Riot Grrrl Collection at NYU – New York, New York - Atlas Obscura
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Riot Grrrl Collection at NYU

Manhattan, New York

A collection of fanzines, recordings, and documents detailing the rise and influence of the feminist punk movement. 

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Bratmobile performing in London, 1994. Greg Neate (cc by 2.0)
Bratmobile performing in London, 1994. Greg Neate (cc by 2.0)
Cover of a riot grrrl zine featuring Bikini Kill. Tigersnaps (cc by-sa 4.0)
Riot Grrrl flyer. RockCreek (cc by 2.0)
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library. david silver (cc by-sa 2.0)
The Elmer Holmes Bobst Library building houses the Fales Library and its Riot Grrrl Collection. Elisa.rolle (cc by-sa 4.0)
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The Fales Library at New York University has many items of historical and cultural importance, but the Riot Grrrl Collection manages to stand out, in all its punk glory.

The Riot Grrrl movement started in the early 1990s as an underground movement combining the rebelliousness of punk rock with the political awareness of feminism. Bands such as Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and Sleater-Kinney exposed young women to issues that most (male-dominated) bands ignored, including rape, gender inequality, and gay rights. Riot Grrrls would often form chapters and hold meetings to discuss issues and plan political actions, and were a vital component of third-wave feminism.

Recognizing the Riot Grrrls’ cultural and political influence, the Fales Library at NYU has collected audio and video recordings of shows, fanzines, photographs, news clippings, and flyers detailing the movement. Their most unique item is a filing cabinet covered in stickers and filled with numerous Riot Grrrl artifacts donated by Bikini Kill singer Kathleen Hanna. 

The Riot Grrrl Collection is made available to researchers and curious grrrls by appointment only.

Know Before You Go

The Riot Grrrl Collection is in the Fales Library located in the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library building. An appointment is needed to view or use any material within the collection. You will need to register for a Special Collections Research Account at aeon.library.nyu.edu and follow the directions on that site to make an appointment request. For assistance with appointment requests, please contact scra@nyu.edu. One can also request access by contacting the library itself. 

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