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Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon Schlesinger Library Papers

 Collection
Identifier: SFHL-RG5-124

Scope and Contents

The collection contains chiefly personal and professional papers of Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon (1890-1979), including family correspondence and papers related to her professional and organizational life.

Researchers should note that additional Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon papers which originally were part of the same collection were given to Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College in 1983 by the same donor who gave the Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon Schlesinger Library Papers to Radcliffe College in 1982. This larger collection also contains personal and professional papers of Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon as well as family papers and is named the Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon Family Papers, RG 5/123. The collections are administered as two separate collections. However, the checklists for both collections refer to related material.

Dates

  • 1906-1979

Creator

Limitations on Accessing the Collection

Collection is open for research.

Copyright and Rights Information

Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce items in this collection beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/.

Biographical / Historical

Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon (1890-1979) was born into an extended Quaker family who lived for generations in Clarke and Loudon counties, Virginia. She moved beyond the Virginia Quaker community to a career in the women's movement, first as a campaigner for women's suffrage, 1917-1920, then as an educator and political activist in Virginia, 1920-1928, and finally as a research economist for the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor, 1928-1956. During her retirement years, Pidgeon became active in Quaker affairs.

Extent

3.5 Linear Feet (7 boxes)

Language

English

Overview

Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon (1890-1979) was born into an extended Quaker family who lived for generations in Clarke and Loudon counties, Virginia. She moved beyond the Virginia Quaker community to a career in the women's movement, first as a campaigner for women's suffrage (1917-1920), then as an educator and political activist in Virginia (1920-1928) and finally as a research economist for the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor (1928-1956). During her retirement years, Pidgeon became active in Quaker affairs. The collection contains personal and professional papers of Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon (1890-1979), including family and other correspondence and papers relating to her activities as student, suffragette. and in her professional and organizational work.

Arrangement

The collection is divided into seven series:

  1. Biographical and pictorial
  2. Family correspondence
  3. Other writings
  4. Diaries, finances and notes
  5. School papers
  6. Professional and organization work
  7. Miscellaneous printed material

Physical Location

For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog

Immediate Source of Acquisition

On indefinite loan from the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College, 1984.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was given by Mary-Susan Robare, niece of Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon, to Radcliffe College in 1982. Other related papers in the same collection were given to Friends Historical Library, designated the Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon Family Papers. RG 5/123. The collection at the Schlesinger Library was transferred to Friends Historical Library in 1984 to reunite the two parts of a single collection in one depository, but they were processed and catalogued separately since they belong to two different institutions.

Related Materials

Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon Family Papers, RG 5/123

Processing Information

Processed by Jane Knowles of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College. Received in three cartons. Arrangement and order retained when transferred to document boxes at FHL, and stored with other Record Group 5 collections. Checklists for the two collections are cross-indexed.

Title
An Inventory of the Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon Schlesinger Library Papers, 1906-1979
Author
FHL staff
Date
1984
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English
Sponsor
Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries

Find It at the Library

Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting reproductions from Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Library

Contact:
500 College Avenue
Swarthmore Pennsylvania 19081 USA