Susan Oberman papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
Restrictions:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred citation:

MSS 16349, Susan Oberman papers, Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
7 Cubic Feet 14 document boxes
Creator:
Oberman, Susan
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

MSS 16349, Susan Oberman papers, Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Susan Oberman papers (1960's-2017, 7 cubic feet) documenting her negotiation practice (Common Ground Negotiation Services, her activism in women's issues in Nassau County, New York (1972-1989) and her support for women, social justice, and race relations in Charlottesville, Virginia (1990-2013). Of interest is information about the history of African American life in Charlottesville including questions about the racial background of Queen Charlotte.

There are also three audiocassette tapes related to the Focus Women's Resource Center program, Black Women/White Women/All Women's Day of Dialogue, a folk music album, posters, and ephemera including political buttons, suffragette armbands, and a hand-made textile banner from the Nassau County Women's Liberation Center for a protest at the United States Congress.

The papers are grouped into six series: Common Ground Negotiation Services, women's organizations, peace organizations, diversity organizations, publications, and ephemera and audiovisual materials.

Biographical / historical:

Susan Oberman graduated from Goucher College in 1968 with a B.A. degree. She has worked as an activist in movements for social change since the mid-1960's and founded the Nassau County Women's Liberation Center in New York in 1972. She moved to Charlottesville, Virginia in 1988 and became the Program Director of the FOCUS Women's Resource Center. After working at FOCUS for ten years she founded Common Ground Negotiation Services.

Oberman was a founder and planner of the annual Days of Dialogue on Race Relations events held annually in Charlottesville from 1997 to 2002, and was a founding member of the Black Women/White Women/all Women dialogue group.

She has authored several articles including "Confidentiality in Mediation: An Application of The Right To Privacy" and "Mediation Theory vs. Practice: What Are We Really Doing? Re-Solving A Professional Conundrum."

Sources:

"Susan Oberman." LinkedIn, 21 Nov. 2017, https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-oberman-390a1413.

"Susan Oberman is by temperament and profession, a Mediator." Common Ground Negotiations, 21 Nov. 2017, http://www.commongroundnegotiation.com/index.php/bio.

Acquisition information:
Donated by Susan Oberman, 2016 and 2018)
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into six series: Series 1. Common Ground Negotiation Services, Series 2. Women's organizations, Series 3. Peace organizations, Series 4. Diversity organizations, Series 5. Publications, and Series 6. Ephemera and audio visual materials

Physical facet:
6 audiocassettes, one music album, a textile banner, suffragette armbands, political buttons, posters, and oversize items.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard