Descriptive Summary

Administrative Information

Biographical Note

Scope & Content Note

Organization & Arrangement

Index Terms

Related Items

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Series Arrangement & Description

Marjorie Patterson Papers, 1947-1999.

Marjorie Patterson, 1963.

Finding aid written and encoded by Sarah Hull in May 2011;
processed in 2011 by Sarah Hull.

Descriptive Summary

Access & Restrictions

The Marjorie Patterson Papers are available for research.

Access is restricted to materials prepared by the Local History department staff. All materials must be viewed in the Plainfield Room and may not be removed to another area of the library without permission of the Library Director or designee. Materials must be handled carefully and kept in order. Materials must not be leaned upon, altered, folded, ripped, or traced upon. Marks may not be added or erased from materials. Materials must be returned directly to Local History department staff and inspected before the researcher leaves the Plainfield Room.

One photocopy may be made (by Plainfield Public Library staff) of each document for the purpose of research; official Local History departmental reproduction fees may apply. Permission to publish must be obtained by the Plainfield Public Library Board of Trustees as delegated to the Library Director. Permission to publish does not constitute a copyright clearance. The researcher is responsible for further copyright restrictions. The Plainfield Public Library is not responsible for the misuse of copyrighted material.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item; Date (if noted); "Marjorie Patterson Papers,” Box and Folder Number; Local History Department, Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, New Jersey.

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated in 2011 by Marjorie Patterson.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Sarah Hull in 2011. The finding aid was written and encoded by Sarah Hull in 2011. Finding aid content follows the guidelines suggested by Describing Archives: A Content Standard.

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Marjorie Patterson worked at the Plainfield Area YMCA from 1947 until her retirement in 1987. She dedicated her life to helping the youth and underprivileged community of Plainfield.  Her first years with the YMCA were spent as a program aide at the Moorland Branch - known as the “Black Y”. She spent many lunch hours “sitting in” at restaurants where blacks were refused service. She often met the director of the local NAACP branch for lunch (or lack of it). Because the Moorland Y had to raise its own money, she became an extraordinary fundraiser. As quoted in a newspaper interview, Marjorie said. “we had two bowling alleys, and when money was needed, we’d organize a tournament. We had suppers and dinners…everybody helped out.” She was called the “Pied Piper of Teenagers” when she led forums and training for young people. The Royal Banquets of the Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y Council for area youth that she helped to organize became an annual tradition in which teenagers from seven local communities were recognized for leadership.

Marjorie Patterson served the YMCA in leadership roles on numerous regional boards, the national council and several task forces.  She directed day camping for two years, worked with young adult, junior high school and grade school groups. She directed the teenage program for ten years.  In 1966, Marge was chosen as one of the 21 American leaders to give guidance to an international YMCA teenage conference in Norway.  In 1968, she was promoted to Youth Executive of the Association.  She was instrumental in forming the Women’s Auxiliary, Moorland Players, Youth and Youth Adult Clubs, Semper Fidelis, and Mixmasters.

On March 10, 1973, a surprise testimonial dinner was given in her honor to pay tribute for her years of outstanding community service.  An assembly of over 175 of her friends and colleagues attended the event.  Despite her significant contributions and service to the community, she was still paid less than what the City of Plainfield paid a starting policeman, and $2,500 to $3,500 less in salary than other Plainfield YMCA executives.  In February 1986, Marjorie was named “Citizen of the Year” by the Union County Association of Black Social Workers. 

She served on Plainfield’s Human Relations Commission for 13 years, and was chairperson and president of the Tenants Organization of Plainfield, and an officer with the local NAACP chapter. She was a member of Camp Crusade, the Community Welfare Council, Union County Welfare Advisory Board, and United Community Services. Her dedication and willingness to aid Plainfield’s youth and community earned her the heart-felt nickname of “Plainfield’s Little Dynamo.” 

[Source: Box 1 Folder 18]

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The personal papers of Marjorie Patterson include a variety of material dating from 1947 to 1999, with bulk dates from 1971 to 1979.  The collection documents her work with the Plainfield Area YMCA, beginning with the Moorland Y; and later, the Tenants Organization of Plainfield (TOP).  Record types include organizational minutes, committee reports, programming plans, letters and cards, ephemera, newspaper clippings, publications, and photographs.

Moorland Y materials are limited and include organizational records about programs; there are also several photographs. Plainfield Area YMCA materials document various youth, after-school and summer programs, including Camp Tamenend. There are items regarding the Youth Legislature and Youth Leader Royal Banquet, YMCA Mid-Atlantic Region meetings, and YMCA Executive Committee meetings. There is a letter regarding the 1967 Plainfield Riots and later items about criminal justice planning.

There is a scrapbook of documents and photographs regarding the 1973 and 1983 dinners held in her honor, as well as photographs of a Black United Fund march in 1999.

Also included are several publications, both Y-related and unrelated, as well as newspaper clippings about the YMCA, Plainfield, and Marjorie herself.

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The Marjorie Patterson Papers are arranged into six series:

Series 1: Plainfield Area YMCA (includes the Moorland Branch YMCA)
Series 2: The Tenants Organization of Plainfield
Series 3: Other organization materials
Series 4: Publications (non-YMCA)
Series 5: Newspaper Clippings (non YMCA)
Series 6: Photographs and oversized materials

 

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Index Terms

People:

Organizations:

Places:

Subjects:

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Collections:
The Records of the Y.M.C.A. of Plainfield, N.J, part of the Local Clubs & Organizations Collection at Plainfield Public Library.

Books:
PR 267.3 CEN, Developmental study of the Plainfield Y.M.C.A. / Central Atlantic Area Council of YMCAs (Newark, N.J.).

PR 267.3 FOR, A forward movement to meet a civic need : a jubilee gift to the young men and boys of Plainfield and vicinity, 1867-1917.

PR 267.3 JOH, A history of the Moorland branch Y.M.C.A. of Plainfield, New Jersey / Frederick A. Johnson.

PR 267.3 PLA 1963/1976, Plainfield Area Y.M.C.A. HI-Y-TRI-HI-Y Council recognition of youth as leaders royal banquet.

PR 267.3 PLA 1977/1982, Plainfield Area Y.M.C.A. HI-Y-TRI-HI-Y Council recognition of youth as leaders royal banquet.

797.2 ON 1, On the guard : the YMCA lifeguard manual / Marjorie M. Murphy.

 

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This collection consists of paper documents and photographs that do not require any additional technology for access.

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