Guide to the Carla Kirkwood Collection
MS 208
Finding aid prepared by Alison Hennessey
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
San Diego History Center Document Collection
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
April 17, 2012
Title: Carla Kirkwood Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 208
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
3.5 Linear feet
(5 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1969-2011
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English and Spanish.
Abstract: The collection pertains to social activist Carla Kirkwood and is related to her interest in women’s rights, the working class,
and her art projects.
creator:
Kirkwood, Carla
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Alison Hennessey on April 17, 2012.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Preferred Citation
Carla Kirkwood Collection, MS 208, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego, CA.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number 2000.050.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into five series:
Series I: Women’s Studies Program, San Diego State College
Series II: Women’s Issues
Series III: Labor and Unions
Series IV: NGO Forum on Women, Beijing ‘95
Series V: Art Projects
Items within each series are arranged by subject. Original order and/or titles have been retained for most of the collection.
Separated Materials
"Iron Fist" (newspaper), Volume II, Number 5, 7, and 9, previously separated.
Biographical / Historical Notes
Born into a military family in San Diego, Carla Kirkwood is an Emmy-winning writer, director, and social activist. Kirkwood’s
activism has focused on women’s liberation and issues of the working class. In 1969, as a student at San Diego State College,
she helped found the nation’s first women’s studies program. From 1974-1977, Kirkwood was active in the International Association
of Machinists in San Diego. She was also safety steward for the United Steel Workers Local 1010 at Inland Steel Corporation
in East Chicago, Indiana, before turning her attention to theater.
Kirkwood studied classical and contemporary Chinese Theater from 1982-1984 at the Central Drama Academy in Beijing, China,
earning a graduate degree in performance studies. In 1986 she received her Master’s of Fine Arts Degree from the University
of Leeds in England with an emphasis in global performance practices. Kirkwood received her Ph.D. from the University of California,
San Diego in theater and dance.
Kirkwood is an accomplished writer and director, winning three Emmy awards for her work with KPBS-TV, the San Diego Public
Broadcasting affiliate. Kirkwood’s artwork and performances often deal with social issues she would like to draw attention
to. In the early 1990s, Kirkwood received acclaim for the public art project “NHI” (No Humans Involved) and the accompanying
performance piece “MWI” (Many Women Involved), which drew attention to the unsolved murders of 45 San Diego women. Two of
Kirkwood’s solo performances, “War Diaries” and “Bodies of Evidence” were performed at the Whitney Museum of American Art
in the mid-1990s. Her collaborative public art projects include “There Are 206 Bones in the Human Body” (1988) and “Welcome
Back Emma! We Have Missed You So!” (1989).
From 1994-1997 Kirkwood was a visiting professor of theater and art at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. In 1995
she attended the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women and the parallel NGO Forum on Women, in Beijing. She currently
holds a faculty position at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, where she has worked for over 20 years.
Scope and Content
The collection contains materials pertaining to the activities of social activist of Carla Kirkwood as they relate to women’s
issues, unions, and the working class, and her art projects. Publications regarding women’s liberation in the 1960s and 1970s
are held in the collection, including board meeting documents related to the founding of the San Diego State College Women’s
Studies Program in 1969 through the early 1970s. The collection also includes publications and flyers regarding union and
labor activities in the 1970s and early 1980s, as well as flyers regarding an Ironworkers union strike in August of 1980 from
the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO). There are pamphlets, reports and flyers on international women’s issues
from the NGO Forum on Women ’95 in Beijing, China and the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women held in August and
September 1995, both of which she attended. The collection also includes publicity for Kirkwood’s art projects, as well as
scripts and VHS recordings of her performances.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Asian Women's Human Rights Council.
Industrial Workers of the World.
International Association of Bridge, Structural, and Ornamental Iron Workers. Local 627 (San Diego, Calif.).
Kirkwood, Carla
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (San Diego, Calif.).
New York Radical Feminists.
NGO Forum on Women, Beijing ’95 (1995 : Huairou Xian, China).
San Diego State College.
San Diego Young Women’s Christian Association Women’s Center.
World Conference on Women (4th : 1995 : Beijing, China).
YWCA.
Art
Communism
Feminism
Feminist theory
Goodbye To All That
Homosexuality
Kitty Litter
Labor unions and communism
Labor unions and socialism
Performance art
Political activists
Prensa Popular
Public art
RAT
San Diego (Calif.)
San Diego Wildcat
Second-wave feminism
Socialism
Socialist feminism
Theater
Underground newspapers
Up From The Bottom
Waterfront Worker
Women -- China
Women -- History
Women -- India
Women -- Iran -- Social conditions
Women -- Ireland -- Social conditions
Women -- Japan -- Social conditions
Women -- Korea -- Social conditions
Women -- Latin America -- Social conditions
Women -- New Zealand -- Social conditions
Women -- Philippines
Women -- Social conditions
Women -- Thailand -- Social conditions
Women -- Turkey -- Social conditions
Women and communism
Women and socialism
Women in education
Women in the theater
Women iron and steel workers
Women political activists
Women theatrical producers and directors
Women's studies
Series I:
Women's Studies Program, San Diego State College
Box-folder 1:1
Women's Studies Program introduction, description and courses,
1969
Box-folder 1:2
Board Meetings,
1970–1971 and undated
Includes:
Information on formation of the board including duties and organization.
Meeting minutes and agendas.
Board roster with contact information, correspondence and curriculum material.
Box-folder 1:3
Board Meetings,
1973 February 1–April 26 and undated
Includes:
Procedural documents, meeting minutes and agendas.
Box-folder 1:4
“Readings for Women’s Studies,”
1970-1971
Scope and Content
Essays and poetry on women’s issues and feminism.
Box-folder 1:5
Socialist-Feminist papers,
1973-1974
Box-folder 1:6
“The 2nd Revolution: Newsletter of the Women’s Studies Program,”
1971
Box-folder 5:1
“The 2nd Revolution: Newsletter of the Women’s Studies Program”
undated
Box-folder 1:7
“Women’s Movement in San Diego” (paper)
1972 September
Box-folder 1:8
"San Diego State 1970: The Initial Year of the Nation's First Women's Studies Program" (publication),
2011
Box-folder 1:9
Women's Union,
1970 November 9 and undated
Box-folder 1:10
"Certain Qualities" (script),
1971
Series II:
Women's Issues
Box-folder 1:11
“Birth Control Handbook,”
1970
Box-folder 1:12
“No More Fun and Games: A Journal of Female Liberation,”
1969
Box-folder 1:13
“Sappho ‘71” (poetry book),
1971
Box-folder 1:14
Booklet on Asian women,
1971
Box-folder 1:15
“On the Liberation of Women in Albania” (report),
1972
Box-folder 1:16
Booklets on Women in the Working Class,
1970-1974
Box-folder 1:17
Women Studies Collective: “Toward a Scientific Analysis of the Gay Question,”
undated
Box-folder 1:18
“What Have Women Done? A Photo Essay on the History of Working Women in the United States” (booklet),
1974
Box-folder 1:19
New York Radical Feminists,
1970
Box-folder 1:20
“A Communist View of Trade Unions” (booklet),
1975
Box-folder 5:2
"Goodbye to All That: The Newspaper by San Diego Women,"
1970–1971
Box-folder 5:3
"Goodbye to All That: The Newspaper by San Diego Women,"
1972-1973
Series III:
Labor and Unions
Box-folder 2:1
Shopmen’s Local Union No. 627 Strike flyers,
1980 August 8-14
Box-folder 2:2
NASSCO Strike,
1980-1981 and undated
Includes:
Flyers, reports, correspondence and articles regarding Ironworker International placing Local 627 under trusteeship after
the strike at NASSCO.
Box-folder 2:3
Working Class Unity League,
1970
Box-folder 2:4
Communist Movement documents,
1975 May and undated
Box-folder 2:5
YWCA Women’s Center flyers and newsletters,
1970 April 29-1973 April 12 and undated
Box-folder 2:6
“Cannery Workers Service Center” (newsletter),
1980 May
Box-folder 5:6
“How San Diego Took Care of its Wobblies” (article),
1977 March 10-16
Box-folder 5:7
"San Diego Wildcat" (newspaper) (some in Spanish),
1972-1974
Box-folder 5:8
"Kitty Litter" (newspaper),
1972 May
Box-folder 5:9
"Prensa Popular" (newspaper),
1974 September 11 and undated
Box-folder 5:10
"Up From the Bottom" (newspaper),
1974 December–1975 January and undated
Box-folder 5:11
"Waterfront Worker" (newspaper),
1975 April 23-May 21
Series IV:
NGO Forum on Women, Beijing '95
Box-folder 2:7
Forum information packet and funding,
1995 March 7-July 25 and undated
Box-folder 2:8
Asian Women’s Human Rights Council,
1995 September 2
Box-folder 2:9
Australian Aborigines,
1995 August
Box-folder 2:10
Black Women’s Rape Action Project (England), Women Against Rape,
1995 August 31
Box-folder 2:11
“Crossroads Books Distribution Collective,”
1995
Box-folder 2:12
China, Workshop of Women and Literature in China,
1995 September and undated
Box-folder 2:13
Draft Platform for Action,
1995 May 24
Includes:
Proposals for consideration in the preparation of a draft declaration by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
for the Fourth World Conference on Women, September 4-15, 1995.
Box-folder 2:15
Housework Campaign, Wages for,
1995
Box-folder 2:17
International Network of Women of Color In Preparation for the UN 4th World Conference on Women,
1995
Box-folder 2:18
Iran, Activities of BASEEJ Women Volunteers,
1995
Box-folder 2:20
Korean Women’s Video Presentations.
1995
Box-folder 2:21
Latin America, Women of,
1995
Includes:
Activities of the 4th Conference on Women-Beijing 1995, Columbian Women’s Social Movement Facilitating Committee
Box-folder 2:22
New Zealand, Women of,
1995
Box-folder 2:34
“Violence Against Women – The Hidden Health Burden,” World Bank Discussion Papers,
1995
Box-folder 2:23
"No Limits For Women Project,"
1995
Box-folder 2:24
Overseas Domestic Workers, Kalayaan,
1995
Box-folder 2:25
Population and environment,
1995
Box-folder 2:26
Rape Crisis Center-Dublin,
1995
Box-folder 2:27
“Sexual Exploitation Worldwide, Sex Trafficking, Sex Tourism, and Prostitution,”
1995
Box-folder 2:28
Structural Adjustment Programs,
1995
Box-folder 2:30
Theatre, Women’s Circus, International Playback Theatre Team,
1995
Includes:
“All in a Woman’s Family” (script)
Box-folder 2:31
Theatre Performances/Cultural Activities,
1995
Includes:
Women’s Circus
“Vampire Shock!” Feminist Performance
“Look at the World Through Women’s Eyes” program book
Box-folder 2:32
Third World Movement Against Exploitation of Women,
1995
Box-folder 2:33
Turkey – Women’s Counseling Center/Shelter Information,
1995
Box-folder 2:35
“Women and War” Brochure, International Committee of the Red Cross,
1995
Box-folder 2:36
Women’s Liberation Worldwide newsletter,
1995
Box-folder 2:37
Xenophobic Representation of Conference,
1995
Includes:
Email message summarizing the NGO Forum on Women.
Box-folder 2:38
Chinese Women Directors Interviews,
1995
Includes:
Interview transcripts of: Carla Kirkwood and Lin Yin Yu, Director of “Youth Art Theatre;” Carla Kirkwood and Zhang Qihong,
Director of Theatre at “Central Drama Academy;” and Carla Kirkwood and Chen Rong, Director of the “Youth Art Theatre.”
Box-folder 3:1
"Time Capsule, A Concise Encyclopedia by Women Artists," Robin Kahn ed. (book),
1995
Box-folder 3:2
U.S. Department of State bulletins,
1995 July-September
Includes:
“Remarks of Ambassador Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations concerning the 4th World
Conference on Women,” August 2, 1995.
“U.S. Delegation to the U.N. 4th World Conference on Women,” August 7, 1995.
“Security Guidance/Information,” August 2, 1995.
“Background on the U.N. World Conference on Women leading to the 4th United Nations World Conference on Women: Action for
Equality, Development and Peace, September 4-15, 1995 and the parallel NGO Forum ’95, August 30 – September 8, 1995, Beijing,
China.”
Box-folder 5:12
"Forum ’95" (newspaper),
1995 September 2-4
Box-folder 3:3
Maps of China,
1995
Includes:
Maps of Beijing
Map of NGO Forum on Women 1995
Tourist Map of China
Box-folder 3:4
Press books (2),
1984–2005 and undated
Includes:
Flyers for, and images of, art projects.
Reviews of art projects in various publications.
Box-folder 3:5
“Your Mama and Your Sister and Your Girlfriend,”
1982-1986
Includes:
Background information, press, and script for “Your Mama and Your Sister and Your Girlfriend” performance.
Box-folder 3:6
“There Are 206 Bones In The Human Body,”
1988
Includes:
Book to accompany performance by Las Gringas Performance Group.
Box-folder 3:7
“Woyzeck and Maria on East 94,”
1989 April 29–May 5 and undated
Includes:
Background information, press, and script for “Woyzeck and Maria on East 94,” performed April 29, 1989 at Sushi, Inc.
Box-folder 3:8
“Woyzeck and Maria on East 94” (VHS tape),
1989
Box-folder 3:9
"Welcome Back Emma,"
1989 October 6-November 19 and undated
Includes:
Background information, press and contracts for the art project “Welcome Back Emma,” performed November 2, 1989.
Box-folder 3:10
“Off The Back Burner: An Opinion Show,”
1989 October 20–November 25
Scope and Content
Essays by San Diego artists and arts professionals to accompany a group exhibition at Sushi, Inc.
Box-folder 4:1
"America's Finest?",
1990 September 1-1991 April 24
Includes:
Background information and press regarding the group public art project.
Box-folder 4:2
“NHI” (No Humans Involved),
1990 September 6-1993 March 25
Includes:
Background information regarding the public art project “NHI” (No Humans Involved), funding and business contracts.
Announcements.
Newspaper, magazine, and television press.
Public official and community response to the art project.
Box-folder 4:3
“MWI” (Many Women Involved),
1992-1994
Includes:
Background information, press and script for the art performance “MWI.”
Flyer for the book, Critical Condition: Women on the Edge of Violence, edited by Amy Scholder, which contains the script for
“MWI.”
Box-folder 4:4
"MWI" (Many Women Involved) (VHS tape),
1992
Box-folder 4:5
"Bodies of Evidence" (VHS tape),
1993-1995
Box-folder 4:6
"War Diaries,"
1996 August 6-1997 November 25 and undated
Includes:
Flyer for “War Diaries” performance at Whitney Museum of American Art, December 18-19, 1996.
Images, press, and script for “War Diaries.”
Box-folder 4:7
"War Diaries" (VHS tape),
1996-1997
Box-folder 4:8
Performance work (photographic slides),
1985-1993
Includes:
“Your Mama and Your Sister and Your Girlfriend,” May 1985
New Image Teen Theatre, Public Schools Tour, May 1987
“The Strong Breed,” Installation Gallery, 1989
“There Are 206 Bones in The Human Body,” Las Gringas Performance Group, Sushi, Inc., Neofest 1988
“Woyzeck and Maria on East 94,” Sushi, Inc., Neofest 1989
“Red Emma Returns” 1989
“MWI,” January 1993
“Bodies of Evidence,” 1993
