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Call No.: 82-M33--84-M82
Repository: Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute
Creator: Barbara (Rosner) Seaman, 1935-
Title: Papers, 1920(?), 1935-1983
Quantity: 4 cartons, 1 folio folder, 3 folio folders, 1 oversize volume, 2 oversize folders, 34 audiotapes, 3 videotapes, 1 motion picture film
Abstract: Correspondence, letters from readers, minutes, etc., of Barbara Seaman, feminist and author.

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BIOGRAPHY

The eldest of three sisters, BRS was born in New York City on September 11, 1935. Her father, Henry Jerome Rosner, was assistant commissioner of the city's Department of Social Services, and her mother, Sophie Blanche (Kimels) Rosner, was a high school English teacher. After attending public schools in New York, BRS entered Oberlin College as a Ford Foundation Early Admissions Scholar. At age nineteen she was married for six months to Peter Marks. BRS graduated from Oberlin in 1956.

The following year saw her marriage to Gideon Seaman, a psychiatrist, and the birth of their first child, Noah Samuel. Elana Felicia was born in 1960 and Shira Jean in 1962. BRS was also the "foster mother of record" for Joey Nemecek, a boy who had dated Elana, and who had been on his own since the age of thirteen; JN died under mysterious cicumstances in 1977. In 1982 the Seamans were divorced, and BRS married Milton Forman, president of Toltec Fabrics, Inc.

During the early 1960s, BRS and GS wrote a column on marriage for Bride's Magazine; a later column entitled "Your Mind, Your Heart" was syndicated through the Bell-McClure newspaper network (1970-1971). BRS was a columnist and contributing editor at Ladies' Home Journal (1965-1969), child care and education editor at Family Circle (1970-1973), contributing editor at Omni (1978), and author of articles and reviews in numerous newspapers and magazines, including Ms., The New York Times, the Village Voice, and the Washington Post.

Her books include The Doctors' Case Against the Pill (New York: Peter H. Wyden, 1969), and, with GS, Free and Female (New York: Coward, McCann and Geoghegan, 1972), and Women and the Crisis in Sex Hormones (New York: Rawson, 1977). For a more complete list of her writings, see Who's Who in America, 1984-1985.

In 1975 BRS taught at the College of New Rochelle (New York) and at Sagaris Institute (Plainfield, Vermont). She has appeared frequently on television, and has lectured widely on health care at a number of institutions, including the City University of New York, Columbia University, University of Michigan, New York University, and Oberlin College. She testified on a variety of health care issues before Congressional committees (1970-1983), and in 1970 was recognized by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for her part in seeing that appropriate written warnings to patients accompanied each prescription. In 1973 BRS was honored by the Library of Congress for being the first to raise worldwide the problem of sexism in health care, and in 1978 she received the Matrix award given by New York Women in Communications, Inc.

A co-founder of the National Women's Health Network, BRS has served on the boards and advisory committees of a number of organizations, including the New York Women's Forum (1974), Feminist Press (1975- ), DES Action (1977- ), Older Women's Health Project of New York University's Medical Center (1980), Abortion Rights Mobilization (1981- ), and Women's Health Newsletter (1983- ). She is also a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the National Association of Science Writers, PEN, and Women's Ink.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The collection contains photographs; personal and professional correspondence and letters from readers; articles by and about BS; minutes, reports, and printed material of organizations in which BS played an active role; and interviews (both on tape and transcribed), reports, and articles providing background material on issues of interest to BS. Drafts of published works have not been retained, nor have routine inquiries about purchasing her books.

Letters containing detailed information about an individual's health problem have been photocopied with identifying information removed (see #81-82, 109-113, 151-152, 163, 169, 183, 187, 200), as have letters containing other sensitive information (see #39, 43, 142).

CONTAINER LIST

• Carton 1: 7-59
• Carton 2: 60-107
• Carton 3: 109-152
• Carton 4: 153-203v

INVENTORY

• 1-6: Photographs.
  FILED IN PHOTOGRAPH DRAWER.
  • 1. Family, 1920(?)-1982 (scattered)
  • 2. Portraits of BS, 1972-1973(?), n.d.
  • 3. Portraits of BS and GS, 1971, 1973, 1978(?)
  • 4. BS at conferences, ceremonies, etc., 1968, 1977,n.d.
  • 5. Wedding, 1982
  • 6. Alix Kates Shulman, n.d.

• 7-38v: Biographical and re: family
  • 7. Biographical information, including correspondence with biographical dictionaries, drafts of essays, 1972-1978
  • 8. Writings by Shira and Elana Seaman; correspondence of BS's children, 1971, 1975; printed material re: schools, etc.
  • 9. "The Difference Between the Way Men and Women Control Space," senior thesis by ES, 1982
  • 10at-17at. First draft of ES's senior thesis
    REQUEST AS T-154, reels 1-8.
    See also #9.
  • 18-24at: Re: Joe Nemecek
    • 18. Biographical information, correspondence, 1977-1980
    • 19. Private investigator's report, letters re: death of JN, 1977
    • 20. Re: "PCP" or Angel Dust
    • 21. Notes re: JN's death
    • 22f. Clippings re: and by(?) JN, 1976-1977
    • 23at. "Interview concerning death of JN, 1977; Joey interview, June 15 with Dawn, Michel, Celestine(?)"
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 9.
    • 24at. "Joey Nemecek"
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 10.
      See also 197at.
  • 25. "Divorce papers," 1979
  • 26at-27at. Interview with Milton Forman re: history of relationship with BS, 1982(?).
    REQUEST AS T-116, reels 1-2.
  • 28. Transcript of 26at-27at.
  • 29. "Matrix," award to BS from New York Women in Communications, Inc., 1978
  • 30. "1978 Taxes--Fromm"
  • 31. Financial records, 1979
  • 32. Off-Track Betting slips, bills, other business documents, 1965, 1976-1982
  • 33. "Taxi accident," correspondence re: lawsuit, 1976-1977
  • 34. "Colonoscopy," article, 1975; BS had operation,1979.
  • 35. Ruth Gruber's (BS's stepmother) doctoral thesis on Virginia Woolf, 1935
  • 36. RG's book proposal for Raquella, n.d.
  • 37. Ts. articles by Sylvia Seaman (BS's mother-in-law), n.d.
  • 38v. Address book

• 39-41: Personal correspondence
  • 39. 1968-1976
  • 40. 1977-1979
  • 41. 1980-1983, n.d.

• 42. "Carbons of personal letters"; includes some to BS, 1977-1978.

• 43-48: Professional correspondence
  • 43. 1968-1974
  • 44. 1975
  • 45. 1976
  • 46. 1977
  • 47. 1978-1979
  • 48. 1981-1983, n.d.

• 49-64: Correspondence (alphabetical)
  • 49. Avery, Byllye, 1978
  • 50. Bell, Susan, re: DES dissertation, 1979
  • 51. Brothers, Joyce, 1976
  • 52. Cohn, Victor, 1975-1977
  • 53. Corfman, Philip, 1977-1978
  • 54. Crout, Richard 1976-1978
  • 55. Fisher, Elizabeth, 1972-1973
  • 56. Re: Seymour Fisher controversy, 1973
  • 57. Friedan, Betty, 1976-1977
  • 58. Holmes, Tiffany, re: astrology, 1976-1979
  • 59. New York Times, 1971-1977
    See also #63.
  • 60. Oberlin, 1975-1979
  • 61at. "Discussion re: Oberlin activism in 1950s, with BS, Al McQueen, Geoffrey Blodgett, May 3, 1982 at Oberlin College"
    REQUEST AS T-154, reel 13.
  • 62. O'Shea, Ann, n.d.
  • 63. Rosenthal, Abe, 1970-1975
    See also #59.
  • 64. Ryan, Regina, 1977-1978

• 65-71: Writings
  • 65. Drafts of articles and reviews by BS, 1971, n.d.
  • 66. Notes, articles re: Rollo May, 1969-1970
  • 67at-68at. Interviews with RM, n.d.
    REQUEST AS T-154, reels 12-13.
  • 69. Ts. poems by BS, Erica Jong, and others, 1973, 1982
  • 70. Skit by BS and Karen Springer, n.d.
  • 71. "Notes for review of book by Mary Daly, " n.d.

• 72-76: Family Circle
  • 72-74: Correspondence
    • 72. 1970-1971
    • 73. 1972
    • 74. 1973, n.d.
  • 75. "Rene Dubos article": articles by RD, PHOTOGRAPHS, 1966-1972, n.d.
  • 76. Expenses, itineraries, 1970-1973

• 77-81: "Your Mind, Your Heart" (column)
  • 77-78vo. Ts. articles, 1971-1972
  • 79-80. "Letters and answers, 1971"
  • 81. Letters to YMYH, 1971

• 82. Letters to YMYH, 1972

• 83. Correspondence re: revisions of Doctors' Case Against the Pill, 1978-1979

• 84-87v: Free and Female
  • 84. Correspondence, 1972-1973
  • 85. Correspondence, 1977-1978
  • 86. Promotional material
  • 87v. Uncorrected proof

• 88-101at: Women and the Crisis in Sex Hormones
  • 88. Correspondence, 1976-1978, n.d.
  • 89. Correspondence re: foreign sales, 1977-1978
  • 90. Memos to Ellen Weiss (medical researcher)
  • 91. Promotional material
  • 92. "Bantam fall tour," 1978
  • 93o. Posters re: books and appearances by BS
  • 94at-95at. "Promotional tour for WCSH (Dossier-Hormone), Paris, Dec. 1982."
    REQUEST AS T-154, reels 14-15.
  • 96v. Proof
  • 97at-98at. "First draft of WCSH, DES chapter," n.d.
    REQUEST AS T-154, reels 16-17.
  • 99at-100at. Drafts re: DES.
    REQUEST AS T-154, reels 18-19.
  • 101at. Draft re: IUD.
    REQUEST AS T-154, reel 20.

• 102-104: Articles by BS and GS
  • 102. 1967, 1972-1978
  • 103f. 1966-1968
  • 104. 1971-1973

• 105. Articles re: BS with occasional annotations by BS, 1969-1978

• 106f+. Articles re: BS, 1972-1973, 1978-1979

• 107-108f: Articles re: women's movement, medicine, etc.
  • 107. 1967-1982; includes occasional annotations by BS.
  • 108f+. 1970-1979; includes Shere Hite's sexuality questionnaire.

• 109-113: Letters to BS and GS from readers; some with notes re: response.
  • 109. 1969-1973, 1976
  • 110-112. 1977
  • 113. 1977, 1979

• 114-116: Nova (journal), 1978
  • 114. Correspondence
  • 115. Notes, articles
  • 116. Promotional material

• 117-140at: Speeches and testimony
  • 117-120at: Food and Drug Administration
    See also 144mp, 173.
    • 117. "FDA": correspondence, statements, 1971-1978
    • 118. "FDA memorandum on Searle," 1976
    • 119at-120at. "FDA meetings re: vaginal spermicides; BS attended with Alice Wolfson; committee was chaired by Dr. Connell."
      REQUEST AS T-154, reels 21-22.
  • 121. Statements by BS and others before Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, Jan. 1976
  • 122. Statements by BS and others before various government committees; includes correspondence, articles, 1976-1982
  • 123at. "Congressional testimony re: fertility and maternal center, 5/6, BS et al."
    REQUEST AS T-154, reel 23.
  • 124-140at: Conventions, meetings, television appearances
    • 124. "APA [American Psychological Association] Convention--`The Pill and Sex,'" 1971
    • 125. Billings ovulation conference, June 1978
    • 126. "Royce Carlton lectures," 1977-1978
    • 127. "Free speeches and appearances," 1977-1978
    • 128-130: "Lectures and lecture invitations"
      • 128. 1972-1978
      • 129. 1979
      • 130. 1980-1982, n.d.
    • 131at. "Joan Hamburg radio show, WOR-NY(?)" re: Depo Provera(?), 1982
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 24.
      See also #129.
    • 132. Notes re: speeches, 1981, n.d.
    • 133. "WNET Childbirth," 1978
    • 134. "TV Q & A," notes, ca.1977
    • 135vt. "Sandy Hill, `Good Morning America' interview with BS." Interview of BRS and her then husband, Gideon Seaman, by Sandy Hill on "Good Morning America," [ca. 1977], about the dangers of the birth control pill and other estrogen products, followed by 10 minutes of an interview of the Seamans by Sandra Elkin on "Woman" (complete interview can be found on 179vt). 17 min. 3/4 in.
      REQUEST AS Vt-2, reel 1.
    • 136. "Tyrer response to Sanders TV health special," 1975-1976
    • 137at. "Davis [Hugh]/Tyson rebuttals," debate with Louise Tyrer.
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 25.
    • 138at. "Debate on Depo Provera on ABC's `Nightline' with Phil Donahue, Jackie Townsend, etc., Jan. 13, 1983."
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 26.
    • 139at. "BS lecture #7," n.d.
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 27.
    • 140at. "NYU Forum on Women and Work, with B. Friedan, E. Holtzman, Ellen Gurzinsky," n.d.
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 28.

• 141-160: Organizations, campaigns
  • 141-144mp: National Women's Health Network
    • 141-142: Correspondence, minutes, reports, press releases, leaflets
      • 141. 1975-1977, n.d.
      • 142. 1978-1982
    • 143. "Partial press list for estrogen press conference held by [NWHN] at BS's home," n.d.
    • 144mp. "Marlene Sanders's film of NWHN's funeral services outside FDA for women who died from use of estrogens."
      REQUEST AS MP-8.
  • 145. Feminist Women's Health Center (Los Angeles,Tallahassee), 1971-1978
  • 146. "Women's Health Organizations": correspondence, newsletters, 1976-1978
  • 147. Healthright, 1976, n.d.
  • 148. "Abortion Rights Mobilization": correspondence, minutes, articles, 1973-1980
  • 149. "[Elizabeth] Connell/HEW appointment," 1978
  • 150. Re: Cuba trip, 1978
  • 151. "DES Action," 1977-1979
  • 152. "DES doctor in Houston," 1977
  • 153. ERA, 1971, 1978
  • 154. "Goldberg vs. Soloff": re: Council for Population Balance lawsuit, 1973
  • 155. "Malpractice," correspondence, clippings, 1975
  • 156. "Sagaris addresses": correspondence, 1974-1975
  • 157. Society of Magazine Writers, 1968-1974
  • 158. "Wilson Fellowship": re: proposed film on Annie Besant, 1978
  • 159. "Women Against Pornography": printed material, 1978-1979
  • 160. Other organizations and activities, 1967-1983, n.d.

• 161-200: Interviews, background material on subjects of interest to BS
  • 161. "Acne," 1971-1972
  • 162. "ALZA Pharmaceuticals Inc.," correspondence, printed material re: new contraceptive, 1975
  • 163. "Brewers [Tom and Gail]": correspondence, leaflets re: Society for the Protection of the Unborn through Nutrition, 1975-1978
  • 164. "Circumcision," 1976
  • 165. Cosmetics, 1975-1976, n.d.
  • 166-176at: Re: contraception
    • 166. "Cervical cap info": articles, papers, bibliography, 1953, 1979
    • 167m. Cervical cap
    • 168. "Community Aspects of Family Planning," transcript, n.d.
    • 169. "Diaphragm": articles, account of a woman's experience, 1969, 1976, n.d.
    • 170. "IUD, Academy of Medicine": transcript of presentation, April 1975
    • 171. "Oral contraceptives and thrombosis": notes, printed material, 1976, n.d.
    • 172. Notes re: the pill; account of a woman's experience, 1970, n.d.
    • 173. "Searle, April 1976": press releases re: FDA investigation of Searle animal studies; notes on conversation with Adrian Gross, FDA administrator.
    • 174. "Sequential orals": paper, clippings, 1975-1976, n.d.
    • 175. Talk re: vaginal contraception, n.d.
    • 176at. "First National Medical Conference on Safety of Fertility Control; discussion with Berler, Ory, Dickey; Louis M. Hellman: Impressions of My Year with the Federal Government," n.d.
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 29.
  • 177-187: Menopause
    • 177. "Estrogen at menopause": articles, 1976
    • 178. Transcripts of television programs re: estrogen, 1976, n.d.
    • 179vt. "Woman, May 4, 1979" Interview of BRS and Gideon Seaman, by Sandy Elkin on "Woman," about the dangers of the birth control pill and other estrogenm products; see also #178. Western New York Educational Television Association, Inc., May 4, 1979. 29 min. 3/4 in. Copyright: WNYETA.
      REQUEST AS Vt-2, reel 2.
      See also #178.
    • 180. "Ginseng." Interview with Norman Farnsworth, 1976; articles, 1965, 1975-1976.
    • 181. "Menopausal Treatments--French and Hebrew [also German, Dutch]": articles, 1962, 1973-1976
    • 182. "Menopause remedies--Clonidine"
    • 183. "Menopause--remedies--nutrition": articles, interview, report, 1976, n.d.
    • 184. "Menopause--skin, hair": interview with Georgette Klinger, n.d.
    • 185. "Menopause--the selling of ERT [estrogen replacement therapy]": articles, 1942-1976; draft of chapter by BS, n.d.
    • 186. "Questionnaire," re: hormone treatments, n.d.
    • 187. "Premarin--case histories," 1976, n.d.
  • 188. "Nutrition--general": articles, 1971, 1975-1976
  • 189. "Sterilization Action": reprints, papers, correspondence, draft of article by BS, 1963-1965,n.d.
  • 190at-200: Interviews
    • 190at. Blandan(?) re: vaginal(?), n.d.
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 30.
    • 191. Langsley, Donald re: Family Crisis Project, Denver, 1969(?)
    • 192. Money, John, 1976
    • 193. Oster, Gerald, n.d.
    • 194. "Omni Symptothermal article," interview with George Pretti re: ovulation-related changes, n.d.
    • 195at. Simpson, n.d.
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 31.
    • 196. "Tietze [Christopher] interview" re: contraception, n.d.
    • 197at. Turner, Ralph, July 13, n.y.; Joey(?), n.d.
      REQUEST AS T-154, reel 32.
    • 198. With college students re: love, n.d.
    • 199. "Old interviews" re: love, sex, 1969
    • 200. "Old interviews" re: pill, vasectomies, n.d.

• 201. Miscellaneous notes

• 202. Articles, poems, women's studies curriculum by others; includes ts. by Erica Jong.

• 203v. Dominus, A Woman Looks at Men's Lives, by Natalie Gittelson: uncorrected page proof; BS wrote review, 1978.

• 204vt. Unlabeled. On "The David Suskind Show," a panel consisting of BRS and four obstetrician-gynecologists debates the dangers of the birth control pill as well as FDA labeling practices. BRS speaks a total of less than five minutes.) [1977] 60 min. 1/2 in.
  REQUEST AS Vt-2, reel 3.

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