Diane Weddington papers, 1956-2014

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Summary

Creator:
Weddington, Diane
Abstract:
Diane Weddington worked as a journalist and religion editor at the Contra Costa Times in the 1980s-1990s. She has also taught courses in journalism, public policy, new media, and ethics. Collection includes Weddington's published articles, research clippings, reporter notes, and other publications and materials from her journalism career, divinity school studies, background material for arts journalism, and materials documenting Weddington's educational and teaching careers. Topics represented include the gay and lesbian community in San Francisco, the ordination of women and gay clergy, the women's rights movement, domestic violence and child abuse, Alzheimer's Disease, and other miscellaneous subjects.
Extent:
91.5 Linear Feet
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.01356

Background

Scope and content:

The collection includes a variety of materials, ranging from Weddington's published articles to clippings of other articles used in her research. The coverage of the homosexual community in and around San Francisco is represented in two series; the first being Coverage of Gay Clergy in the Church. This series includes legal proceedings by the Lutheran Church against gay clergy, as well as Weddington's own reporter notebooks from her time covering the subject. A second series, Coverage of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Communities, includes materials from Weddington's involvement in the National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association and the Frameline film festival. Also included in this series are coverage of the blackballing of gay and lesbian news by the Contra Costa Times, business directories from San Francisco, local gay pride events, and mainstream coverage of gays and lesbians in America.

The series on Weddington's Research, Clippings, and Reporting from Various Projects includes materials from her religion beat at the Contra Costa Times, as well as other internal correspondence and clippings from her work at the newspaper. Subjects include general women's news, as well as articles on domestic violence and rape, child abuse, Satanism, recovered memory phenomena, and women's rights. Also included in this series are materials from Weddington's many projects, including the War Tax Resistance campaign, Diablo Valley study groups and clubs, Journalists Exchange on Aging, and gardening. Finally, this series includes materials from Weddington's coverage of the visit of Pope John Paul II to San Francisco in 1987.

Women in the Church includes materials from Weddington's own involvement in the women's ordination movement in the Episcopal Church, as well as her clippings of coverage regarding women and religion during the 1970s-1980s. Also related and included in this series are Weddington's materials from her time as a student at the Divinity School at Duke University in the 1970s.

Weddington's Published Articles and Reporter's Notes appear to date largely from 1986-1992, although many articles and most of her notes are undated. These clippings from the Contra Costa Times along with news wires reveal the breadth of Weddington's journalism, with topics ranging from the religion section to breaking news about traffic accidents. The materials are not sorted or arranged in any way. Along with clippings and reporter's notebook pages, the series also includes some correspondence from readers, internal Contra Costa Times photography requests, press releases, and other miscellaneous pages used by Weddington in her work.

Finally, the Correspondence series includes both electronic (print-outs) and postal correspondence. One part of the series consists of dot matrix printer printouts of internal communications between the staff and management of the Contra Costa Times. Weddington writes that this material documents the bias against gays and lesbians, as well as the regular workflow of the newspaper in terms of scheduling reporters, meeting deadlines, internal gossip, and so on. Another portion of the series contains letters, greeting cards, and other personal and professional correspondence. These have been arranged by year but not sorted further.

Accession (2014-0169) contains materials documenting Weddington's education and teaching careers, personal and professional correspondence, as well as materials relating to her work as a reporter, material related to her book on Alzheimer's disease, and work on the arts for the National Parks Service.

Included are materials from her grade school studies, undergraduate career at Duke University, work at Duke Divinity School, journalism coursework at the University of Missouri, and graduate studies at Berkeley in journalism and law. Teaching materials include courses taught at Contra Costa Community college on journalism and ethics. She has also taught couses on media and public policy. Also included are clippings and extensive research materials from her arts journalism in California, including work done for the Contra Costa Times.

Biographical / historical:

Diane Weddington attended Duke University and Duke Divinity School and worked as a reporter and a religion editor at the Contra Costa Times. She has also taught courses at Duke University and other institutions on media and public policy, public policy writing, journalism principles, new media and media law and ethics, as well as published a book on Alzheimer's Disease.

Acquisition information:
The Diane Weddington Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 2010 and 2014.
Processing information:

Processed by Meghan Lyon, June 2010

Encoded by Meghan Lyon, June 2010

Updated by Megan Lewis, January 2021

Materials may not have been ordered and described beyond their original condition.

Accessions included in this collection: 2010-0100; 2014-0169

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Diane Weddington Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1tx4j