Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Eleanor P. Sheppard papers, Collection # M 277, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.

Biographical / Historical

A native of Pelham, Georgia, Eleanor Parker attended Limestone College. She married Thomas E. Sheppard in 1928 and lived in Georgia and Arizona before moving to Richmond in 1936. Mrs. Sheppard began her political career through her activities with the Ginter Park PTA. In 1954, when she was president of the Richmond Federation of PTAs and a member of the Council of Women's Organizations, she ran for City Council. She served on the Richmond City Council from 1954 until 1968. During her tenure on council she became Richmond's first woman vice mayor (1960-1962) and later mayor (1962-1964). She left Council in 1968 to run for the Virginia House of Delegates, where she represented Richmond until March 1977. Mrs. Sheppard became the first chairwoman of a Virginia General Assembly committee in 1974 when she assumed the leadership of the House Education Committee. She also served on the Finance and Health, Welfare and Institutions committees. Mrs. Sheppard was honored by numerous groups toward the end of her active career for her many contributions to the community. She died 14 March 1991 after a long illness.

Scope and Contents

The collection covers Mrs. Sheppard's civic and political career from the mid 1950s until 1978. The issues covered include education, city planning and development and various bills proposed in the General Assembly. Materials include correspondence, reports, speeches, campaign documents, statements, photographs, publications and a vast quantity of newspaper clippings (to be indexed). Photographs have been transferred to RG 60, Box . The collection was very disorganized when received and the order described below was established by the library. The collection originally contained a vast number of name tags, buttons, business cards and souvenirs. All but representative samples have been disposed of.

Arrangement

Collection is arranged alphabetically. Series I: Personal and Civic materials (n.d., 1954-1970) ; Series II: City Council (n.d., 1924-1968); Series III: General Assembly (n.d., 1967-1978) ; Series IV: Oversize materials (n.d., 1954- 1975 from series I and II) ; Series V: Programs and Publications.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Sheppard, Eleanor P. (Eleanor Parker), 1907-1991
• Women civic leaders -- Virginia -- Richmond
• Women legislators -- Virginia
• Women mayors -- Virginia -- Richmond
• Women politicians -- Virginia -- Richmond