Jo-Ann Orlinsky papers
Collection
0116-MDHC
Jo Ann Orlinsky (born 1939) was deeply involved in Maryland Democratic politics, serving variously as campaign headquarters director, administrative aide, and campaign scheduling chairman for U. S. Senator Joseph D. Tydings. The collection largely documents her work for Senator Tydings and for the Young Democratic Clubs of Maryland. It contains correspondence, press releases, memoranda, schedules, speeches, hearing transcripts, and newspaper clippings. Topics covered include Orlinsky's tenure on the staff of a Democratic National Committee task force on women's issues, the drafting of a new Maryland Constitution, and Senator Tyding's positions on such issues as civil rights, the environment, world population, and arms reduction negotiations.
This collection is open for research.
Photocopies of original materials may be provided for a fee and at the discretion of the curator. Please see our Duplication of Materials policy for more information. Queries regarding publication rights and copyright status of materials within this collection should be directed to the appropriate curator.
11.00 Linear Feet
The papers of Jo-Ann Orlinsky cover the years 1953 to 1976, though the bulk of the materials date from 1964 to 1971, when she worked for Senator Joseph D. Tydings. The Tydings materials relate to her efforts during his 1964 and 1970 campaigns for the U.S. Senate and as special assistant during his Senate term from 1965 to 1971. Some of the topics discussed are the senator's position on civil rights, the environment, world population, and arms negotiations. The materials include correspondence, press releases, memoranda, schedules, speeches, hearing transcripts, and newspaper clippings.
Other portions of the collection deal with her other work. One series contains Orlinsky's records as executive secretary of the Young Democratic Clubs of Maryland, a position she held from 1962 to 1967. These include correspondence with clubs in other states, copies of The Burro newsletter, and several drafts of a new Maryland Constitution. Another series includes the records of her tenure on the professional staff of the Commission on Delegate Selection and Party Structure for the Democratic National Committee, such as reports, election results, correspondence, delegate questionnaires, and meeting and seminar summaries. Barbara A. Mikulski is among the correspondents.
Born November 20, 1939 and raised in New York, Jo-Ann Orlinsky is the daughter of Henry J. and Celia (Schifrin) Mayer. Ms. Orlinsky attended high school in Suffern, NY, and obtained an A.B. degree from Mount Holyoke College in 1961. She became involved in politics while at college in Massachusetts, working on the 1958 congressional campaigns of John F. Kennedy and James MacGregor Burns.
She married Walter S. Orlinsky on June 18, 1961, and relocated to Baltimore, Maryland. Between 1961 and 1964, Jo-Ann Orlinsky was employed as secretary for the Nuclear Physics Research team at Johns Hopkins University, campaign secretary for U.S. House of Representatives candidate Carlton R. Sickles, and research assistant for the Baltimore Metropolitan Area Study Commission. She joined the U.S. Senate campaign of Joseph D. Tydings in 1964 as campaign headquarters director. Upon his election, she served as his special assistant until May 1970. Her primary responsibilities were keeping the senator abreast of Maryland political matters and informed on state, county, and local legislation in which he had a particular interest. In May 1970, Orlinsky became administrative assistant and scheduling chairman for Tydings' unsuccessful 1970 U.S. Senate reelection campaign.
Jo-Ann Orlinsky continued her involvement in politics as campaign manager and headquarters director for her husband's 1971 campaign for Baltimore City Council President. The following two years, she chaired the Worker Training Program for the Associated Jewish Charities. Then between March and August 1973, she served on the staff of the Democratic National Committee's Commission on Delegate Selection and Party Structure, known as the "Mikulski Commission." This commission was charged with providing technical assistance, recommendations, and requirements for opening the doors of party affairs to minorities, women, youth, and people of all economic classes; however, its primary objective was to elect a Democrat president in 1976. Since 1973, she has held various positions with Women Together, a coalition of thirty-three metropolitan Baltimore women's organizations, the Maryland Commission of Labor and Industry, and the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Advisory Board.
Among Jo-Ann Orlinsky's significant awards and honors are nomination to Who's Who of American Women (1977-1979) and to International Who's Who in Community Service in 1979. In 1980, she was named Woman of the Year by the Business and Professional Women's Club of Baltimore. Ms. Orlinsky also served as a volunteer for numerous local, state, and national women and children's advocacy groups, political organizations, and Jewish Charities and associations. She and her former husband, Walter S. Orlinksy, were married for twenty-five years and have two children, Eric and Judith.
This collection is organized into eight series.
Jo-Ann Orlinsky donated her papers to the University of Maryland Libraries in April and June 1993.
As the papers were sorted and filed into eight series, two accessions were merged into a single collection. All paper clips, rubber bands, and staples were removed; plastic clips over strips of acid-free bond paper were substituted. Items were removed from envelopes and binders and placed into acid-free folders. Duplicate materials were discarded, and newspaper clippings and items in poor condition were copied onto acid-free bond paper. Folders were labeled (with headings added where necessary) and placed into acid-free boxes. Oversized materials were placed in an appropriate box or mapcase.
Some daily and weekly appointment schedules for Senator Tydings were moved to Series 6 of the Papers of Joseph Tydings to fill obvious holes in that collection. Photographs were removed and placed in the Photograph Collection, and seperation sheets were placed in the folders to note their removal. Oversized materials were flattened and placed in an appropriate container with separation sheets inserted in their place. Memorabilia items were removed to the Memorabilia Collection.
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives