Yvonne A. Rosen Papers

Collection

Identifier: A3162

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection contains materials related to Rosen’s work on Victory Without Violence: The First Ten Years of the St. Louis Committee of Racial Equality, a history of the St. Louis Committee of Racial Equality (CORE). The papers also include a small number of Yvonne “Bonnie” Rosen’s academic papers and her master’s thesis in the areas of social work and anthropology. The papers are divided into two series: the CORE Series dates from 1951 to 2001 and the Professional Series dates from 1955 to 1993. Both series are arranged alphabetically by title and/or topic with the bulk of the collection dating from 1994 to 1996. The CORE Series is comprised of materials relating to the book, Victory Without Violence. Members of the book’s editorial committee conducted oral history interviews and mailed a request for CORE reminiscences from former members. There is one corrected oral history interview transcript from Maggie Dagen’s interview and one note from Vivian Dreer concerning her CORE memoirs that she contributed for the book. There are excerpts from the interviews and memoirs that were likely used in the book. Rosen’s own memoir included not only her time in the St. Louis CORE, but also how she applied her CORE experiences to work in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and in West Lafayette, Indiana. She included history about her mother’s family in Minnesota, how she experienced racism for the first time on the Concordia Seminary grounds at the age of ten in 1938, and her experience during the Fairgrounds Park incident in 1949 (f.7). Four academic papers written by Bonnie Rosen and her membership card for the National Association of Social Workers comprise the Professional Series. The earliest paper is dated 1959 and is a data analysis conducted by Rosen for the Social Science Institute of Washington University entitled Attitudes of Nurses Toward Employment at Jewish Hospital. The latest paper is Rosen’s 1993 master’s thesis, A Family Study of the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Dates

1951-2001
Majority of material found within 1994-1996

Creator

Rosen, Yvonne A. Marglous (Bonnie), 1928- (Creator, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright. The oral history transcript cannot be reproduced due to the absence of a consent form.

Biographical Sketch

Yvonne A. “Bonnie” (Marglous) Rosen was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 20, 1928, the oldest of two girls. Her father Moe Marglous was in the clothing business and later in the insurance business and her mother Leah Marglous was a homemaker. The Marglouses became members of the Ethical Society in 1939 rather than maintaining membership in a Temple. The family lived in University City where Bonnie attended Jackson Park Elementary School, Hanley Junior High School, and graduated from University City High School in 1945. Bonnie received a bachelor’s degree from Washington University and pursued graduate studies at its George Warren Brown School of Social Work. While at Washington University, Bonnie became involved with the Student Committee to Admit Negroes (SCAN), a group of students agitating for the full admission of African Americans to the University. With Irv and Margaret (Maggie) Dagen, also SCAN members, Bonnie was among the founding members of Humanity, Inc., which was a discussion group that was the forerunner of the St. Louis Committee of Racial Equality (CORE). Bonnie was an active member of St. Louis CORE from its origins in 1947 until 1951, when she moved to Philadelphia. During that four-year period, she participated in countless campaigns. From 1962 to 1982, Bonnie lived in West Lafayette, Indiana, where her former husband was a physics professor at Purdue University. While there, she was a Democratic Party activist and a committeewoman for twelve years and vice-chairman of the Tippecanoe County Democratic Party for six years. Bonnie returned to St. Louis in 1985 to be closer to her sister Doris. She earned a master’s degree in psychology from Lindenwood University in 1993. She taught English as a second language and adult education for the University City School System. Bonnie also began working with Irv and Maggie Dagen on Victory Without Violence: The First Ten Years of the St. Louis Committee of Racial Equality (CORE), 1947-1957, a book of the early history of St. Louis CORE. She helped to locate early CORE members, conducted audio-taped interviews along with Maggie and Irv Dagen, and was a member of the book’s editorial committee.

Extent

0.45 Cubic Feet ( (16 folders))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The papers are divided into two series: CORE and Professional. Both series are arranged alphabetically by title and/or topic.

Physical and Technical Requirements

There are no physical or technical restrictions.

Donor Information

The collection was donated by Yvonne A. Rosen in 2021 (accession number 2021-002).

Existence and Location of Copies

Margaret and Irvin Dagen History of St. Louis CORE Collection (S0661), The State Historical Society of Missouri (St. Louis).

Related Materials

The Fairgrounds Park Incident: A study of the factors which resulted in the outbreak of violence at the Fairgrounds Park Swimming Pool on June 21, 1949, an account of what happened, and recommendations for corrective action. Conducted for the St. Louis Council on Human Relations by George Schermer, July 27, 1949. (MHS Library call number: St. L / 305.8 / Sa242f, digital copy available via online catalog record) Strong Seed Planted Oral History Collection (A3072), MHS Archives. Billie Ames Teneau CORE Papers (A3165), MHS Archives.