Richardson Dilworth papers


Collection 3112

( Bulk, 1940-1972 ) 1881-2002, undated
(101.2 Linear feet ; 251 boxes, 19 volumes, 7 flat files)

Summary Information

Repository
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Creator
Dilworth, Richardson, 1898-1974.
Title
Richardson Dilworth papers
ID
3112
Date [bulk]
Bulk, 1940-1972
Date [inclusive]
1881-2002, undated
Extent
101.2 Linear feet ; 251 boxes, 19 volumes, 7 flat files
Author
Finding aid prepared by Willhem Echevarria
Sponsor
This collection was processed as part of the Civic Engagement Collections Project. Funding for this project was provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) and Dilworth Paxson LLP.
Language
English
Mixed materials [Oversize]
Flat files 1-7
Mixed materials [Box]
1-251
Mixed materials [Volume]
1-19
Abstract
The papers of Richardson Dilworth include correspondence, office files, accounts, reports, political campaign materials, brochures, pamphlets, scrapbooks, and photographs that primarily pertain to the immediate years before and after he became mayor of Philadelphia (1956-1962). The collection also contains papers related to Dilworth’s role on the Philadelphia Board of Education, his failed run for Pennsylvania governor, and from his law firm Dilworth Paxson LLP.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Richardson Dilworth papers (Collection 3112), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

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Background note

Richardson Dilworth was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 29 August 1898. He attended St. Marks School in Southborough, Massachusetts, and later on went to Yale University where he was part of the football program and a member of the secret society Scroll and Key. Dilworth left his undergraduate studies for a year to serve in World War I, and afterwards returned to finish his studies in 1921. He later served in World War II as well. After finishing his studies at Yale he went on to work for several companies such as the Unites States Steel Corporation in Oklahoma, and for M.W. Kellog Company in Jersey City, New Jersey. He later returned to Yale to pursue a law degree. He worked as editor of the Yale Law Journal, and graduated in 1926.

In 1927, after finishing law school he worked as a lawyer in Philadelphia, and became an expert on libel cases after representing the Philadelphia Inquirer. Working with the firm Evans Bayard and Frick, Dilworth represented several insurance companies, the Philadelphia Transit Company, the Triangle Corporation, Curtis Publishing, and Time, Inc., and did trial work in numerous accident cases. In 1928 he assisted Henry Drinker in an investigation by the Philadelphia Bar Association regarding law firms colluding with police, ambulance drivers, and emergency hospital personnel in cases awarding damages in accidents. During this time Dilworth became one of the most respected trial lawyers in Philadelphia, and gained first-hand knowledge about the city and the extent of corruption in public agencies.

He ran for mayor in 1947 and based his campaign on accusing corrupt city officials by name. Although he failed to win this election, Dilworth was elected city treasurer in 1949 when Joseph S. Clark, Jr. won for mayor. Dilworth was elected district attorney in 1952 and later became mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served as the city’s mayor from 2 January 1956 until resigning in 1962 to run for governor of Pennsylvania, a race in which he was defeated by William Scranton.

After his tenure as mayor, Dilworth served as partner in the Philadelphia-based law firm of Dilworth Paxson LLP, and, in 1967, became president of the Philadelphia Board of Education. He married twice, first to Elizabeth Brockie, and second to Anne Kaufman Hill, and had eight children. He and his wife Anne survived the sinking of the SS Andrea Doria in 1956.

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Scope & Content

This collection documents the career of Richardson Dilworth, primarily in the form of office records generated in the years before and after he served as mayor of Philadelphia. These papers consist of correspondence, reports, political campaign materials, brochures, pamphlets, and scrapbooks. Additionally the collection contains Dilworth’s office files related to his law work, Board of Education activities, city planning, housing, civic organizations and projects, the Reading Railroad receivership, and the Pennsylvania Governor’s Committee on Transportation. There is also a sizeable amount of Dilworth’s personal correspondence, as well as clippings he collected on various politicians, campaigns, and political, cultural, and social issues related to Philadelphia. Other material includes photographs, check stubs, typescripts of speeches, and papers related to the naming and dedication of the Richardson Dilworth International Terminal at Philadelphia International Airport. The collection also features personal documents from Dilworth's numerous trips abroad, including files related to his trip on the ill-fated SS Andrea Doria.

This collection provides an extraordinary behind-the-scenes view of Philadelphia from the perspective of one of the most influential persons in public office and in the political reform movement of the city. These papers would be of special interest to researchers on Philadelphia politics, education, urban development, city planning, and United States political history during the 1950s and 1960s.

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Overview of arrangement

Series I. Politics, campaigns, and politicians, 1945-1973, 6.4 linear feet

Series II. City, state, national, and international issues, 1947-1973, 4.8 linear feet

Series III. Civic groups and projects, 1948-1973, 15.6 linear feet

Series IV. Boston-Washington corridor, 1962-1967, 1.6 linear feet

Series V. Governor’s Committee on Transportation, 1958-1973, 4 linear feet

Series VI. Reading Railroad receivership, 1971-1974, 3.2 linear feet

Series VII. Personal, 1918-2002, 38.8 linear feet

Series VIII. Legal, 1946-1973, 3.6 linear feet

Series IX. Board of Education, 1965-1971, 17.6 linear feet

Series X. Scrapbooks, 1881-1974, undated, 5.6 linear feet

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 The Historical Society of Pennsylvania ,2010

1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Conditions Governing Access

Folders 5-6 in Box 187 are restricted until Deborah D. Bishop’s death. The rest of the collection is open for research.

Acquisition Information

This collection was put together from donations by Deborah D. Bishop, Louis G. Hill, Aubrey Lees, and the Estate of Richardson Dilworth.

Processing Information

This collection was processed as part of the Civic Engagement Collections Project. Funding for this project was provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) and Dilworth Paxson LLP. Processing was completed in December 2010. The collection was processed using guidelines based on the "More Product, Less Process" approach to archival processing. This collection was composed of several accessions aquired by HSP at different points in time. Some of these accessions were already organized presumably by Dilworth himself by subject in alphabetical order. Other accessions were organized by subject but not in alphabetical order or not organized in any discernible manner. Box level description reflects subject files in Dilworth's original order (not always alphabetical). In cases where old folders have been replaced titles have been transcribed exactly as in the original. Several folders featured a number that seems to correspond to a classification system used by Dilworth’s office. These numbers have also been transcribed. As part of the “More Product, Less Process” approach the number of newspaper clippings selected to be photocopied was kept to a minimum. Researchers interested in the scrapbooks should be aware that, due to brittleness, several of these items are difficult to handle. A good number of newspapers clippings in the collection are also brittle. Since all of these come from 20th century publications researchers have the option to consult the Historical Society of Pennsylvania newspaper holdings.

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Related Materials

Related Archival Materials note

At the Historical Society of Pennsylvania:

Albert Greenfield papers (Collection 1959)

Joseph Sill Clark papers (Collection 1958)

Natalie Saxe Randall papers (Collection 3466)

In Praise of Politicians (manuscript) by James Hugh Joseph Tate (Am .3997)

Michael von Moschzisker fine arts files (Collection 2041)

Newspaper obituaries of Richardson Dilworth (1898-1974) /compiled by Anthony A. Roth. (Gd .4345 R74)

At other repositories:

City of Philadelphia, Department of Records, Mayor's Correspondence and Files; (60-2.4) Administration of Richardson Dilworth, 1956-1962

James Phineas Magill papers, 1911-1974. Haverford College Library. Special Collections

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
  • Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
  • Philadelphia Bar Association.
  • Philadelphia County (Pa.).
  • Reading Company.
  • School District of Philadelphia, Pa..
  • Yale Law School.

Genre(s)

  • Correspondence.
  • Diaries.
  • Hate mail.
  • Photographs.
  • Records.
  • Speeches, addresses, etc.

Geographic Name(s)

  • Pennsylvania--Politics and government.
  • Philadelphia (Pa.).
  • Philadelphia County (Pa.).

Personal Name(s)

  • Clark, Joseph S.
  • D’Ortona, Paul.
  • Rizzo, Frank, 1920-1991.
  • Shapp, Milton J., 1912-1994.
  • Tate, James H. J. (James Hugh Joseph), 1910-

Subject(s)

  • City planning--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • Education, Urban--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • Education, Urban--United States--Administration.
  • Education--United States--History--20th century.
  • Education--United States--Management.
  • High speed ground transportation.
  • Mayors--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • Municipal charters--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • Municipal government--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • Municipal officials and employees--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • Pennsylvania. Governor’s Committee for Transportation.
  • Philadelphia (Pa.)--City planning.
  • Philadelphia (Pa.)--Civic improvement.
  • Philadelphia (Pa.)--Race relations--History--20th century.
  • Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social problems.
  • Segregation in education--Law and legislation--United States--History.
  • Social reformers--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • Urban development.
  • Urban policy--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.
  • Urban renewal--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

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Bibliography

Morris, Joe Alex. 1962. The Richardson Dilworth story. Modern biography series. Philadelphia: Mercury Books.

Fagone, Jason. Searching for Richardson Dilworth. Philadelphia Magazine. Posted on 11/24/08, accessed on 11/4/2010. http://www.phillymag.com/articles/searching_for_richardson_dilworth/

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Collection Inventory

Politics, campaigns, and politicians 1945-1973   6.4 Linear feet 16 boxes, 3 volumes, 2 flat files

Scope and content note

This series contains file records that Dilworth kept on Philadelphia politicians and political issues. Also found here are documents related to his political campaigns during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.

Box

Mayor Frank L. Rizzo 

1

James H. J. Tate; Good Judges for Philadelphia; Governor Milton J. Shapp; Lyndon B. Johnson; Anthony J. Celebrezze; Barry M. Goldwater 

2

John B. Kelly; Paul D’Ortona; Mayor Frank L. Rizzo; clippings 1971; Milton J. Shapp 

3

Senator Philip A. Hart; 1965 campaign; 1966 campaign; 1967 campaign; 1964 State campaign; Democratic Site Committee; Joseph S. Clark 

4

1962 Governorship campaign; Convention Site Committee (Republican); Convention Site Committee (Democrat) 

5

1964 Democratic National Convention; 1963 Citizens for Tate; 1959 Mayoralty campaign accounting; Albert Gore 

6

Joseph S. Clark Jr.; 1962 campaign 

7

Speech (1945); 1947 Mayoralty Campaign; 1948 National Campaign-speeches; 1948 Speeches and statements re: clean-up; 1949 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-TV scripts; 1949 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-radio scripts and announcements; 1949 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-October statements; 1949 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-September statements; 1949 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-speeches; 1949 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-radio scripts; Statements, releases, talks (1949-1951) 

170

1950 Governorship Campaign-campaign tours; 1950 Governorship Campaign-platform; 1950 Governorship Campaign-Candidates dinner, October 1950; 1950 Governorship Campaign-Radio/TV broadcasts; 1950 Governorship Campaign-statements; 1950 Governorship Campaign-Dilworth statements, miscellaneous statements; 1950 Treasure’s Office-radio scripts; 1951 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-Dilworth radio scripts, Dilworth TV scripts; 1951 Dilworth speeches 

171

1951 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-Dilworth statements, speeches, Street Corner Talks, miscellaneous statements, miscellaneous speeches; 1951 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-statements; 1951 Dilworth Street Corner Talks; 1951 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-TV scripts; 1951 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-Radio scripts; 1951 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-miscellaneous speeches; 1951 Clark/Dilworth Campaign-miscellaneous statements; 1955 Mayoralty Campaign; Bucci Poll-1955 Mayoralty Campaign 

172

1955 Mayoralty Campaign; 1955 Mayoralty Campaign-Radio scripts; 1955 Mayoralty Campaign-TV scripts; 1955 Mayoralty Campaign-TV Correspondence; 1955 Mayoralty Campaign-Miscellaneous; Dilworth Campaign Committee (1955)-Correspondence and lists 

173

1959 Mayoralty Campaign-Television; 1959 Mayoralty Campaign-Speeches; 1962 Governorship Campaign; 1962 Governorship Campaign-TV (North Agency); 1962 Governorship Campaign-Statements; 1962 Governorship Campaign-Speeches; Election Data-State; Election Data-General; Expenses (1962) 

174

Election Data-General; Election Data-National; Election Data-City; Election Data-1957; Bureau of Municipal Research; Budget; Budget-Taxes-Newspaper clippings; Budget-State Budget Data; Budget-Pamphlets, data, etc. 

175

Joseph R. McCarthy-Books, Pamphlets, etc.; Joseph R. McCarthy-Congressional Investigation; Election Frauds; Inauguration (1952) 

176

Inauguration Data; Inauguration Invitations; Campaign Literature 

177

William W. Scranton; 1955 Mayoralty campaign-statements of receipts and expenses; 1955 Mayoralty campaign-material for speeches; 1959 Mayoralty campaign-candidates’ expense return; Mayoralty campaign (1959)-Bucci poll; Philadelphia Mayoralty study (1959); Mayoralty campaign (1959)-radio; Lists [committees; members of Democratic committee; candidates for state senate; candidates for US Congress; etc.]; Inauguration (1960); Bucci poll/Harris poll (1961); Platform (1962); Governorship campaign (1962)-authorizations (contributions) 

230
Oversize

Political cartoons 

Flat file 1
Volume

Financial Program, City of Philadelphia (1947) 

1

The Stark Reality of Responsibility by Adlai Ewing Stevenson (1952) 

6

The Official Report of the Philadelphia Charter Commission (1938) 

11
Oversize

Campaign literature-Clark/Dilworth poster 

Flat file 7

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City, State, National, and International issues 1947-1973   4.8 Linear feet 12 boxes

Scope and content note

This series features papers related to events and issues of both national and local importance. Most of the newspapers clippings collected by Dilworth can be found here.

Box

City government; Civil Rights; Counties (Adam to Fulton); Counties (Green to Lycoming); Counties (McKean to Potter); Counties (Schuylkill to York); Nixon; Hoover and FBI; 1963 State issues; 1963 City issues; 1963 International issues; 1963 National issues 

8

Watergate; City Council; Legislature raises; George McGovern; Military-Industrial; Attorney General Mitchell; 1973 School strike; Welfare; Pornography; Vietnam 

9

Black Panthers; Student rights; Student unrest; Urban problems 

10

1952 State Issues; International Issues-Asia(1951-1956); International Issues-Africa; International Issues-Israel; International Issues-Europe (1951-1956) 

204

1952 State Issues; 1952 State Issues-John S. Fine; 1952 State Issues-William E. Woodside; 1952 State Issues-coal regions; 1952 National Issues; 1952 National Issues-proposed national issues talk; 1955 National Issues; 1955 National Issues-Yalta papers; 1949 National Issues; 1950 National Issues; 1950 National Issues-Eisenhower boom 

205

1948 National Issues; 1951 National Issues; 1951 National Issues-MacArthur; 1954 National Issues; 1956 National Issues; 1959 National Issues; 1961 National Issues 

206

National Issues-1953; State Issues-1948; State Issues-1949; State Issues-1950; 1951 State Issues; 1957 National Issues 

207

1951 State Issues; City Issues (1953); City Issues (1954) 

208

City Issues-Grand Jury (1951); City Issues-General (1951); City Issues (1952); 1954 City Issues-City Charter Fight 

209

City Issues (1947)-clippings; City Issues (1947)-pamphlets; City Issues (1949); City Issues (1950); City Issues (1952); 1955 State Issues; 1955 State Issues-Budget; 1955 State Issues-State appointments; 1959, 1960 State Issues; 1961 State Issues 

210

1953 State Issues; 1953 State Issues-John Fine; 1953 State Issues-Constitutional Convention, Reapportionment; 1953 State Issues-Legislature; 1952, 1953, 1954-State Issues 

216

1954 State Issues; 1954 State Issues-Lloyd H. Wood; 1954 State Issues-Platform; 1954 State Issues-statements and news releases; 1956 State Issues; 1956 State Issues-Senate fight; 1957 State Issues; 1958 State Issues 

217

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Civic groups and projects 1948-1973   15.6 Linear feet 39 boxes, 12 volumes

Scope and content note

This series contains files, papers, and printed materials pertaining to different organizations and agencies that Dilworth was involved with or interested in.

Box

Theater of the Living Arts; United Fund drives 

11

Oskar Stonorov Fountain Competition; University City Science Corporation; Villanova University; Washington Square Association 

12

West Philadelphia Corporation 

13

Philadelphia Council for Community Advancement 

48

SEPTA 

49

Lincoln National Bank 

50

A New Face for the City: The Community Decision Process in Philadelphia’s Downtown Redevelopment by Cyril Roseman 

51

Philadelphia Port Corporation 

61

Presidential Emergency Board 1966 

62

Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation I 

63

Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation II 

64

St. Joseph’s College; St. Peter’s School-Board of Directors; Society Hill Week; South Philadelphia Community Development Corporation 

65

Stadium; Hearings on Revision of City Charter 1973; City-County Consolidation 

66

Committee to Preserve Philadelphia Historic Gateway; Committee for Economic Development; Community College; Girard College 1965 

67

Community Renewal Program; Fellowship Commission 

68

Educational Home Rule Charter Commission; Grand Jury: Auto Trade-Ins, Frankford EL, Broadway maintenance, Riverview, Police Administration Building, SCRAP, Street paving, Illegal sale of paint 

69

Governor’s Justice Commission; Governor’s Committee on Priorities; Greater Philadelphia Movement 

70

Institute of Contemporary Art; Jefferson House; Korean Center; Jewish Defense League; John F. Kennedy; Doctors’ Hospital vs. Blue Cross 

71

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Museum Associates of Philadelphia Museum of Art 

72

Old Philadelphia Development Corporation; Old Philadelphia Development Corporation-Pamphlets and Brochures 

73-75

Passenger Service Improvement Corporation; 100;000 Pennsylvanians for Promotion of Economic Growth; Parochial Schools 

76

Parochial Schools Advisory Committee 

77

Pennsylvania Constitutional Revision Commission; Pennsylvania Crime Commission 

78

Philadelphia Anti-Poverty Action Commission; Philadelphia Bar Association 

79

Philadelphia Orchestra Association; American Arbitration Association; American Bar Association; Chamber of Commerce; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 

80

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 

81-85

Documents- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 

234 (oversize)

Citizens Committee on Public Education 

86

The Greater Philadelphia Movement-correspondence, clippings; Committee of Fifteen; City-County Consolidation/City Charter/Home Rule-statements, Data: Moreland Act, correspondence, pamphlets, clippings 

198

City-County Consolidation/City Charter/Home Rule-pamphlets; Fellowship Commission 

199

City-County Consolidation/City Charter/Home Rule-pamphlets; Fellowship Commission (1955-1956); Philadelphia Fellowship Commission-committee on community tensions 

200

Fellowship Commission-correspondence; Philadelphia Fellowship Commission (1955-1956); Committee for Pennsylvania (1953-1954)-Richardson Dilworth, Chairman; Committee for Philadelphia-Newspaper advertisements-general correspondence, Radio programs-scripts, Television programs-scripts, mailings and bills, Sidney B. Dexter 

201

Committee for Philadelphia-Sidney B. Dexter; Volunteers for leaders (1954); Penn State-Board of Trustees mailing list and data; Penn State-General correspondence; Penn State-Confidential correspondence and memos; Penn State-Committee on Instruction 

202

Penn State-Confidential correspondence and memos; Penn State-requests for scholarship aid; Penn State-scholarship controversy 

203
Volume

Inscribed copy of Proceedings of the Eighteenth Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Arbitrators (1965) 

7

Inscribed copy of A History of Philadelphia’s University City by Leon S. Rosenthal (1964) 

8

Department of Health Annual Report 1952 

9

Report of the City Charter Revision Commission (1973) 

10

Dedicated copy (by Governor William W. Scranton) of Discover the New Pennsylvania 

12

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia-Pediatric Pioneering 

13

PA Department of Highways-Six Year Improvement Plan 

14-16

Proposal for Covered Expressway 

17

Proposal for Covered Expressway (2 copies, spiral bound) 

18-19

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Boston-Washington Corridor 1962-1967   1.6 Linear feet 4 boxes

Scope and content note

Dilworth was very interested in the development of high-speed ground transportation systems and the impact these have on big urban centers. This series features studies, surveys, memos, correspondence, and reports related to the development and expansion of a transportation corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C.

Box

Transportation Study; Washington folder 

14

Survey of Technology for High Speed Ground Transport; Transportation Study: Senator Pell, Meyer Feldman, P. Kenneth O’ Donnell, Employment inquiries, Media Publicity and correspondence 

15

Transportation Study-Public Advisory Committee: Personal memos, General correspondence, Congratulatory letters, General (reports, surveys, etc.) 

16

Transportation Study: Reports and memos, Scope, Authority of the Chairman, U.S. Mass Transportation Bill, Staff, Pell Plan, Publicity, Miscellaneous 

17

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Governor’s Committee on Transportation 1958-1973   4.0 Linear feet 10 boxes

Scope and content note

This series contains documents and reports related to Dilworth’s participation in the Governor’s Committee on Transportation starting in 1969.

Box

Study firms; General American Transportation; Systems Analysis Research Corporation; Regional Plan Associates; Solicitations by Study firms 

18

Reports 

19-24

Correspondence-Governor’s Committee on Transportation; Correspondence-Technical Advisory Committee; List of Committee members; Minutes; Miscellaneous correspondence 

164

Preliminary Analyses of Intercity Transportation Demand in Pennsylvania 

249

Preliminary Analyses of Intercity Transportation Demand in Pennsylvania (draft final report) 

250

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Reading Railroad Receivership 1971-1974   3.2 Linear feet 8 boxes

Scope and content note

On several occasions, Richardson Dilworth was appointed by the court to act as administrator or receiver for corporations entering into bankruptcy. This series consists of records pertaining to his role as trustee for the Reading Railroad Company during 1971-1973.

Box

Correspondence: Chas. E. Bertrand, John P. Clark, Lockwood W. Fogg Jr., Julian R. Greene, Andrew L. Lewis, AW Hesse, Clifford Brenner, Judge J Wm Ditter, Harold Kohn, James M. Symes; Inter-office memos and reports; Bond; Employment inquiries; Confirmation of Trustees; Insurance companies; Creditors’ correspondence; Time sheets 

25

Accountants’ statements; Annual reports; Appraisals; Borough of Middleport; Capital Improvement Program; Comparison of operations; Compensation-Trustees; Contract-Chas. E. Bertrand; Financial statements; Hurricane Agnes; Hanover Trust Co.; I.C.C. report; legislation; Miscellaneous; New York Stock Exchange; Pension Advisory Board; Dept. of Transportation; Philadelphia Electrical Company; Reading Terminal; Rentals for leased roads; Restex Enterprises; SEPTA; Stockholder’s correspondence; Tunnel- mid-city; US Department of Justice; Underliers 

26

1973 Trustees’ Plan of Reconstruction; Consultants 

27

Various railroads: Central R.R. of New Jersey, Lehigh Valley Railroad, Northeast Railroads, Penn-Central Railroad; Minutes-Trustees meetings 1972-1973 

28

1973 Agenda-Trustees’ meetings 

29

1972 Minutes and agenda 

30

Pleadings: Court orders, Petitions of Trustees’, Petitions of Intervenors 

31

Reports; Profit Plans; Feasibility reports 

32

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Personal 1918-2002   38.8 Linear feet 96 boxes, 3 volumes, 5 flat files

Scope and content note

The only series with subseries in the collection, the personal papers of Richardson Dilworth include military records, correspondence, cancelled checks, papers related to his divorce in 1935, speeches, clippings from Philadelphia newspapers, invitations, greeting cards, photographs, financial statements, stock reports, and documents about his numerous trips abroad. Even though these are mostly records kept and organized by Dilworth himself, there are several documents that were added after his death (e.g., Box 41 contains an issue of The Philadelphia Tribune published one week after Dilworth’s death in 1974).

The Photographs, Prints, and Audio-visual materials subseries contain numerous portraits of Dilworth, his family, his dogs, photos of political campaigns in Philadelphia, as well as many political figures of the era including Herbert H. Hoover, Adlai Stevenson, Robert Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, and many others. Also in this section of the collection are the original phonograph records and sound reels of several of Dilworth’s speeches, and video reels of two documentary features entitled The First Angry Man, and A Matter of Persuasion. These files have been digitized and can be accessed through HSP’s digital access management system.

Military 

Box

Photographs; Memos; Discharge papers 

36
Oversize

Oversize photographs 

Flat file 5

Correspondence and Files 

Box

Cancelled checks (1937-1949) 

33

Cancelled checks (1937-1947) 

34

Cancelled checks (1938-1947) 

35

Cancelled checks (1939-1946); Divorce papers; Agreements; Tax returns; Passports 

37

Cancelled checks (1950-1962) 

231

Cancelled checks (1951-1962) 

232-233

Correspondence and files (A-B) 

38

Correspondence and files (B-C) 

39

Correspondence and files (F-G); Washington Square House 

40

House employees: City wage tax, Social Security; Hotels; Hats 

41

Correspondence and files (H-I); Insurance policies and appraisal of house 

42

Correspondence and files (C); Estate of Annie W. Dilworth 

43

Denny Corporation (Washington Square East); Thos. E. Crosson; Estate of Annie W. Dilworth; A.K. Dilworth 1961; A.K. Dilworth accident; A.K. Dilworth-Personal 

44

A.K. Dilworth-City 1956; 1958; R.D. Family Tree inquiries; Correspondence and files (D-E) 

45

Insurance: Automobile, Aviation, Condominium, Fine Arts, Jewelry, General, Personal accident, Hospitalization, Workmen’s compensation, Life Insurance-government policy; Correspondence and files (J-L) 

52

Correspondence and files (Mc; M); US Marine Corps 

53

Correspondence and files (N-P); The Philadelphia Contributionship 

54

Correspondence and files (P-R) 

55

Correspondence and files (R-S) 

56

St. Marks School; Correspondence and files (S) 

57

St. Marks School Fund Drive 1971; Correspondence and files (S-V) 

57

Correspondence and files (V-Z) 

59

Yale Law School Fund Drive 1963 

60

Hospitalization 

87

Personal (1971-1973); Retirement 

88

Personal (1962-1970) 

89

Personal (1955-1959); Clippings; Articles 

90

Engagement books (1963-1973) 

91

Honorary degrees; 1968 Philadelphia Award; Professorship (UPenn); Professorship (Temple) 

92

Parties; The Rabbit 

93

Inquirer columns (1947-1948); Daily News columns (1973) 

94

Daily News columns (1972) 

95

Speeches; Speech material; Miscellaneous articles 

96

Speeches; Special articles 

97

Speeches and Articles 

98

Lincoln National Bank; Kidder-Peabody and Company; Kuhn Loeb and Company 

99

The Petroleum Corporation; Securities 

100

Financial pledges (1972-1973) 

101

Speeches (folders labeled Bartlett) 

102-103

Correspondence: Stewart Alsop, Walter H. Annenberg, John O’Hara, I.D. Levy, Clifford Brenner, Dr. and Mrs. Irving Cohen, Patrick Dewez, Wm. Benton, Lawrence Foster, Maurice Robert Gross, Theodore G. Kenefick; Driving direction and maps (places of interest); Miscellaneous 

104

Correspondence: Robert Kent, J. Porter King Jr., John O’Hara, Mrs. John O’Hara, Dr. Edward A. Newman, Phil Regan, Harold E. Kohn, J. Hampden Robb, Edgar Scott, Mrs. Josiah Marvel, Dr. Mark R. Shedd 

105

Correspondence: Harold S. Vanderbilt, Robert L. Sherrod, I.M. Scott, Reginald B. Taylor, Ruth Zuckerman; Correspondence with radio and TV stations; Correspondence with newspapers; Condominium-Palm Springs-Rentals 

106

Condominium-Palm Springs: monthly payments, tax receipts, general correspondence; Rizzo biography 

107

Letters, invitations, greeting cards, receipts, tickets, financial reports, assorted papers, membership cards, dividends and stocks, broker’s slips, financial reports, message slips 

160-163

Guide newspapers; Wm. Meade; Wm. Meade-Virginia Carroll; Sitting Judges-The Sitting Judge Controversy in the Early 1950s; Articles; Saturday Evening Post article material; 1962; Municipal Court; Names; Housing clippings 

182

Philadelphia City Planning Commission 

183

Philadelphia City Planning Commission; PTC (Philadelphia Transportation Company); PTC (Philadelphia Transportation Company)-clippings; Philadelphia General Hospital; House of Correction; [Housing] 

184

Housing-current; Police-Data; Police-Police Data-New Police station buildings; Police-clippings (1950); Police 

185

Assessments; Highways and streets; F.E.P.C.; Coroner; Councilman vacancies; Debt stabilization; Dumps 

186

Education; Concessions; Community organizations; Correspondence and files-St. Mark’s School; Personal correspondence-January 10, 1941 to December 31, 1941; Personal miscellaneous (1093 B-2); Personal miscellaneous; University of Pennsylvania-Litigation seminar; Receiver of Taxes W. Frank Marshall 

187

Notes and letters from Dilworth to his wife Ann; Letters re: Richardson Dilworth’s divorce 

Restricted materials

Folders 5-6 of this box (187) are restricted until Deborah Bishop's death.

187

Civic-Pamphlets re: various cities; Harry A. Kuljian; Romanian groups; Authorities-Data; Rents; Statements re: Rent Ordinance; Airport; City government 

188

Morris publication (1962); City organization problems; Fusion movements; Young Man of the Year Award (1952); Insurance-liability; Lease-Suburban Station; Dogs; Public Utilities Commission; Correspondence, notes, and clippings (1973); Playgrounds; Recreation 

189

Recreation; Library; City Licensing; Legalized gambling; Liquor Control Board; Loans; Estate of Ann K. Dilworth; Estate of Ann K. Dilworth-Guardian correspondence 

190

Estate of Ann K. Dilworth-Guardian correspondence; Estate [Richardson Dilworth]; Police 

191

Prisons; Prisons-prison data 

192

Health; Health-clippings; City Controller; Fire Department; Police-clippings; Police-clippings (1949); Port of Philadelphia 

193

Port of Philadelphia; Port of Philadelphia-statements, data; Old Age Pensions; Old Age; “One Man” Clubs; Pennsylvania Plan for Selection and Tenure of Judges 

194

Parking-Traffic; Negro Groups 

195

Civil Rights; Civil Service; City Manager; Speech [Bartlett]; Alan M. Scaife; Marion Boyer; Gilbert L. Steward; Henry W. Sage; Harvey P. Jolly 

211

[Hopkinson’s talk]; Robin Hood Dell; W. Sheffield Cowles; Wm. G. Lord; William Boggess; Mr. and Mrs. Louis A. Benoist; Alfred E. Bissell; Stephen Y. Hord; Eliza Gallois; Guy Dewez; C. Harvey Bradley 

212

Meehan Debate; U.A.W. column; James P. McGranery; Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Bethlehem Steel Company; Psychological and Cultural Traits of Soviet Siberia; Labor unions 

213

Labor unions; Labor unions-correspondence; Labor unions-data; Loyalty Oath-Owen Lattimore/Walter Winchell; Loyalty Oath-clippings 

214

Loyalty Oath-clippings; Joseph R. McCarthy; Joseph R. McCarthy-clippings; Joseph R. McCarthy-miscellaneous; Magistrates/Magistrate Court; Austin Meehan; Meehan investigation 

215
Oversize

Broadside-The Philadelphia Award (1968) 

Flat file 2

Andrea Doria clippings (1948-50s) 

Flat file 3

Woodrow Wilson accolade poster 

Flat file 6
Box

City Controller 

234 (oversize)
Volume

The Richardson Dilworth Story by Alex Morris [signed copy] 

2

Richardson Dilworth’s Bible, signed by Cabinet and Mayor’s office members (1956) 

3

Inscribed copy of Stephen Girard Founder 1750-1831 by Cheesman A. Herrick (1945) 

4

Trips 

Box

Palm Springs trips; Montreal, Canada-Expo 1967 

108

1964 World’s Fair; West Coast 1963; West Coast 1962; Seattle; Jamaica trips; Puerto Rico; Mexico 

109

Washington-Williamsburg; West Coast (1955); Corsica; Greek Island; Italy-Spain-Germany-France-England 

110

Orient trip; France and Rhine; Russian trip 

111

Scandinavian trip; Middle East trip (Andrea Doria); South America; Proposed trips and trip clippings 

112

Les Baux trip; Barge Canal trip; Australia; European trip (1971) 

113

North Cape cruise; Europe-Morocco; London; South America (1968); European trip (1968) 

114

European trip (1966); European trip (1967) 

115

Airport International Terminal 

Box

Photographs; Sketches, blueprints, etc.; Agreement with sculptor; Contributions; Possible contributors; Letters; Trust agreement; Lists; Personal 

196

Personal 

197

Photographs, Prints, and Audio-visual materials 

Box

Photographs 

220-223

Photographs, prints, negatives 

224

Photograph album-The Philadelphia Award (1968) 

225

GSP album; photographs, prints, photocopies of photos, envelopes 

226

Photographs and negatives 

227

Photographs-oversize 

228

Prints-oversize 

229

Family members 

Box

Ann K. Dilworth--Social; Ann K. Dilworth--letters, telegrams, and sympathy cards; L.G. Hill--Estate of Richardson Dilworth, correspondence with children; Judge Hill--R.D. Gallery at The Athenaeum; Mr. Lees--Resolution, Vestry of the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Deborah [Dilworth] [Newbold] Bishop--clippings, letters, pamphlets; Letters to Mrs. Robert W. Lees; Lees family photographs; Miscellaneous 

197

Miscellaneous 

Box

Biographical sketches; Clippings; Campaign material; Correspondence; Joseph McNaney, Drew University; College unrest, Kingman Brewster; Photographs and Certificates; Dedications-Airport Terminal and Dilworth Plaza; Envelopes; Tickets; Schedules; Stocks; Taxes; Morris Duane Memorial Address (1974); Philadelphia Inquirer article (1989) 

165

Assorted membership cards; Datebooks/Address books (1962-1971); Luggage tag; Campaign button; Signature rubber stamp 

166

Metal plaques (1962-1965): Young Democratic Club of Delaware County; Kensington Business Community; Chestnut Street Association; Overbrook Park Wolfe Baron Lodge; Mario Lanza Institute 

167A

Diplomas; Honorary Degrees; Certificates 

167B

Magazines: The New Yorker (1947); Greater Philadelphia (1962, 1964, 1967); Time (1962); Newsweek (1962); The Telephone News (1962); Suburban Life North (1968); The Shingle (1982); The Philadelphia Lawyer (2002) 

168

Magazines: Life (1947, 1950, 1954); Color (1955); Collier’s (1956); Saturday Evening Post (1959, 1962); Town & Country (1961); “Partners in Pennsylvania’s Progress” Paid Political Section (1962); Sunday Bulletin Magazine (1965); Philadelphia Inquirer Today (1970) 

169
Oversize

Diplomas; Honorary Degrees; Certificates 

Flat file 4
Box

Articles from: Saturday Evening Post (1962), Look magazine (1969); General Return of Votes Polled at the November and Special Election, Philadelphia (November 3, 1959); Newspaper clippings (1962-1968); Newspaper clippings (1949-1955); Newspaper clippings (1962-1970); Newspaper clippings (1982); Unknown Photographs [Lees family?]; Certificates; Commencement program; Honoris Causa; Oath of Office; Response to Mr. Shriver 

234 (oversize)

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Legal 1946-1973   3.6 Linear feet 9 boxes, 1 volume

Scope and content note

This series features legal documents pertaining to several cases Dilworth counseled on as well as papers related to the administration of his firm and the estate of his wife’s grandfather Otto Young. There are also several folders of court transcriptions and other documents pertaining to Police corruption during the years Dilworth served as Philadelphia District Attorney.

Box

Otto Young Estate; Reading Anthracite Co.; Young Family Tree 

46

Norman D. Denny; P.R. Mallory and Co.; Christine J. Statos et al vs. James Jordan; TV Guide; Lincoln National Bank vs. PNB; Fels Center; Airport Parking Co. of America; Harper vs. Fitzpatrick; Reading Railroad; Hertz Drive-it-yourself; Danion-Rockower cases; Pan Am crash cases; Robert L. Goethe; Curtis Publishing Co.; Simpson-Strouse matter; Robert J. Gatti; Philadelphia Gas Works memorandums; Judge James J. Curran; Reading Anthracite Co. 

47

Nathan Stup vs. Dilworth; Progressive Party vs. Dilworth; Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent; Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent-Witnesses; Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent-Free Work; Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent-The Advertisement; Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent-Bills for work on Dreier’s house; Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent-Dreier’s (Data); Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent-The Law; Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent-Letters; Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent-Pleadings; Anthony B. Dreier vs. Wilkes-Barre Independent-Miscellaneous; Doctor’s Hospital vs. Blue Cross 

178

District Attorney-Publications; District Attorney-clippings; District Attorney-Pamphlets, etc.; District Attorney-Report, Financial Program; District Attorney Office-Gran Jury Police Probe; District Attorney Office-Gran Jury Police Probe-General Memoranda; “Clean-Up”, June, 1948; “Clean-Up”, June, 1948-clippings; Dickinson Law Review; The Shingle Article 

179

District Attorney Office-Gran Jury Police Probe; Ann K. Dilworth-Estate of Otto Young, Estate of Marie Young Pratt; Joseph Laskowski vs. Dilworth-Slander; Joseph Laskowski vs. Dilworth-Slander-Correspondence; Joseph Laskowski vs. Dilworth-Slander-Pleadings 

179

District Attorney Office-Gran Jury Police Probe 

234 (oversize)

Firm statements and memos; Firm Agreement (7/3/69); Dilworth Paxson Kalish Green Firm Agreement; D.P.K.K.D. Executive Committee 

181

Wilhelm F. Knauer vs. Richardson Dilworth (4596); V.B. File; pleadings 

218

Wilhelm F. Knauer vs. Richardson Dilworth (4596)-correspondence; investigation; briefs and legal memoranda; re: Daily News petition to intervene; notes and memoranda; 1955 Mayoralty campaign-opposition; Grand Jury-Police 

219

Newspapers (Wilkes-Barre, 1952) 

251
Volume

Dickinson Law Review (March, 1955) 

5

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Board of Education 1965-1971   17.6 Linear feet 44 boxes

Scope and content note

Richardson Dilworth served as president of the Philadelphia Board of Education for the period of 1965-1972. This series contains his office records during that time.

Box

1967-1968 (A-D) 

116

1967-1968 (E-L) 

117

1967-1968 (M-P) 

118

1967-1968 (P-S) 

119

1967-1968 (S-Z) 

120

1965-1967 (A-B) 

121

1965-1967 (B) 

122

1965-1967 (B) 

123

1965-1967 (B-C) 

124

1965-1967 (C-F) 

125

1965-1967 (F-G) 

126

1965-1967 (H-J) 

127

1965-1967 (K-N) 

128

1965-1967 (N) 

129

1965-1967 (N-P) 

130

1965-1967 (P) 

131

1965-1967 (P-R) 

132

1965-1967 (R-S) 

133

1965-1967 (S-T) 

134

1965-1967 (T) 

135

1965-1967 (T-W) 

136

1965-1967 (W-Z; Taxes; loose papers found while processing) 

137

Media Correspondence, Evening and Sunday Bulletin; Radio and TV coverage, KYW, WCAU, WFIL, Miscellaneous stations 

138

Correspondence: Henry H. Nichols; Mrs. Lawrence I. Boonin; Gerald A. Gleason, Jr.; Mrs. A.M. Greenfield; George Hutt; William Ross; Robert M. Sebastian; Alec Washco, Jr.; New Board Correspondence; Clippings and Biographies; Mayor’s Nominating Panel; Philip Davidoff 

139

Bank Officers; Philadelphia Inquirer; Dr. Mark R. Shedd; Cabinet Agenda and Minutes 1968-1971; Mrs. Benjamin Bennett; Evening Schools; Leonard J. Hoffman; School Riots: Clippings and correspondence; Government and civic groups; Cecil Moore; Clippings; Citizen correspondence; Clippings; Rizzo 

140

October 1968 School Disturbances; School attendance officers; 1970 Summer School; Violence in schools; Vocational Education; Tax memos and data; Across-the-Bar Liquor Tax; 1970 Tax Suits; November 1969 Bond Question 

141

1969 School Bond Issue; 1968-1969 Tax problems, Correspondence with Legislators, Mayor and City Council, and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius; Chamber of Commerce; Dilworth memos re: Tax problems; Pleadings; Richard C. Bond Committee; Citizen Taxpayers’ Letters; Stock Transfer Tax 

142

1967 School Tax Controversy; Correspondence with Banks, State and City Officials, Civic groups, and Local Republicans; Proposed Tax Legislation; Teachers’ Strike 1970; Audit Committee - City Council; Financial Advisory Committee; Budget and Security proposals-race relations; Regionalism; Moratorium Day 1969; Board’s Accomplishments 

143

1971-1972 Proposed Budget; Retreats; Budget Cuts; Indoor After-Hours Recreation; Art and Music programs; 1971 Budget Cuts; Operating Budget 1969-1970; Capital Program 1969-1970 

144

Board of Education 

Arrangement note

Operating Budgets (1967-1972)

Proposed Capital Budgets (1969-1975)

Citizen Correspondence

Barry Cardonick

School Volunteers Program

Alessandroni School (proposed)

Kensington High School (proposed)

South Philadelphia High School (proposed)

Conshohocken Avenue and Monument Road

Anderson School

John Bartram High School

Belmont School

Birney School

Edward Bok School

Henry Armitt Brown School

Charles Carroll High School

Central High School

145

Board of Education-Schools 

Arrangement note

Claghorn Elementary School

Grover Cleveland Public School

Russell H. Conwell School

Creighton School

Kennedy C. Crossan School

Dobbins High School

Charles R. Drew School

Eastwick School

Thomas Edison High School

F.S. Edmonds School

Elkin School

Farrell School

Samuel S. Fels Junior High School

FitzSimmons Junior High School

Frankford High School

Benjamin Franklin High School

Samuel Gompers School

Germantown High School

Gratz High School

Gillespie Junior High School

Joseph J. Greenberg School

Hackett School

Harrington School

Hartranft School

Joseph P. Hill School

High School for Girls

Houston School

William H. Hunter Elementary School

Andrew Jackson School

John B. Kelly School

Kensington Girls High School

Kinsey School

E.B. Kirkbride School

Lafayette School

Alain Locke School

Lamberton School

Leeds Junior High School

Lincoln High School

Lingelbach School

Longfellow School (Day Treatment Center)

Longstreth School

John F. McCloskey School

McCall School

William B. Mann School

Mastbaum School

Mantua-Powelton Mini-School

Northeast High School

S. Weir Mitchell School

Moffet School

Morton School

“High School USA” film

Olney High School

Overbrook Cluster Project

Overbrook High School

Paxson Parkway Elementary School

Dr. John Bremer

146

Board of Education-schools 

Arrangement note

Pennsylvania Advancement School

Parkway School

William Penn High School

Wagner Junior High School

The Philadelphia School

Pennypacker School

Pickett Middle School

James Rhoads School

Roxborough High School

Sayre Junior High School

Walter Biddle Saul High School of Agricultural Science

Shallcross School

Shawmont School

Tilden Middle School

George Washington High School

Wanamaker Junior High School

Widener Memorial School

Wynnefield Schools

The Portal School

147

West Philadelphia High School - Fishman Controversy; South Philadelphia High School; Appointment of Benito A. Farnese; Joseph N. Brancato; Theodore Beck; Hate letters 

148

Referrals (A-Z) 

149

Agreement between School District and City; Harrisburg correspondence; Bill 717 statements; Categorical Aid Bill; Bill 717 media correspondence; House Bill 1317, 1318, 806; Collaborative Study-Handicapped children; Collaborative Study Report; 7.6 Million Federal Grant; Remedial Gym 

150

Desegregation; Decentralization 

151

Get-set: Employees, Head Start outreach; Teacher’s Union: Correspondence, Philadelphia Federation of Teaches (AFL), Teacher’s contract (1968), clippings, statements re: Teacher’s strike, Philadelphia Teacher’s Association, Celia Pincus, notes-Teacher’s strike 

152

Board of Education 

Arrangement note

Discipline

Bill of Rights-students

Flag raisings in schools

Memorial schools-naming of

Moslem children

Philadelphia Plan

Homosexual teachers

School Administrator’s Alliance

Testing

Philadelphia Principals Association: Correspondence, miscellaneous

Teacher’s Union Negotiations (1970): Correspondence-civic groups, Correspondence-City and State officials, Home and School associations, Citizen correspondence, Mediators, Statements, Clippings, Home and School Council vs. P.F.T. and Board of Education, Notes, Form letters, Agreements

153

Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission: Pleadings, Statements, Correspondence, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission vs. The School District of Philadelphia; Tutorial Project; City Hall Offices files: January-May 1968, Art Commission, July-December 1969, 1970-1971 

154

City Hall Offices files: Harry Norwich, City Council-General, D’Ortona-September 1966 to December 1968, D’Ortona-President of City Council, City Council January-June 1970, City Council January-August 1968, City Council September-December 1968, City Hall Offices files-June 1968 to June 1969 

155

City Hall Offices files-June 1968 to June 1969; City Council January-December 1969; Mayor Tate February-December 1969; Mayor Tate January-December 1968 

156

Mayor Tate January-December 1968; Pennsylvania Government-General; Commonwealth Priorities Commission-Harrisburg 

157

Protest letters and hate mail; Correspondence, memos, files (1965-1968) 

158

Correspondence, memos, files (1965-1968) 

159

Lincoln High School Master Plan; Poems-Young Afro Americans (September 1968) 

234 (oversize)

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Scrapbooks 1881-1974, undated   5.6 Linear feet 13 boxes

Scope and content note

Scrapbooks collected by Richardson Dilworth and other family members, including two copies of a 1974 memorial scrapbook commissioned by the family.

Box

Social Events (circa 1881-1946) 

235

Philadelphia politics (undated) 

236

1949 Scrapbook 

237

1955 Mayoralty Campaign (March 9 to September 30) 

238

1955 Mayoralty Campaign (October 1 to November 10) 

239

1947 Campaign; 1949 Campaign; 1950 Campaign 

240-242

1962 Scrapbook 

243

General 

244

1959 Scrapbook 

245-246

Richardson Dilworth 1974 Memorial scrapbook (2 copies) 

247

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