Order of the Rainbow for Girls Collection of Sally Sullivan Benson, 1929-2015 (inclusive), 1948-1955 (bulk)
Overview
Pamphlets, memorabilia, photographs, and an Order of the Rainbow for Girls Bible that belonged to librarian Sally Sullivan Benson.
Dates
- Creation: 1929-2015
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1948-1955
Language of Materials
Materials in English.
Access Restrictions:
Access. Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright. Copyright in the papers created by Sally Sullivan Benson is held by the President and Fellows of Harvard College for the Schlesinger Library. Copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns.
Copying. Papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures.
Extent
.21 linear feet ((1 half file box) plus 1 photograph folder)The Order of the Rainbow for Girls collection of Sally Sullivan Benson includes several keepsakes from Benson's time in the Order of the Rainbow for Girls, a Masonic youth service organization. A mustering out card is included; this was required when participants reached 20 years of age. Memorabilia includes an iron-on patch and a leather name tag. Photographs in the collection show girls in Assembly #36, and document how Benson wore the name tag on her wrist. Benson's wedding announcement mentions that she carried the Rainbow Bible at the ceremony.
Most of the photographs in this collection are or will be digitized and available online.
BIOGRAPHY
Sally E. Sullivan was born in Boston on May 27, 1935, to Esther M. (Treadwell) and Joseph R. Sullivan. She grew up in Hyde Park, Boston, and in Arlington, Massachusetts, where she graduated from Arlington High School in 1953 and was an active member in the Order of the Rainbow for Girls, a Masonic youth service organization. Sally Sullivan married Francis M. Benson, Jr., in 1957, and carried a Rainbow Bible at her wedding. Sally and Francis Benson had six daughters. They settled in Newton, Massachusetts in 1971. Sally Benson worked at Harvard University's Hilles Library for 27 years. She died in 2015.
Physical Location
Collection stored off site: researchers must request access 36 hours before use.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number: 2020-M70
The Order of the Rainbow for Girls collection of Sally Sullivan Benson was given to the Schlesinger Library by her daughter Amy F. Benson in September 2020.
Processing Information
Processed: October 2020
By: Jenny Gotwals.
The Schlesinger Library attempts to provide a basic level of preservation and access for all collections, and does more extensive processing of higher priority collections as time and resources permit. Finding aids may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Author
- Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
- Language of description
- eng
- Sponsor
- Processing of this collection was made possible by the Alice Jeanette Ward Fund.
- EAD ID
- sch01921
Repository Details
Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository
The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.