Joan Younger Dickinson papers

Joan Younger Dickinson papers, 1939-1999

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Dickinson, Joan Younger, 1916-
Title: Joan Younger Dickinson papers
Dates: 1939-1999 (inclusive)
19391999
Quantity: 8 cubic ft. (15 document boxes, 1 F17 box, 1 record box)
Collection Number: 11248
Summary: The collection contains correspondence, photographs, notes, research and subject files, and drafts related to the writings of Joan Younger Dickinson. Many of her writings concerned women including women in war, women in the workplace, fashion, health, motherhood, feminism, jewelry, and immigrant women. Other topics include her articles about prominent politicians and noted personalities.
Repository: American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions: Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
Languages: English
Sponsor: The creation of the EAD-version of this finding aid was made possible through a grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Joan Younger was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1917. She spent her childhood and teenager years growing up in Columbus and then graduated from Ohio State University in 1937. She began her career in journalism in Paris as a reporter for Trans-Radio Press. After the outbreak of Word War II, Younger became a reporter in New York City for United Press, now United Press International. Joan Younger Merrick’s interviews focused primarily on famous women abroad and in the United States, headliners in politics, film and mass media, and fashion. Joan Younger married William Merrick in 1940. They had one daughter before the marriage ended.

In 1947, Joan Younger married William B. Dickinson, a foreign editor for United Press. She moved with him to Philadelphia in 1949 when he became an editor at the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. He eventually became the Bulletin’s executive editor.

In Philadelphia, she joined the staff of the Ladies’ Home Journal and remained at the magazine until the 1960s, writing articles on ordinary women as well as women of fame. Politicians, movie stars, murders, industrial tycoons, and war heroes were among her others subjects for interviews and articles. She answered questions about women’s health problems for the column, “Tell Me Doctor.” Joan Younger Dickinson wrote many articles about women balancing motherhood with a career. Her books include The Stork and You, Mental Illness Begins at Home, The Book of Pearls, and The Book of Diamonds.

Joan Younger Dickinson earned a M.A. (1966) and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania (1975). Her book, The Immigrant Woman Worker, was based on her doctoral dissertation.

Upon retirement by 1980, Joan Younger Dickinson moved to Florida where she wrote her memoirs, Girl Reporter, Wartime New York. The Dickinson family consisted of a son and daughter from Mr. Dickinson’s first marriage, a daughter from Joan Younger’s first marriage, and two daughters from the Dickinson marriage. William B. Dickinson died in 1978. Joan Younger Dickinson died June 4, 2002, at her home in Fort Myers, Florida.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Joan Younger Dickinson papers include her newspaper and magazine articles, books, MA thesis, and Ph.D. dissertation. Personal papers and publications cover the years 1939-1980. The collection includes correspondence, photographs, notes, research, and drafts related to the articles and books. The collection does not contain personal papers prior to Joan Younger’s career in 1939 as an overseas journalist. She covered topics of particular interest to women during World War II such as Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor.

Post-war magazine and newspaper articles, primarily for Ladies Home Journal and United Press International, reflect a diversity of topics: women in the work place, fashion, the art of manners, plus reporting on famous people in politics and the media such as Ike and Mamie Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and family, and Grace Kelly. Psychology and mental health are topics in many articles. Joan Younger Dickinson also wrote a book on motherhood, The Stork and You, and two prominent books in the 1970s on the history of jewelry, The Book of Diamonds and The Book of Pearls. The collection also contains her academic writing for her masters thesis on Protestant-American history and her doctoral dissertation, Immigrant Women in the U.S. Labor Force.

Joan Younger Dickinson’s personal and biographical information, photographs, and memorabilia are included, which are not specifically connected to her writing. The collection also contains complete texts of books that Joan Younger Dickinson either edited or wrote, plus an assortment of complete magazine issues that include her articles.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Joan Younger Dickinson papers, 1939-1999, Collection Number 11248, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Related Materials

There are no other known archival collections created by Joan Younger Dickinson at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

The Joan Younger Dickinson papers were donated to the American Heritage Center by Joan Younger Dickinson in 1983 and 2001. The papers were kept in the donor’s private possession in good condition.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Melanie Francis in November 2002. Folder titles and arrangement have been added for clarity in the collection inventory.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I.Ladies Home Journal, 1945-1962Return to Top

(2 document boxes)

Arranged alphabetically by article name. Drafts, manuscripts, research, printed articles, and related articles from personal files. Correspondence related to articles and photographs (used to illustrate articles for publication) are also included.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
1	1	Articles, Correspondence for Application	1945-1947
1	2	Bunch, Ralph and Family	1961
1	3	Duke, Angier Biddle	1960-1961
1	4	Editorial Objectives	1949-1950
1	5	“How America Lives”--Petrello Family	1955
1	6	Kelly, Grace	1960
	Folders
1	7-10	Kennedy Family	1952-1962, undated
2	1-2	Mental health research	1945-1948
	Folder
2	3	Mental health articles	1949
2	4	Mental illness articles	1949
2	5	Manners (Forum)	1957
2	6	Miscellaneous Correspondence	1960
2	7	Photographs	1950-1955
2	8	Related Articles	1947-1954
2	9	“Should Mothers of Young Children Work?” (Forum)	1958
2	10	“When Should Mothers Work Outside the Home?,”	1958

Series II. Assorted Magazine Articles, 1945-1980Return to Top

(5 document boxes)

Arranged alphabetically by article name. Individual notebooks, drafts, manuscripts, research, printed articles, and related articles from personal files. Correspondence related to articles, primarily with regard to publication.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
3	1	“American Ethics,”	1967
	Folders
3	2-13	Assorted	1945-1974, undated
	Folder
3	14	Batten, Harry	1961
4	1	Bergdorf	1961-1962
4	2	Bergdorf (Research)	1961
4	3	“Best Climate,”	1969
	Folders
4	4-7	“Best Climate”—Longevity	1966, 1967, 1968-1969
	Folder
4	8	“Best Climate”—Longevity notes and drafts	1969-1970
5	1	Brown, George	1961
	Folders
5	2-3	Bunting, Mary	1960-1965
5	4-5	Bunting, Mary (Research #1 and #2)	1961-1965
	Folder
5	6	Camden, South Carolina	1961
5	7	“Coffee Break” (Assorted Articles)	1961
5	8	Crawford, Dorothy	1961
5	9	Criticism	1954
	Folders
6	1-2	Eisenhower’s Religious Beliefs	1953
6	3-4	Forum: Manners	1957, 1959
	Folder
6	5	Fuoss, Robert	1961
6	6	“Girl in the Back Room,”	1952
6	7	Grand Canyon	1974
6	8	Greenfield, Albert M.	1961
6	9	Holiday Magazine	1967
6	10	Hong Kong	1967
6	11	Hong Kong (Research)	1967
	Folders
7	1-3	“How America Lives”—Nissen Family #1, #2, and #3	1959-1962
	Folder
7	4	“How to Have a Happy Marriage,”	undated
7	5	Innocenti, Cesar	1961
7	6	“Japanese Love for Sale,”	1967
7	7	Kahn, Louis	undated
7	8	Lee, Dorothy McCullough “Lady Mayor of Portland,”	1951
7	9	Michener, James	1961
7	10	Nixon, Agnes	1967
7	11	Oakes, Harry	undated
7	12	“On Being Depressed,”	1959
7	13	“Peoria Pilgrim,”	1951
7	14	Piasecki, Frank N.	1961
7	15	“Pilgrim’s Progress,”	undated
7	16	“Politics of Protocol,”	1962
8	1	“Political Pilgrim’s Progress,”	1952
8	2	“Prescriptions of Alcohol,”	1959
8	3	Radcliffe Institute	1961-1962
8	4	Ravdin, Dr. Isadore	1961
8	5	Reading (Lady)	1950
8	6	Realities Travel	1979-1980
8	7	Surtsey Reviews	1964-1974
8	8	Travel (assorted)	1979-1980
8	9	Weddings	1950
8	10	“What’s a Mother to Do?,”	1956
8	11	“Why Don’t They Like Us?,”	1953

Series III. United Press International, 1939-1979Return to Top

(1 document box)

Arranged alphabetically by article name. Drafts, research, printed articles, and related articles. Correspondence related to the publication and original photographs used for articles. Also includes newspaper articles not written for UPI.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folders
9	1-7	Assorted Articles	1940-1944, 1945-1979
	Folder
9	8	Book Reviews	1971-1973
	Folders
9	9-11	Madame Chiang Kai-Shek	1943
9	12-13	Memoranda	1940
9	14-15	Other newspaper articles (not UPI)	1939-1979
	Folder
9	16	Photographs	1942
9	17	United Press Radio	1941
9	18	United Press Radio Columns	1940-1941
9	19	United Press Radio Scripts	1940-1941
9	20	Windsor, Duke and Duchess in Bahamas	1940

Series IV. Book Editing, Writing, and Ghost Writing, 1948-1999Return to Top

(4 document boxes)

Arranged alphabetically by book name. Drafts, manuscripts, galley proofs, and correspondence for non-fiction and fiction written, book editing, and ghost writing. Photographs used for publication with editors’ notations.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
10	1	Belle of Ashby Street (novel editing)	1980
10	2	Book editing and ghost writing	1955
10	3	Book of Diamonds, Chapter 1 manuscript	1965
10	4	Book of Diamonds, Chapter 3-6 manuscripts (no Chapter 2)	1965
10	5	Book of Diamonds, Chapter 7, Glossary of Diamond Terms	1965
10	6	Book of Diamonds, correspondence and publicity	1966
	Folders
10	7-10	Book of Diamonds Photographs	1965
	Folder
11	1	Book of Pearls, photographs/negatives	1970
	Folders
11	2-9	Book of Pearls—Chapters 1-7 photographs	1970
	Folder
11	10	Book of Pearls—Potential use photographs	1970
11	11	Book of Pearls—reviews and correspondence	1976
11	12	Book of Pearls—Transparencies	1970
12	1	Girl Reporter, Wartime New York 1940-1946, autobiography	1999
12	2	Greatest of These (novel writing)	1968
12	3	Heart of Mandy Swift (novel writing)	1961
12	4	Hostile Mind (book editing)	1955
12	5	No Mean City by Joseph S. Clark (acting book agent)	1963-1965
13	1	Rebirth (novel writing)	1948
13	2	Rebirth, “September” chapter manuscript	undated
13	3	Rebirth, “October”—“May” chapters	undated
13	4	Stassen, Harold (ghost writing)	1955
13	5	The Stork and You—galley-proofs, reviews, correspondence	1951
13	6	Women’s Occupations in U.S. 1608-1970	1970

Series V. Academic Writing--Masters and Doctorate, 1966-1980Return to Top

(2 document boxes)

Arranged chronologically. Drafts, manuscripts, and correspondence. Published doctoral dissertation, Immigrant Women in the US Labor Force.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
14	1	Academic journal writing—“Italians in America” (outline)	undated
14	2	Academic journal writing—“Italians in America,”	1966
14	3	MA Thesis, Protestant-American History, drafts	1966
14	4	Doctoral thesis—Immigrant Women (2 printed copies)	1975
	Folders
14	5-8	Doctoral thesis—Chapters 1 - 5 drafts	1975
14	9-10	Doctoral thesis—Published by Arno Press) Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, Index (no Chapters 4 and 5)	1980
	Folder
14	11	Doctoral thesis—Printed book, Immigrant Women in the US Labor Force 1890-1910	1980

Series VI. Research, 1949-1974Return to Top

(5 folders)

Arranged alphabetically. Research articles and notes unrelated to specific articles.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
15	1	Chinese	1962
15	2	Chouscroun, Dr. Nine	1954
15	3	Gary, Indiana	1949
15	4	Grand Caymans	1974
15	5	Rieff	undated

Series VII. Personal/Biographical, 1945-1980Return to Top

(1 document box + 1 F17 box)

Arranged alphabetically. Correspondence, photographs, and personal notes unrelated to specific publications.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
15	6	Assorted articles and clippings	1961
15	7	Correspondence	1950-1975
15	8	Correspondence and clippings	1961
15	9	Correspondence	1968
15	10	Documents and certificates	1960-1975
15	11	“For Want of a Self” (TV Script)	1965
15	12	Newspaper clippings	1945-1980
15	13	Photographs	1945-1960
16	1	Photographs (oversized)—Book of Pearls	1970
16	2	Photographs (oversized)—Ladies Home Journal	1950-1960
16	3	Photographs (oversized) --Personal	1960-1970

Series VIII. Printed Materials, 1941-1982Return to Top

(1 F17 box +1 record box)

Container(s)	Description	Dates
	Subseries 1. Periodicals Arranged alphabetically by name. Full text articles by Joan Younger Dickinson.	1967-1981
Box
16	Dynamic Maturity	May 1975
16	Holiday	March 1971
16	Jewelers’ Circular-Keystone	June 1967, May 1968, June 1969
17	Publishers Weekly	March 1974
17	Realities	September 1980
17	Travel and Leisure	March 1975, October 1980, January 1981
	Subseries 2. Books Arranged alphabetically by author. Books or articles included texts edited or written by Joan Younger Dickinson.	1941-1982
Box
17	Daly, Maureen, ed., Profile of Youth	1949
17	Dickinson, Joan Younger, The Book of Pearls	1968
17	Edgerton, Eleanor, A Year in Benares	1980
17	Furnas, J.C. et al, How America Lives	1941
17	Goldman, Emma, Living My Life	1970
17	Gould, Bruce and Beatrice Blackmar, American Story	1950
17	Holme, Brian, ed., The Journal of the Century	1976
17	Kozlenko, William, American Scenes	1941
17	Morris, Joe Alex, Deadline Every Minute—the story of the United Press	1957
17	Ratcliff, J.D., ed., Science Year Book of 1946	1946
17	Saul, Leon J., The Hostile Mind—The Sources and Consequences of Rage and Hate	1956
17	Somers, Herman M. and Anne R., Doctors, Patients, and Health Insurance	1961
17	Spritzer, Lorraine Nelson, The Belle of Ashby Street	1982
17	Sunstein, Emily, A Different Face—The Life of Mary Wollstonecraft	1975
17	Younger, Joan, The Stork and You	1952

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Women’s periodicals, American.
World War, 1939-1945--Women.

Corporate Names

United Press International.

Occupations

Authors.

Titles within the Collection

Ladies Home Journal.

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