Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Richard B. Dickenson Papers,
Dickenson, Richard B., 1930-2006
Ms.2011.043
4 Cubic Feet
11 Boxes
1931-2004
1964-2000
The collection is composed of materials related to Dickenson's research on Southwest Virginia African Americans from the Civil War until the present.
English
.
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish material from Richard B. Dickenson Papers must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Richard B. Dickenson Papers, Ms2011-043, Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.
Acquisition Information
The collection was donated to Special Collections in 2006.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Richard B. Dickenson Papers was completed in September 2011.
Biographical Note
Richard B. Dickenson, community activist and historian, was born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1930. From 1951-1953 he served with the US Army in Korea. Dickenson then received a B.A. in geography from Michigan State University in 1957 and a M.Ed. from Springfield College in Massachusetts in 1971. He taught at a variety of colleges and universities throughout his career, including Virginia Tech where he researched local African American history and genealogy. After moving back to New York, Dickenson was appointed Borough Historian of Staten Island, which he held until his death from cancer in 2006.
Dickenson is the author of two published works: Entitled! Free Papers in Appalachia Concerning Antebellum Freeborn Negroes and Emancipated Blacks of Montgomery County, Virginia. and Holden's Staten Island: The History of Richmond County.
Scope and Content Note
The collection is composed of materials related to Dickenson's research on Southwest Virginia African Americans from the Civil War until the present. Included are photocopies and excerpts of books and archival materials, correspondence with coworkers and friends largely dealing with the Christiansburg Institute, and professional material related to his work in with the Christiansburg Community Center and local history associations.
Arrangement
The Richard B. Dickenson Papers are arranged into five series: subject files, correspondence, publications, research, and media. Materials within series are arranged alphabetically.
Series I contains subject files created by Dickenson. This series includes materials related to Christiansburg Institute and his work with the Christiansburg Community Center.
Series II contains correspondence with friends and coworkers. Letters are arranged by author in alphabetical order.
Series III contains various publications and photocopies of publications kept by Dickenson during his career. Individual publications are arranged in their own folder, excerpts are grouped in folders by alphabetical order.
Series IV contains research materials complied by Dickenson. Most of these items are photocopies of archival material. Research materials with no apparent titles are grouped in the Ephemera Research folder.
Series V contains cassette tapes, microfilm, and CD-ROMS arranged by material type.
Separated Materials
The following books have been removed from the collection and are available in Special Collections:
The Black Oklahomans, A History: 1541-1972, 1972
Black History in Oklahoma: A Resource Book, 1971
Christiansburg Institute: A Proud Heritage, 1991
Entitled:Free Papers in Appalachia, 1980
Highlights in the Early History of Montgomery County, VA, 1975
The Montgomery County Story, 2000
Montgomery County, Virginia: Circa 1790, 1972
Montgomery County Virginia: The First Hundred Years, 1994
Price Genealogy, 1948
The United States Army Invades the New River Valley May 1864, 1986
Virginia Landmarks of Black History, 1995
Virginia -- History
Virginia, Southwest
Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)
Civil War
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Series I: Subject Files,1972-2000AAHGS Conference Presentation,199811AAHGS New Jersey Chapter,1992-199312Appalachian Blacks,197713Appalachian Blacks, 1996-199714Appalachian Black Preservation Council Program, 197815Artists in Schools Program,1978-197916Augustan Society Catalog, 197717Charter of Christiansburg Community Center.1973-197818Christiansburg Community Center,197819Christiansburg Community Center - Employment & CETA,1978110Christiansburg Community Center Fundraising,1978111Christiansburg Community Center National Register, 1978112Christiansburg Institute Reunion,1977113Christiansburg Institute Ephemera, 1977-1992114Community Development Block Grant,1977-1978115Dedication Service for Bust of Captain Schaeffer,1997116Drafts on Appalachian African Americans,1976-197721EEO / AAA Letters,1977-197822Employee Insurance Policy, 1972-197623Ephemera - General, 1976-197824Funding Proposals, 197725Grants and Award Letters,197826Grant Information, 197827Montgomery County Voluntary Action Center, 1972-197728Preserving Black Appalachia Workshop,197829Religious Materials,1975-2000210Schaeffer Memorial Landmark, 1978211US Department of the Interior Copy of Christiansburg Institute's Register of Historic Places, 1980212Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Grant Application (Blank), 1988213Virginia Genealogical Seminar,1978214Series II: Correspondence,1977-2004Amanda E. DeHart Correspondence,1977-198731Amanda E. DeHart Correspondence,1988-199832Gibson Vance Correspondence,197733Correspondence, 1977-200434Series III: Publications,1931-19971964-1997A Consecrated Life, (photocopy)n.d.3536A Valley and Its People (photocopy)n.d.37"AAHGS Surname Index", 199738A Social Study of the Blacksburg Community (photocopy),n.d.39Annals of Southwest Virginia (photocopy), n.d.310Charles Hamilton Houston and the Struggle for Civil Rights, Chapter 1 (photocopy),n.d.41"Christiansburg Institute" Master's Thesis,19754243Dickenson Families of England and America,197244"Economic and Social Survey of Russel County, VA" (photocopy),n.d.45"Entitled" Drafts,1979-19804746Entitled: Free Papers in Appalachia,198048"Free Negro in Montgomery County, VA," n.d.49Free Negro in Virginia (photocopy), 410Freedmen's School of Montgomery County, VA, (handwritten draft),n.d.51"Genesis of Christiansburg Institute Alumni Association,"19775352Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, 1968-197754BibliographyKilgore Forthhouse, 1786, 1975The Great Stone Face,, 1976
Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, 1977 Frontier Forts, 1968"Identities and Heritage" Discussion Draft,197755"Making Their Mark: Black Families of New River Depot, 1870-1940," n.d.56McGavock Family (photocopy), n.d.57Negroes and Their Treatment in Virginia from 1865-1867 (photocopy),n.d.61Negroes in Oklahoma (Docent Manual), 197262Negro in Virginia (photocopy),n.d.63Negro in Virginia Politics, 1865-1902 (photocopy)n.d.64"The Seventh Population Census of the US for Russell County, VA 1850,"196465Unleased at Long Last (photocopy)n.d.66Virginia Conservatives, 1867-1879 (photocopy),n.d.67Publications by Leland Tate,1931-194468BibliographyAn Economic and Social Survey of Russell County Virgina,, 1931 Lebanon: A Virginia Community, 1943Comments on the Lebanon Community Study, 1944The Andersons of Montgomery County,n.d.69Publications and Excerpts A-Bn.d.610BibliographyBibliography
"An Address on the Occasion of the Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Hanging Rock," n.d.Against the Tide excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Belah Perry excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Biographical Directory of the American Congress 1774-1927 (photocopy), n.d."Black Genealogical Research in Montgomery County," 1978"Black Student Directory 1978", 1978"Blacks in Appalachia" excerpt (photocopy), n.d."Booker T. Washington" (pamphlet), n.d.The Bowyers of Old West Virginia excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Publications and Excerpts E-L,n.d.71BibliographyBibliography
"Early Development of Negro Extension Work in Virginia," n.d.Fincastle and Botetourt County Tour, 1977"Freedmen Identities" draft, 1998"The Freedmen's Bureau in Appalachia," 1977Haven Boyd Howe excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Historic Fincastle pamphlet, n.d.A Funeral Discourse on the Death of Robert Craig, Esq. excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Local History and Genealogical Research in the University Libraries, 1990Publications and Excerpts M-Pn.d.72BibliographyBibliography
"Montgomery County Historic Sites Survey Volume 1" (photocopy), n.d."Name Changing Since the Civil War" presentation, 1998 Negro Baptist History USA excerpt (photocopy), n.d.The Negro in the Reconstruction of Virginia excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Negro Life in Rural Virginia (photocopy), n.d.Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1973 Planters and Pioneers (photocopy), n.d."Projections and Economic Base Analysis of Russell County", 1966Political History of Appalachian Virginia excerpt (photocopy), n.d."Pulaski County: A Collection of Articles" excerpts, n.d.Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the United States Continental Commands excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Excerpts and Publications R-Tn.d.73BibliographyBibliography
"Race Relations in Montgomery County, Virginia 1870-1990" (photocopy), n.d.The Readjuster Movement in Virginia excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Resources of Southwest Virginia excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Rural Land Ownership Among the Negroes of Virginia excerpt (photocopy), n.d."Some Freedmen Identities," 1978Southwest Virginia and Shenandoah Valley excerpt (photocopy), n.d.State Historical Markers of Virginia excerpt (photocopy), n.d.Syllabus for "Appalachian Black Surnames During Reconstruction" presentation, 1994Towns and Villages of Montgomery County, Virginia as given on Maps and in Virginia Directories excerpt (photocopy), n.d."Tracing Your Black Virginia Ancestors" n.d.Publications and Excerpts V-W,n.d.74BibliographyBibliography
"Virginia Appalachian Notes," 1979Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, 1979"Volunteers Help Maryland Group Serve Clients," 1977Welcome to Russell County, VA, n.d.Untitled Publications, Excerpts, and Drafts, n.d.75Series VI: Research,1976-19931850 US Census Annotated Abstracts of Slaveholding, Free Black, and Dickenson Families of Russell County, Va,n.d.76Appalachian Black Surnames During Reconstruction in Montgomery County, VA 1865-1870n.d.77Appalachian States Data File,197778Captain Shaeffer Research,1978-198079Christiansburg Institute Microfilm Printouts, n.d.710Colored Population - Montgomery County, VA 1865-1870n.d.81Commission of Claims Reports (photocopies),n.d.82Court Order Book Extracts,n.d.83Ephemera Research, n.d.84Federal Population Censuses 1790-1890 (photocopy),n.d.85Freedmen's Bureau Records, 197786General Schaeffer State and Local Records,n.d.87George Sherwood Research, n.d.88Jeremiah Kyle and Rice Daniel Montague Research,199389Kentucky Freedmen Bureau Records,1976810Logan County, Oklahoma Research, 1976-1980811Montgomery County Freedmen Bureau Records, n.d.91Montgomery County Maps,1992-199392Montgomery County Production of Agriculture 1960 (photocopy),n.d.93Morgan Family, Montgomery County, Va, n.d.94Population Schedules from 1850 Census Russell and Scott Counties, VA,n.d.95Register of Colored Persons Montgomery County, Va 1867 (photocopy),n.d.96Register of Free Negroes and Mulattos, n.d. 97Register of the General Assembly of Virginia,n.d.98Research Requests to Virginia Libraries on Freedmen's Bureau, 197799Russell County Virginia Research,n.d.911910Samuel Clark et al v. New Railway Company,n.d.912Samuel H. Clark Research,1979-1988914913Samuel Clark Research - Genealogical Transparencies,n.d.915Schedule of Agriculture Production 1860 (photocopy)n.d.101Slave Inhabitants in Christiansburg, VA 1860 (photocopy),n.d.102Southwest Virginia Genealogical Society Research and Notes,1986103Unidentified Genealogical Records,n.d.104Wythe County, 1977105Series V: Media,1977Cassette Tapes197711BibliographyBibliography
"Samuel Clark - Christiansburg""Interview with Mrs. Nettie Anderson""Christiansburg Institute Reunion" 'Interview with Mrs. Addie Jones"Microfilm,n.d.11BibliographyBibliography
"Special Poll Oklahoma Territorial Census 1890" CD-ROMs, n.d.11BibliographyBibliography
"Freedman's Bank Records"1910 Miracode Index" Virginia, Western Region"