Honorable Betty Roberts Papers, 1966-2010 | Finding Aids: Special Collections & University Archives

By Bryce R. Henry

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Collection Overview

Title: Honorable Betty Roberts Papers, 1966-2010

ID: SC/2009.5

Primary Creator: Roberts, Betty Cantrell (1923-2011)

Extent: 7.25 Linear Feet

Languages: English

Abstract

The Betty Roberts papers are comprised primarily of paper records, photographs, sound recordings, and a videotape documenting Betty Roberts’ political and judicial careers (1965-1986).

This collection is arranged into 12 series: Audio and Video; Campaigns; Clippings; Issues; Legal Career; Legal Organizations and Associations; Photographs; Political Career; Presidential Campaigns; Speeches; Women in Law and Politics; and Oversized.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The bulk of the material within this collection is comprised of paper records, photographs, sound recordings, and a videotape documenting Betty Roberts’ political and judicial careers (1965-1986). Additional material consists of Roberts’ various interests, activities, speeches, and awards from her public service career as well as after her resignation from the Oregon Supreme Court. The paper records consist of campaign materials and ephemera, correspondence, court books and case files, legislative session reports, media clippings, photographs, posters, publications, reports, studies, speeches and presentations.

There are often two sets of dates assigned to any given folder title. The first set of dates encompasses the material that the folder seeks to collect, while the second date reflects the inclusive dates (e.g., in the Abortion sub-series of the Issues series, there is the folder "1973 Benson v. Johnson, 1971-2009"). This two-date system is a result of Roberts' frequent updates of foldered material. The bulk of these updates are from newspaper/magazine clippings or email correspondence. When only the first date is present, the material in the folder or sub-series is all from that year.

Collection Historical Note

Betty Roberts was born in Arkansas City, Kansas on February 5, 1923. Her family relocated to Texas in the 1930s. She attended Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth for one year (1941-1942) before marrying Bill Rice in 1942. After World War II, they moved to Oregon, where Bill became a banker and Roberts raised their four children.

Between 1958 and 1967 she taught high school in the Portland area before taking a part-time job teaching business law and political science at Mt. Hood Community College from 1967 until 1976. In 1959 she divorced Rice, and in 1960 married Frank Roberts whom she divorced in 1965. In 1968 she married fellow Representative Keith D. Skelton, but opted to retain the Roberts last name. Together as Skelton & Roberts the couple held a law firm from 1967-1977.

In 1964 and again in 1966, she was elected as a Democrat to the Oregon House of Representatives. In 1968 and again in 1972, she was elected to the Oregon Senate and was the only woman serving in the state senate at that time. In 1974, she ran for governor of Oregon, but lost in the Democratic primary. That same year, following the death of Democratic nominee Wayne Morse, she was chosen to run for United States Senate against Bob Packwood, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Roberts remained in the Oregon Senate until her 1977 appointment to the Oregon Court of Appeals.

In 1977, Roberts was appointed to the Oregon Court of Appeals as the first woman to serve on the court. The next year she ran a successful election to keep her seat on the appeals court for the full six-year term. She resigned from the appeals court in 1982 after Governor Victor Atiyeh appointed her to the Oregon Supreme Court, where she was again the first woman on the court. She retired from the Oregon Supreme Court in 1986.

Since her retirement from the Supreme Court, Betty Roberts has acted as a Senior Judge handling mediations and arbitrations. From 1988-1991 she was a visting professor at Oregon State Universtiy as the Dubach Endowed Chair in Political Science. She has been awarded numerous professional, education, and civic awards and honoraria in recognition of her work. In March 2004, she presided over the first legal same-sex marriage in Oregon.

Biographical Note

Betty Roberts was born in Arkansas City, Kansas on February 5, 1923. Her family relocated to Texas, where Roberts was raised, in the 1930s. She attended Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth for one year in 1940 before marrying Bill Rice in 1942. They moved to Oregon after World War II where Bill became a banker and Roberts raised their four children.

In 1955, Roberts enrolled in evening classes at Eastern Oregon College in La Grande before the family relocated to Portland. She graduated from Portland State College in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. Roberts earned her Master’s degree in political science in 1962 from the University of Oregon and then her Juris Doctorate from Northwest School of Law in 1966. Between 1958 and 1967 she taught high school in the Portland area before taking a job teaching business law and political science at Mt. Hood Community College from 1967 until 1978. In 1959 she divorced Rice, and in 1960 married Frank Roberts whom she stayed married to until 1965. In 1968 she married fellow Representative, Keith D. Skelton.

In 1964, and again in 1966, she was elected as a Democrat to the Oregon House of Representatives. In 1968, and again in 1972, she was elected to the Oregon Senate and was the only woman serving in the state senate at that time. In 1974 she ran for governor of Oregon, but lost in the Democratic primary. That same year she was chosen to run for Oregon United States Senate - following the death of Democratic nominee Wayne Morse - against Bob Packwood but was ultimately unsuccessful.

In 1977, Roberts was appointed to the Oregon Court of Appeals. The next year she ran a successful election to keep her seat on the appeals court for the full six-year term. She resigned from the appeals court in 1982 when Governor Victor Atiyeh appointed her to the Oregon Supreme Court where she became the first woman on the court. She retired from the Oregon Supreme Court in 1986.

During and since her retirement, Roberts has been awarded numerous awards and honorariums for her work. Since her retirement from the Oregon Supreme Court she has worked as a mediator and arbitrator in alternative dispute resolution. In March 2004, she presided over the first legal same-sex marriage in Oregon.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Audio and Video, 1962-2009],
[Series 2: Campaigns, 1964-2008],
[Series 3: Clippings, 1941-2011],
[Series 4: Issues, 1905-2008],
[Series 5: Legal Career, 1977-2006],
[Series 6: Legal Organizations and Associations, 1998-2008],
[Series 7: Political Career, 1965-2009],
[Series 8: Presidential Campaigns, 1972-2008],
[Series 9: Speeches, 1971-1999],
[Series 10: Women in Law and Politics, 1971-2010],
[Series 11: Memoir and Memorials],
[Series 12: Photographs, 1966-2004],
[Series 13: Oversized, 1966-1985],
[All]

Series 1: Audio and Video, 1962-2009

Box 1

Sub-Series 1: Audio Tapes, 1962, 2004-2005

Folder 1: Pledge of allegiance controversy at Lynch Elementary School Board meeting, 1962

2 1/4 in. reel-to-reel tapes

Folder 2: "Oh What a Night", April 2004

2 tapes

Oregon Historical Society program with Gretchen Kafoury, Vera Katz, Norma Paulus, Betty Roberts, and Melody Rose.

Folder 3: Women Trailblazers, 2005

6 tapes

Betty Roberts oral history with Katherin O'Neil

Folder 4: Court of Appeals

3 cassettes Court of Appeals - Swearing in Ceremony, September 6, 1977

Folder 5: Supreme Court

1 audio cassette, Supreme Court, swearing in ceremony, 1982.

Sub-Series 2: CDs and DVDs, 2008-2012

Folder 5: Oregon State Capital Foundation - Betty Roberts Interview, 2009

2 CDs

Folder 6: Betty Roberts - With Grit and by Grace: Breaking Trails in Politics and Law, A Memoir, 2008

2 DVDs

Back Page no. 145. Produced at OSU Media Services

Folder 7: Memorials

4 DVDs "Betty Roberts: A Celebration" July 28, 2011; "Memorial Tribute to The Honorable Betty Roberts" Oregon Judicial Department, February 16, 2012; Senate Floor Session, February 16, 2012 SCR 205; House Floor Session, February 27, 2012 SCR 205.

Folder 8: Tribute Documents

1 disc 98 page PDF "In Memoriam"

Salem Tribute Day February 16, 2012:

Court: 27 page trascription "Tribute to Betty Roberts Supreme Court Courtroom February 16, 2011" and 4 page PDF of program

House of Representative: 5 page PDF transcript of Oregon House Floor Sessions February 16, 2012

State Senate: 3 page PDF March 2012 - Senate Concurrent Resolution 205 and 9 page PDF transcript of Oregon Senate Floor February 16, 2012

Sub-Series 3: Transcripts, 1979-2007

Folder 9: 1979-1999

Oregon Historical Society interview with Linda Brody, 1981

Her Honor, Betty Roberts, Judge, Oregon Court of Appeals by Joy A. Mills, 1979

Oregon Woman Lawyers with Betty Roberts and Mercedes Diaz. Interview by Katherin O'Neil, 1999

Folder 10: Women Trailblazer in the Law Betty Roberts oral history, 2005-2007

Sub-Series 4: VHS, 1995-1999

Folder 11: KATU 2 News - Betty Roberts archive footage, undated

Folder 12: Oregon Women Lawyers: A Conversation with Betty Roberts and Mercedes Deiz, November 22, 1999

2 cassettes

Folder 13: Oregon Women Lawyers Spring Conference, 1995

Keynote speaker: Betty Roberts

held at Willamette University Law School

Series 2: Campaigns, 1964-2008

Box 1

Sub-Series 1: 1965-1969 Oregon State Representative

Folder 14: 1964: Posters, pictures, ephemera
Folder 15: 1966: 2 photos

Sub-Series 2: 1969-1977 Oregon State Senate

Folder 16: 1968 Senate campaign - Roberts v. Mahoney, 1968-2008

6 photos

negatives

Folder 17: 1972 Senate campaign, 1972

Folder 18: 1972 Senate campaign - post-election, 1972 & 2006

Sub-Series 3: 1974 Oregon Gubernatorial Race

Folder 19: January 1, 1973 pronouncement to run, 1973-2006

Folder 20: Campaign Information Councelors reports, January-March, 1974

Proposal for Public Opinion Research on the Democratic Primary Race for Governor, January 1974

The Democratic Primary Race for Governor, Oregon, Febuary-March, 1974

Folder 21: Campaign material, 1973

Folder 22: Campaign material, 1974

Includes letter from Oregonian editor William Hilliard.

Box 2

Sub-Series 3: 1974 Oregon Gubernatorial Race

Folder 1: Campaign packets, 1973-1974: 2 packets, includes "The Record" and later known as "Roberts Record" newsletter
Folder 2: Contacts and notes for press/media
Folder 3: The Gubernatorial Primary 1974: A Plan, 1973-1974
Folder 4: Personal correspondence, 1973-1974
Folder 5: Post-election, May-June 1974 & 1988

Sub-Series 4: 1974 United States Senate Race, 1974 - 1975

Folder 6: An Analysis of Political Attitiudes in the State of Oregon, September 1974

Folder 7: Clippings subject book, undated

Subjects:

Agriculture

Health

Energy

Economy

Housing

Foreign affairs

Defense spending

Tax budget reference

Election reform

Fishing

Aging

Amnesty

Ecology

Social security

Polls

Forums

Folder 8: Clippings subject book, undated

Subjects:

Comment

Profile

Endorsement

Folder 9: Debate clippings and correspondence, 1974-1975

Folder 10: Debate notes and speeches, 1974

Folder 11: Fundraising, 1974

Folder 12: Gretchen Kafoury's file for Roberts' campaign, 1974

Folder 13: Last weeks of campaign, September-December, 1974

Folder 14: Memo master file, August-October 1974

Folder 15: Nomination seeking, undated

Box 3

Sub-Series 4: 1974 United States Senate Race

Folder 1: Packwood's last minute ad campaign controversy, 1974
Folder 2: Post-election conciliatory notes and cards, 1974
Folder 3: Press releases, 1974
Folder 4: Schedule book / campaign diary, 1974
Folder 5: Strategy, campaign, and internal office materials, 1974

Sub-Series 5: 1976 Oregon Senate Race

Folder 6: Campaign material and voter pamphlet, 1975 - 1976

Series 3: Clippings, 1941-2011

Box 3

Folder 7: 1968 clippings, 1968-2008

Folder 8: Career overview in clippings and photocopied photographs, 1941-2009

Folder 9: March-December 1973

Folder 10: January 1974

Folder 11: February 1974

Includes press correspondence

Folder 12: March 1974

Folder 13: April 1974

Folder 14: 1974

2 folders: Various months 1974 (f1) and May 1974 (f2)

Folder 15: Special session and energy crisis, 1976

Folder 16: Subject clippings, 1970-1994

American Legion Convention with Vortex note, 1970

City Club, 1971-1972

Lt. Calley and Salem graffiti incident, March 1971

18-year old vote ammendment and bottle bill, 1971

Folder 17: United State Senate race, 1974

Folder 18: Gay Marriage, 2004

Folder 19: Memorials, 2011

Folder 20: Various, 1977-2003

Series 4: Issues, 1905-2008

Box 4

Sub-Series 1: Abortion, 1971-2006

Folder 1: 1973 Benson v. Johnson, 1971-2009
Folder 2: 1990 anti-abortion ballot measure, 1985-1990
Folder 3: General, 1989-1992
Folder 4: Post-Roe v. Wade, 1992-2006
Folder 5: Pro-active ballot measure, 1988-1989

Sub-Series 2: Equal Rights Ammendment, 1970-2005

Folder 6: 1970 & 1978
Folder 7: Publications, 1970-1973
Folder 8: 1973 Hearings and debate, 1972-2003
Folder 9: 1977-2005
Folder 10: State of Oregon Equal Rights Ammendment proposal, 1989-1998

Sub-Series 3: Name Change, 1967-2004

Folder 11: 1973 failed name change bill (HB 2925), 1973 & 2001
Folder 12: Retaining the last name Roberts, 1967-2004: 2 folders

Sub-Series 4: Pledge of allegiance and Lynch elementary, 1962-1998

See also Audio & Video series in Audio Tapes sub-series for a recording of the 1962 school board meeting

Sub-Series 5: Same Sex Marriage, 2004

Folder 13: Clippings, 2004
Folder 14: Correspondence and court filings, 2004: 2 folders

Sub-Series 6: Student Demonstrations

Sub-Series 7: Vortex Festival

Sub-Series 8: Women in Politics, 1978-2007

Folder 15: 2006 election, 2006-2007
Folder 16: Clippings, 1978-1981

Box 5

Sub-Series 6: Women in Politics, 1965-2006

Folder 1: Early history, 1965-2006
Folder 2: Statistics, 1990-2004

Sub-Series 7: Women's Movement, 1905-2008

Folder 3: "The Year of the Woman", 1992
Folder 4: Clippings, 1970-2009
Folder 5: "Feminism" the word, 1986-2008
Folder 6: National Women's Conference, 1977
Folder 7: Oregon women suffrage, 1905-2007: 2 photos
Folder 8: Timeline and organizations, 1971-2005

Series 5: Legal Career, 1977-2006

Box 5

Sub-Series 1: 1977-1982 Court of Appeals

Folder 9: 1977 Court of Appeals nomination, 1977-2004
Folder 10: 1977 investiture ceremony materials, 1977: 4 photos
Folder 11: 1977-1980
Folder 12: 1978 first year, 1978-1982
Folder 13: 1979-1981 Court of Appeals, 1979-2006
Folder 14: Case books, September 22, 1977-September 22, 1980: 4 books
Folder 15: Congratulations from White House, Supreme Court Judges, and letters written to Governor Straub endorsing nomination, 1977
Folder 16: Congratulatory letters, 1977
Folder 17: Congratulatory notes and cards, undated
Folder 18: Ms. Liberty coloring book: 1974

Sub-Series 2: 1982-1986 Oregon Supreme Court

Folder 18: 1981 appointment to Oregon Supreme Court, 1981-1984: 1 photo
Folder 19: 1982 swearing-in ceremony, 1981-2006

Box 6

Sub-Series 2: 1982-1986 Oregon Supreme Court

Folder 1: 1982 Hewitt v. SAIF court case, 1982-1989
Folder 2: 1985-1986 Resignation: 2 folders
Folder 3: Case books, 1982-1986
Folder 4: Court cases, congratulations, and correspondence, 1982-1986
Folder 5: Sexism and the Courts speech 1983, 1983-1986

Series 6: Legal Organizations and Associations, 1998-2008

Box 6

Sub-Series 1: American Bar Association, 1996-2007

Folder 6: 2006 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award luncheon, 2005-2007

33 photos

Contains all material regarding the 2006 award events except for the Barbara Roberts presentation.

Folder 7: 2006 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award presentation, 2006

The presentation of Betty Roberts life, career, and achievements.

Includes: a biography of Roberts; news articles and speeches from her past; a DVD of the award luncheon; 40 photograps detailing important events throughout her life; and a photo index including thumbnail images with descriptions of all 40 photographs present as well as several others which were ultimately not included in the presentation

Folder 8: Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award nominations, 1996 and 1999

Two separate unsuccessful nominations

Sub-Series 2: Oregon Women Lawyers (OWLS), 1988-2008

Folder 9: 2006 Betty Roberts and Mercedes Deiz Awards Dinner, 2006: Mercedes Deiz slide show CD
Folder 10: Photos from OWLS Book Event, June 2008
Folder 11: OWL's 2007 Roberts / Diez Awards Dinner, 2007: Betty Roberts Acceptance Speech and ABA Margaret Brent Award DVD - 00:11:00
Folder 12: Interview, November 1999: Betty Roberts and Mercedes Deiz DVD - 00:05:30

Series 7: Political Career, 1965-2009

Box 7

Sub-Series 1: 1964-1968 Oregon House of Representatives, 1965-2009

Folder 1: 1965 legislative session, 1965-2009: 3 photos
Folder 2: 1967 legislative session, 1966-2005

Sub-Series 2: 1968-1977 Oregon State Senate, 1969-2005

Folder 3: 1969 legislative session, 1969-2005

6 photos

Includes research material for 1969 chapter in Roberts' autobiography

Folder 4: 1971 legislative session, 1970-1996

Folder 5: 1973 legislative session, 1972-2005

2 folders

Folder 6: 1975 legislative session, 1975 & 1977

2 photos

Folder 7: 1976-1977 legislative session, 1975-1977

1 photo

Series 8: Presidential Campaigns, 1972-2008

Betty Roberts was the Oregon State Chair for the 1972 McGovern for president campaign and for the 1976 Carter for president campaign

Box 7

Folder 8: 1972 McGovern Convention, 1972-2008
Folder 9: 1976 Carter presidential race, 1976: 20 photos

Series 9: Speeches, 1971-1999

Box 7

Folder 10: 1978-1985
Folder 11: 1986-1999
Folder 12: Research for Equal Rights Ammendment speech, 1971-1985

Series 10: Women in Law and Politics, 1971-2010

Box 7

Sub-Series 1: Women Lawyers and Judges, 1971-2010

Folder 13: 1976-1998
Folder 14: 1980-2009
Folder 15: Lawyers, 1971-2006
Folder 16: Statisitcs, 1976-2006
Folder 17: Women in the law, 2005-2010

Sub-Series 2: Women Litigators, 1971-2004

Folder 18: 1971-1972 & 1996
Folder 19: 1971-2004: Collects material primarily regarding 1973-1977
Folder 20: Geraldine Ferraro, 1984

Series 11: Memoir and Memorials

Box 8

Folder 1: Talking Points
Folder 2: Personal Notes, Thank you Cards, etc
Folder 3: Contacts, Promoting Material for Memoir
Folder 4: Book Reviews
Folder 5: Book Events 2008-2009
Folder 6: Memoir emails with Gail Wells, Barbara Baldwin, and Jewel Lansing
Folder 7: Pre-Memoir Notes
Folder 8: "In Memoriam" Book produced by the daughters of Betty Roberts: To be catalogued
Folder 9: Senate Resolution 205 and Condolences
Folder 10: With Grit and by Grace: Breaking Trails in Politice and Law poster

Series 12: Photographs, 1966-2004

The Photographs series was created from four envelopes of loose photographs. AAs with clippings, there are additional photographs scattered throughout this collection.

Box 8

Folder 11: 1966-1977

23 photos

Folder 12: 1974 United States Senate Race

2 slides

3 negatives

38 photos

Folder 13: Governor Race

Folder 14: Various

Family, Democratic Delegate

Folder 15: 1982-1986 Supreme Court, 1981 - circa 1986

73 photos

1 negative

Folder 16: Post-Oregon Supreme Court, 1988-2004

15 photos

Folder 17: University of Oregon graduation ceremony, June 10, 1984

5 photos

3 sheets of 77 negatives scanned into positive images

Series 13: Oversized, 1966-1985

Oversized Box 1

Folder 1: Betty Roberts for U.S. Senate campaign ephemera, undated

Includes: 8 pins, 2 bumber stickers

Folder 2: Caricatures of Oregon Supreme Court, circa 1983

Signed by all each justice

Folder 3: Female symbol with judicial gavel handmade poster, undated

Similar to the feminist symbol of the female sign with a fist it the circle, only in this case the fist has been replaced with a gavel

Folder 4: Pencil sketch of Betty Roberts, 1966

Folder 5: Life magazine, June 30, 1972

Opened to page 46B depicting "Oregon's nearly perfect delegation." Signed by 16 of the delegation members

Folder 6: Art Bimrose editorial cartoon "1981 Decorations", 1981

Original sketch inked over into final cartoon. Depicts <span lang="la">Justitia (Lady Justice) without blindfold </span>hanging female symbols on a tree. "Sandra Day O'Conner U.S. Supreme Court" is already present, and Justitia has just finished hanging "Betty Roberts Oregon Supreme Court." Justitia is saying "And the one... After 124 years!"

Folder 7: Letters: Congrats and Condolences, 1974, 1 of 3

Letters and cards r egarding Betty's loss for Governor and get well after sugery.

Folder 8: Letters: Congrats and Condolences, 1974, 2 of 3

Letters and cards r egarding Betty's loss for Governor and get well after sugery.

Folder 9: Letters: Congrats and Condolences, 1974, 3 of 3

Letters and cards r egarding Betty's loss for Governor and get well after sugery.

Folder 10: Supreme Court congratulatory cards and notes, 1981-1982.

11 pages pasted with cards front and back.

Refer to Box 6, folder 4.

Folder 11: Laminated Oregonian and Statesman-Journal clippings regarding Justice Roberts retirement, November 21, 1985

Folder 12: Edited Speeches

Folder 13: Betty Roberts for Governor

print stamp on fabric

Folder 14: Media, Magazines

Ms. Magazine, Craftsman, Oregon

Folder 15: Press clippings