Description
The Papers of Florence Richardson Wyckoff document Wyckoff's personal and professional life. Raised in Berkeley, California
and trained as an artist, Wyckoff became interested in social service during the Great Depression. Over the course of her
life, this early interest led to her involvement on a number of fronts, from public health and housing to literacy and children's
rights. She remained active in national, state, and local politics until her death. Wyckoff described herself as a "packrat"
and her papers give great insight into her personal character and childhood that further leads to an understanding of the
development of her social consciousness. Her work with various Boards and Committees, including the State Board of Public
Health, the Migrant Health Project Review Committee, and the Governor's Advisory Committee on Children and Youth are especially
well documented in the collection. Manuscripts in the collection date from 1869, in the form of family papers collected by
Wyckoff in the course of her genealogy research, and continue on through her death in 2000 at the age of 94. The bulk of the
collection spans from the 1940s to 1990s, documenting the most active periods of Wyckoff's professional career.
Background
Florence Richardson Wyckoff dedicated her long life to social reform. Raised in Berkeley, California and trained as an artist,
Wyckoff became interested in social service during the Great Depression. Living in San Francisco in the 1930s, Wyckoff worked
with and befriended many key figures in the local labor movement. This work piqued her interest in the political process and
she campaigned for Culbert L. Olson in the 1938 gubernatorial election. Upon his election, Olson invited Wyckoff to take a
position in the State Relief Administration (SRA), which became her first formal job in the social services profession. Over
the course of her life, Wyckoff's commitment to the rights of children and laborers led to her involvement on a number of
fronts, from public health and housing to literacy and women's rights. She remained active in national, state, and local politics
until her death in 2000.
Extent
Number of containers: 32 cartons, 9 boxes, and 2 volumes
Linear feet: circa 45
1 Digital Object (1 image)
Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction
of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions,
privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright 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 owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Availability
Collection is open for research.