Archives West Finding Aid
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Mercedes Deiz collection, circa 1875-2014
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Deiz, Mercedes F. L. (Mercedes Frances Lopez), 1917-2005
- Title
- Mercedes Deiz collection
- Dates
- circa 1875-2014 (inclusive)18752014
- Quantity
- 3 cubic feet, (7 document cases, 1 flat box, 1 oversize folder in shared box)
- Collection Number
- Coll 543
- Summary
- Papers and photographs relating to the life and career of Mercedes Deiz (1917-2005), who became the first woman of color to be a judge in Oregon when she was appointed to a seat on the district court, and was also the first Black circuit court judge in the state. The collection also includes correspondence, photographs, and other materials relating to members of Deiz's family.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Mercedes Frances Deiz, née Lopez, was born in New York in 1917. Her mother was Czechoslovakian, and her father was Afro-Cuban. She graduated from high school at 16, and worked cleaning dressing rooms at a specialty store before finding a job as an usher and telephone operator at the Lafayette Theatre in Harlem. She continued to work at the theater after she began attending Hunter College in 1936, and it was during this time that she met Billy Owens through the theater. They married in 1937, and Deiz continued to attend Hunter College through 1939, but, because she was often supporting both herself and her husband, she left before finishing her degree. She found a job in office work for the Hotel and Club Employees Union, and in 1943, the couple had a son.
In 1948, Deiz traveled with her son to Portland, Oregon, where one of her brothers lived, in order to obtain a divorce, and decided not to return to New York. During her early life in Portland, she became active with the NAACP and the Urban League after being refused service at a drive-in restaurant. She found a temporary job at the Internal Revenue Service, where she met Carl Deiz, who also lived in Portland; they married in 1949 and later had two children.
Just after they married, Mercedes Deiz began a job in the law library at the Bonneville Power Administration, where she stayed until 1953, and then began work as a legal secretary for Graham Walker in 1954. Walker encouraged her to become a lawyer, and paid the tuition for her first semester at the Northwestern College of Law. She earned her law degree in 1959, and in 1960, she became the first Black woman admitted to the Oregon Bar. She practiced law in Portland until 1967, when she became a hearing officer for the Oregon Workman's Compensation Board, the first woman to hold that position. In 1969, Governor Tom McCall appointed Deiz to the U.S. District Court of Oregon, making her the first woman of color to be a judge in Oregon. In 1972, Deiz was elected to a new Multnomah County Circuit Court position that had jurisdiction over juvenile and family cases, defeating seven male opponents and becoming the first Black circuit court judge in the state. She served on the bench until 1992, the year she turned 75 and was required by law to retire.
Deiz was active in many civic and legal organizations during her career, including as a founding board member of Oregon Women Lawyers, and received myriad awards and honors for her work. She died in 2005.
Sources: "Mercedes Deiz," by Diane Ryerson, Oregon Encyclopedia, https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/deiz-mercedes; "A Life of Firsts," by Cliff Collins, Oregon State Bar Bulletin, December 2005, accessed June 14, 2024, https://www.osbar.org/publications/bulletin/05dec/heritage.html; information provided by Deiz in an oral history interview, SR 1256, Oregon Historical Society Research Library, https://digitalcollections.ohs.org/sr-1256-oral-history-interview-with-mercedes-deiz
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of Mercedes Deiz's papers and photographs, as well materials of and relating to members of her family. In addition to her resumés and the transcript of a 1981 oral history interview conducted by the Oregon Historical Society, materials include papers from Deiz's time working for the Bonneville Power Administration, correspondence, court documents, newspaper clippings, photographs, and awards and honors she received throughout her career. Additional materials include Deiz family photographs, the transcript of an oral history with Mercedes Deiz's husband Carl Deiz, Carl Deiz's correspondence, and photographs of Mercedes Deiz's brother-in-law Robert W. Deiz, who was among the U.S. Army Air Forces servicemen known as the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, and was the model for a 1944 poster for war bonds.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Mercedes Deiz collection, Coll 543, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Materials are arranged in the following series:
- Series 1: Papers relating to Mercedes Deiz's life and career
- Series 2: Mercedes Deiz scrapbook materials
- Series 3: Papers of and relating to other Deiz family members
- Series 4: Other papers
- Series 5: Photographs
Acquisition Information
Gift of Bill Deiz, February 2016 (Lib. Acc. 28769).
Processing Note
Collection was processed by Susan Armitage and Jeffrey A. Hayes, and a collection guide written by Hayes. The guide was revised in June 2024 to expand biographical information, add dates for folders that had previously not included date information, clarify some series and folder-level titles, and conform to current standard.
Related Materials
The Oregon Historical Society Research Library also holds the audio recording of Mercedes Deiz's oral history interview, which is designated SR 1256 and is available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Papers relating to Mercedes Deiz's life and career, 1949-2007Return to Top
Other Descriptive Information
See Series 2, Mercedes Deiz scrapbook materials, for additional materials related to Deiz's life and career.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | Resumes and biographical information |
1963-1999 |
1 | 2 | Oral history transcript |
1981 February |
1 | 3 | Divorce from William Owens |
1949 |
1 | 4 | Personnel file, Bonneville Power Administration |
1949-1953 |
1 | 5 | Loyalty proceedings
Documents in which Deiz responds to accusations of having ties with Communists.
|
1950-1953 |
1 | 6 | "Toward a World Community" program schedule |
1968 January |
1 | 7 | Judicial appointment - letters and notes of encouragement |
1969 |
1 | 8 | Judicial appointments and elections |
1955-1984 |
1 | 9 | Newspaper clippings - courtroom shooting
Articles about an incident in which a man killed his wife's attorney and committed suicide after Deiz ruled against him in a custody case.
|
1979 |
1 | 10 | Correspondence and documents about Gates trial |
1980 |
1 | 11 | Newspaper clippings - Gates trial |
1980-1992 |
1 | 12 | Brief of amicus curiae, Oregonian Publishing Company and David Leroy Whitney v. Mercedes Deiz
Document from case that stemmed from Deiz's refusal to allow reporters inside the courtroom for a juvenile case involving Michele Gates.
|
1980 |
1 | 13 | Decision, Oregonian Publishing Company and David Leroy Whitney v. Mercedes Deiz
Decision by the Oregon Supreme Court in Deiz's favor, barring press access to the courtroom for the Gates trial.
|
1980 June 18 |
1 | 14 | National Center for State Courts |
1981 |
1 | 15 | National Association of Women Judges directory |
1979 |
1 | 16 | Joint Press, Bar, and Broadcasting Committee |
1983-1984 |
2 | 1 | Portland-Guadalajara Sister City Association |
1984 |
2 | 2 | "Homosexual parent" materials |
1978; undated |
2 | 3 | Marital mediation guidelines and joint custody |
1977-1983 |
2 | 4 | Correspondence and papers regardng juvenile law |
1983-1985 |
2 | 5 | Weddings performed |
1985; undated |
2 | 6 | Testimonials for others and related clippings |
1932-1995 |
2 | 7 | Handbooks on judicial conduct |
1972 |
2 | 8 | Pacific Ballet Theater correspondence |
1985-1987 |
2 | 9 | Miscellaneous letters
Includes a 2006 letter to Deiz's family. A photograph of Archdeacon Henry Laird Phillips that accompanied one of the letters in this folder was moved to Series 5 (Photographs), and is located in Box 7, Folder 16. A preservation photocopy of the photograph was kept with the letter.
|
1974-2006 |
2 | 10 | Notes |
circa 1993-1995 |
2 | 11 | Business cards and stationery |
undated |
2 | 12 | Awards, certificates and honors (general) |
1976-1992 |
8 | 1 | Oregon District Court Certificate of Admission to the Bar |
1960 |
8 | 2 | Ninth Circuit Court Certificate of Admission |
1963 |
8 | 3 | Portland Public Schools award |
1964 |
8 | 4 | Board of Trustees certificate, Lewis & Clark College |
1971 |
8 | 5 | World Academy membership certificate |
1976 |
2 | 13 | National Center for State Courts award |
1984 |
2 | 14 | Women of Excellence award |
1984 |
2 | 15 | Albina Women's League Foundation award |
2000 February 26 |
3 | 1 | Oregon State Bar award |
2000 September 22 |
8 | 10 | Hunter College honorary degree |
1997 |
3 | 2 | Hunter College honorary degree - correspondence, clippings, etc. |
1997 |
3 | 3 | Correspondence about awards and honors |
1966-1968; 1997 |
3 | 4 | Newspaper clippings about awards and honors |
1979-2000 |
3 | 5-6 | Newspaper clippings about Deiz's career |
1961-2005 |
3 | 7 | Publications and newsletters mentioning Deiz |
1966-1999 |
3 | 8 | Eulogy and memorials |
2005-2007 |
Series 2: Mercedes Deiz scrapbook materials, 1971-1990Return to Top
Clippings, documents, photographs, and ephemera removed from scrapbooks.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 9 | 1971-1974 scrapbook |
1971-1974 |
3 | 10-11 | 1972 scrapbook |
1972 |
4 | 1 | 1973-1976 scrapbook |
1973-1976 |
4 | 2-4 | 1975-1977 scrapbook |
1975-1977 |
4 | 5-7 | 1975-1978 scrapbook |
1975-1978 |
4 | 8 | 1979-1980 scrapbook |
1979-1980 |
4 | 9 | 1981-1982 scrapbook |
1981-1982 |
5 | 1-2 | 1988-1990 scrapbook |
1988-1990 |
Series 3: Papers of and relating to other Deiz family members, 1944-2004Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 3 | Correspondence and clippings about war bond poster featuring Robert Deiz |
1944; circa 1995 |
5 | 4 | Newspaper clippings about Robert Deiz |
1944-1945 |
5 | 5 | Obituaries and materials mentioning Robert Deiz |
1942-1992 |
5 | 6 | Evergreen Aviation Museum award given posthumously to Robert Deiz |
2004 |
5 | 7 | Carl Deiz newspaper clippings |
1949-2004 |
5 | 8 | Carl Deiz oral history transcript |
2003 |
5 | 9 | Correspondence between Carl Deiz and Betty Gobert regarding Robert Deiz |
2000 |
5 | 10 | Bill Deiz - Appellee's Brief
Appears to be school assignment; contains edits and comments by Mercedes Deiz.
|
circa 1972 |
Series 4: Other papers, 1943-2014Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
5 | 11 | Newspaper clippings on Black civil rights |
1943-2014 |
5 | 12 | Tuskegee Airmen - general history |
circa 1944-2002 |
5 | 13 | Programs and invitations for award and banquet ceremonies |
circa 1985-2005 |
5 | 14 | Buffalo Soldiers Reunion Program |
1999 |
5 | 15 | Urban League of Portland - "On the Road to Equality: A 50-Year Retrospective"
Publication by Dr. Darrell Millner. Includes an image of Mercedes Deiz and Carl Deiz.
|
1995 |
5 | 16 | "Portland's Albina Community: The History of Portland's African American Community, 1805 to the Present" |
1993 |
6 | "Oral Histories of Women of Color"
Partial dissertation by Kenneth W. Bagley. Does not include Mercedes Deiz.
|
1991 June | |
Folder | |||
8 | 6 | Print of Jacob Landau's "Nat Turner" |
undated |
Series 5: Photographs, circa 1875-1997Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Subseries 1.1: Photographs of and relating to Mercedes Deiz |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
7 | 1 | General |
1960-1997 |
7 | 2 | Studio portraits |
1974-1982 |
7 | 3 | Judicial inauguration |
1970 January 7 |
7 | 4 | National College of State Trial Judges banquet, University of Nevada Reno |
1971 |
7 | 5 | AM Northwest event |
1981 June 23 |
7 | 6 | Adoption ceremony
Adoption of Kara Miller, officiated by Mercedes Deiz.
|
1982 January 7 |
7 | 7 | Hunter College commencement
Event at which Mercedes Deiz received an honorary degree.
|
1997 |
Folder | |||
Oversize 1 | Poster for National College of Juvenile Justice's Spring College, held at University of Nevada, Reno
Poster includes photographs of Mercedes Deiz and other faculty for the event, as well as National Council of Juvenile Court judges.
|
1976 | |
Subseries 1.2: Photographs of other people and events |
|||
Box | Folder | ||
7 | 8 | Carl and Robert Deiz (prints and negatives) |
circa 1930-1956 |
7 | 9 | Robert Deiz |
1937-circa 1980 |
7 | 10 | Robert Deiz - war bonds poster |
circa 1944 |
7 | 11 | Deiz family and friends |
circa 1900-1940 |
7 | 12 | Deiz family and friends |
circa 1875-1940 |
7 | 13 | Deiz family and friends, and unidentified |
circa 1940-1965 |
7 | 14 | Unthank children |
undated |
7 | 15 | Tuskegee Airmen |
circa 1942-1945 |
7 | 16 | Archdeacon Henry Laird Phillips
Photograph that was sent with a letter in Box 2, Folder 9.
|
circa 1875 |
8 | 7 | "Mrs. Pete," "Grandma Foster," and unidentified woman |
circa 1900 |
8 | 8 | Protective Order of Dining Car Waiters banquet |
circa 1935 |
8 | 9 | Wayne Morse |
circa 1965 |
Folder | |||
Oversize 1 | Unidentified church choir |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- African American women judges--Oregon--Portland
- African American women judges--Oregon--Portland--Photographs
- African Americans--Oregon--Portland
- African Americans--Oregon--Portland--Photographs
- Judges--Oregon--Portland
- Judges--Oregon--Portland--Photographs
- Women judges--Oregon--Portland
Personal Names
- Deiz, Carl, 1920-2014
- Deiz, Carl, 1920-2014--Photographs
- Deiz, Mercedes F. L. (Mercedes Frances Lopez), 1917-2005--Family
- Deiz, Mercedes F. L. (Mercedes Frances Lopez), 1917-2005--Photographs
- Deiz, Robert William, 1919-1992
- Deiz, Robert William, 1919-1992--Photographs
Family Names
- Deiz family
- Deiz family--Photographs
Form or Genre Terms
- certificates
- clippings (information artifacts)
- correspondence
- legal documents
- photographs
- scrapbooks