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. She received her B.Arch. degree from the University of Southern California at which time she was married to Meg Dickinson. As an architect she trained partly under Frank Lloyd Wright. Much of her life was spent in California, relocating to Philadelphia to follow her architectural career, but gradually turned her attention increasingly to watercolor painting, which she taught at Drexel University. She joined the Society of Friends and served in Civilian Public Service as a member of Central Philadelphia (Pa.) Monthly Meeting. 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. In 1976 Roberta completed gender affirmation surgery and legally changed her name in 1977. In one biographical statement (held in her papers), she wrote: "I have [studied] with frank lloyd wright at taliesin east and work[ed] as a consultant with louis i. kahn." "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."

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