The Countries Collection is comprised predominantly of printed materials such as reports, articles, newspaper clippings, biographical sketches, pamphlets, books, newsletters and periodicals, as well as some photographs, letters, and manuscript materials. The collection focuses on the status of women and feminist movements in over 140 countries. Related topics include sex roles, political rights, educational opportunities for women, and biographical information on such notable individuals as Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, Indira Gandhi, Eva Peron, and Joan of Arc. There is also information on women's organizations and conferences in various countries. The collection dates from 1540 to the 1990s with the bulk of the material dating from circa 1920 to 1970. Countries more prominently represented include Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan and the United States. The U.S. section includes materials about women in U.S. history arranged by period including the Colonial period, American Revolution, the Civil War, and the 20th century, followed by files on individual states. There is also a section on regions (Africa, Asia, North America, etc.).

Some unique materials include letters (in German) from a young Jewish women telling of deplorable conditions in Germany in the 1920s; sixteenth century marriage treaties written in old French; nineteenth century photographs of North American Indians (under Regions); a 1937 travel log of a woman in South Africa; and pamphlets on women's rights from various countries from the nineteenth century. There are also over twenty books included in this collection.

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

Countries Collection, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, MA.

Materials in this subject collection were either purchased or given to the Sophia Smith Collection by various donors.

Finding aid revised by Jessica Lawson (intern), 2005.