandatory service but in 1952 announced that they were finally giving up
pursuing mandatory service because of "rural women's opposition."
Mandatory jury service for women became a fact only because of the U.S.
Supreme Court's *Taylor v. Louisiana* decision of 1976 that said juries had
to reflect a fair cross-section of the community.

Does anyone on the list have suggestions about how I can find out more
about rural women's opposition and document it?  Documentation and detail
on this question is the last remaining "hole" that I need to plug before
finishing the article.

You can reply to me on- or off-list.  Thanks very much.

Elisabeth Israels Perry
[log in to unmask]
Nashville, TN (but willing and able to travel to collections!)