"City Newspaper", October 1986-March 1987

This collection consists of the papers collected by Kathleen Reilly, a women's rights activist and one of the seven women dubbed by the media as the "Rochester Topfree Seven" in 1986. The materials date between 1984 and 1991. The materials consist of news articles, newspapers, newsletters, notes, photographs, brochures legal documents, publicity, membership information and reference for C.L.A.W. (Challenging Laws and Attitudes against Women), and reference for the Topfree movement. The materials document the fight for women to be able to remove their shirts in the same way that men are legally allowed. It also documents the reasoning for why the women decided to protest the way that they did. The collection documents the public opinion on the movement at that time and the legal ramifications of the Topfree Seven’s actions.

The bulk of the materials are news articles and newspapers regarding the Topfree movement. The articles consist of letters to the editor, coverage of the Topfree picnics, the trial of the “Rochester Topfree 7”, and opinion pieces.

The materials also contain legal documents from the trial in 1986 and the appeal. The legal documents consist of briefs, decisions, and motions. Any legal documentation that contains correspondence to or from the Topfree 7’s attorneys as well as, any trial preparation have been removed from their original location and placed in a restricted folder due to attorney-client privilege. These files will be restricted until 75 years after the creation date.