Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon Schlesinger Library Papers
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
- Creation: 1906-1979
Creator
- Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon (1890-1979) (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
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 ft. (7 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
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:
- Biographical and pictorial
- Family correspondence
- Other writings
- Diaries, finances and notes
- School papers
- Professional and organization work
- 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.
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.
Geographic
Topical
- College students -- United States
- Education -- Pennsylvania
- Labor bureaus
- Peace
- Peace -- Religious aspects -- Society of Friends
- Quaker women -- Virginia
- Quakers -- 20th century -- Diaries
- Quakers -- Education
- Quakers -- Politics
- Quakers -- Social life and customs
- Quakers -- Social service
- Quakers -- Suffrage
- Quakers -- Virginia
- Schools -- Pennsylvania -- Bucks County
- Society of Friends -- Virginia
- Suffrage -- New York (State)
- Universities and colleges -- Indiana
- Universities and colleges -- Pennsylvania
- Universities and colleges -- Pennsylvania
- Universities and colleges -- Pennsylvania -- Swarthmore
- Universities and colleges -- Virginia
- Virginia -- History -- Sources
- Virginia -- Politics and government
- Voting -- Societies, etc
- Voting -- United States
- Women -- Political activity -- Societies, etc.
- Women -- Political activity -- United States
- Women -- Suffrage -- New York (State)
- Women -- Suffrage -- Societies, etc.
- Women -- Suffrage -- Virginia
- Women and Peace
- 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 repoductions from Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Library
