Marjorie Macris Collection, 1970-2023

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Summary

Creators:
Macris, Marjorie
Abstract:
Marjorie Macris was born on January 30, 1935 in Chicago and raised in the Midwest. Macris was a pioneer for women in the field of city planning. She worked as planning director for Marin County and the City of Berkeley. Macris passed away in San Francisco on October 16, 2023. The collection documents the professional life and career of Marjorie Macris from the time she began her career as one of the only female planners, to her retirement and work as a planning consultant. Materials include documents related to the American Planning Association, California Chapter (APACA); City of Berkeley Planning; Marin County Planning; biographical information; and a sample of Macris's consulting work.
Extent:
4.29 linear feet and 4.56 Gigabytes
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection documents the professional life and career of Marjorie Macris from the time she began her career as one of the only female planners, to her retirement and work as a planning consultant.

Materials related to the American Planning Association, California Chapter document Marjorie's involvement with the American Planning Association California Chapter (APACA). APACA is a network of practicing planners, citizens and elected officials committed to urban, suburban, regional and rural planning in the State of California. APACA offers information, services and support to advance planning in California. The materials document Marjorie's involvement in APACA's Women and Planning division, the California Planning Roundtable and the California Planning Foundation, her time on the editorial board of WestPlan Magazine, as well as some general APACA generated publications and correspondence.

Materials related to the City of Berkeley Planning document Marcis's role as the Planning Director for the City of Berkeley from 1984 to 1989. Materials include plans and reports for the Berkeley waterfront, Downtown Berkeley, and other nearby areas.

Materials related to Marin County Planning document the beginning of Marjorie's planning career as the principal author of the 1973 Marin Countywide Plan, and the Marin County Planning Director (1978-1984) where she implemented the plan she authored. Materials include community plans from the entire county which contributed to the overall countywide plan, reports and analyses of Marin County, environmental reports, newspaper clippings, and video recordings of Macris presenting on the Countywide Plan in relation to Lucasfilm, housing in Marin, and the Novato General Plan.

The collection also documents the overall span of Marjorie's career as a woman in the planning industry. Additional materials include biographical documents, and documentation of her environmental activism work in Marin County and the Bay area. Also included is the book Marjorie authored and related promotional materials: The Planning Commissioner and the California Dream: Plan it Again Sam.

Biographical / historical:

Marjorie Macris was born on January 30, 1935 in Chicago and raised in the Midwest. Macris earned a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism (1956), and then Master's Degree in Journalism and Urban Planning (1957) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. At the time, Macris was the only woman in her city planning classes. After graduating, Macris worked for the City of Chicago Planning Department from 1957 to 1968. In 1969 Macris and her husband at the time, Dean Macris, who was also a city planner, moved with their two children to Mill Valley, California where Macris began working for the Marin County Planning Department in 1970. Macris was the Marin County Planning Director from 1978 to 1984. Macris went on to become the Planning Director for the City of Berkeley in 1984. Macris retired from the City of Berkeley Planning Department in 1989, but continued working as a planning consultant. Throughout her career, Macris was heavily involved in the American Planning Association, and was one of the founders of their Planning and Women Division. Macris also served as an officer in the American Planning Association, California Planning Roundtable; California Planning Foundation; and the Sierra Club. In retirement Macris used her planning experience and skills for environmental advocacy and volunteered with various conservation organizations. Macris passed away in San Francisco on October 16, 2023.

Acquisition information:
Natalie Macris via the American Planning Association, California Chapter, 2024-2025.
Processing information:

Carri Frola, 2024

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Location of this collection:
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330, US
Contact:
(818) 677-4594
Website