Collection

Dickinson, Roberta Papers

Span Dates: 1969-1974
Bulk Dates:
Volume: 0.627 linear ft. (1 Half Hollinger box and 2 photo boxes 2.5" wide)

Description

Collection includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, documents relating to Dickinson's arrests, information about resistance to the Vietnam War and the Harrisburg Eight, war tax resistance, Dickinson's letters to congress and to editors, specifications for her "My Lai" sculpture; collection also includes photographs.

Hist/Bio Note

Roberta Dickinson was a Quaker activist, architect, and artist. Roberta Dickinson (1916-1982) was born in Richmond, Indiana, but spent the majority of her life in California, receiving a B.Arch. degree from the University of Southern California in 1942. She wrote in her archived papers, "I have [studied] with frank lloyd wright at taliesin east and work[ed] as a consultant with louis i. kahn." While living in California she was a member of Los Angeles Monthly Meeting, became a conscientious objector and did Civilian Public Service during WWII. In 1969 she moved to Philadelphia, marrying Meg Dickinson. Roberta was a member of Powelton Preparative Meeting in Philadelphia and transferred her membership to Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting in 1972. She supported the peace testimony through organized war tax resistance and participated in Quaker protest vigils and other nonviolent actions, for which she was arrested in 1971 and 1972. Although she moved to Philadelphia to follow her architectural career, she gradually turned her attention to watercolor painting, which she taught at Drexel University. In 1976 Roberta completed gender affirmation surgery and legally changed her name in 1977. In one biographical statement (held in her papers), she wrote: "since moving to philadelphia...i have concentrated on watercolor landscapes and landscape drawing. paralleling this interest has been continuing from the nude." "As a painter I am recording the changes in my own body from male to female." This biography was compiled from various sources with the help of the John Anderies, Director of the William Way LGBT Community Center.

Finding Aid

An online finding aid is available.
https://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/scpc-cdg-a-dickinson_roberta

Location

This collection is located at the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. 500 College Avenue Swarthmore 19081-1399 USA US
https://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/scpc-cdg-a-dickinson_roberta

Tags

Artist/musician/poet | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | Friends/Quakers | Trans activism