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Aloha Eagles Papers

 Collection
Identifier: Mss 251

Scope and Contents

The Aloha Eagles Papers consist, for the most part, of official correspondence while she served in the North Dakota House of Representatives. A larger collection of her papers were donated to the University of North Dakota Chester Fritz Library Department of Special Collections.The collection has been organized into three series: Correspondence, Correspondence subject files, and Subject files.

The Correspondence Series is organized chronologically with a few exceptions. The correspondence is by no means comprehensive. More than half of the correspondence covers the first six months of 1967. There is a small number of letters from 1975 and 1977 and a substantial number of letters from 1974. Many of the letters have a copy of Mrs. Eagles’ response attached to them.

The letters concerning six subjects, that generated more than a few letters, have been organized into a separate Correspondence Subject Files Series. These subject files give readers a look into some of the political debates of the period.

The Subject Files Series contains, among other things, a 1974 certificate of Election from the North Dakota Department of State, a handwritten eulogy for Mrs. Eagles’ maternal grandfather Charles Henry Taylor, and maps and records related to her English ancestors. There are also a number of newspaper articles about Mrs. Eagles and her political career.

Dates

  • 1966-1977.

Creator

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

The Institute holds the copyrights.

Biography

Aloha Pearl Taylor Brown Eagles was born Nov 8, 1916 in Duluth, MN to Edward R. and Dora Belle (Taylor) Brown. She grew up in Crosby, Minnesota. After graduating from Crosby High School, she had a year of nurse’s training in Duluth, Minnesota. She attended the University of Minnesota in 1934-1935 and graduated from Hibbing Minn. Junior College in 1936. She and Donald E. Eagles were married in 1939. The couple moved to Fargo, North Dakota in 1942. Mrs. Eagles had two sons, Keehm E. and Donald T. She served as a representative in the North Dakota House from 1967 to 1985. Mrs. Eagles had a long and distinguished career as a state legislator. She introduced legislation in 1969, four years before the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision, which would have legalized North Dakota’s abortion law. She received hate mail and threats as a result of this legislative action. In 1973 she introduced a resolution in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment. The constitutional amendment was defeated by one vote in the North Dakota House of Representatives. Mrs. Eagle sponsored many bills while in the North Dakota House. Those bills included requirements for children to have immunization prior to starting school, the development of a woman’s prison facility, and a bill prohibiting the sale of volatile solvents, in attempt to curb “glue sniffing” by minors. She was named North Dakota Woman of the Year in 1973 and Woman of the Year in Government in Fargo in 1976. She was presented with the University of N.D. Law Woman’s Award in 1976. Mrs. Eagles died at age seventy-five on February 22, 1992.

Extent

.4 Linear Feet (.4 linear ft.)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Aloha Eagles Papers document her long and distinguished career as a state legislator, serving in the N.D. House of Representatives from 1967 to 1985 and her active support of women's issues. She introduced legislation that would have legalized North Dakota's abortion law in 1969 and in 1973 she introduced a resolution in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Provenance

Donated by Jane Skjei, 2001 (Acc. 2624).

Related Resources

Aloha Eagles Papers (OGL 236) at the University of North Dakota, Chester Fritz Library.

Property rights

The Institute for Regional Studies owns the property rights to this collection.
Title
Finding Aid to the Aloha Eagles Papers
Description rules
Appm
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository

Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States