Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Papers of Virginius Dabney, 1912-1989, Accession # 7690-al, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

Virginius Dabney of Richmond, Virginia, gave this addition to his papers to the Library on January 4, 1990.

Biographical/Historical Information

Virginius Dabney was editor of The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Scope and Content Information

This addition to the papers of Virginius Dabney (1901- ) of Richmond, Virginia, consists of ca. 700 items, 1912-1989, and comprises research notes, awards, pen and ink drawings, family letters, newsclippings, photographs, printed material and other miscellaneous material.

Two boxes of the collection contain Dabney's research notes for various chapters of his book Virginia Commonwealth University: A Sesquicentennial History.

Dabney received citations and awards from the College of William and Mary, The National Conference of Christians and Jews, the United Daughters of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis Medal and the Wisdom Society.

Letters from Dabney's family, his mother and Aunt Sue, 1945-1955, all pertain to the celebration of his birthday. The majority of the newsclippings are concerned with his activities following his retirement from the editorial page of The Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1969 and include interviews with Dabney, discussions concerning Thomas Jefferson, his association with the Virginia Commonwealth University, honors awarded to Dabney, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, Dumas Malone, and the University of Virginia.

Photographs include those of Dabney and his immediate family, his parents, the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Trustees and Administrators, Julia and Peter N. Pastore, Charles M. Caravati, the James Branch Cabell Library, the Dabney home, the 75th Raven Society Anniversary Dinner, James Latimer, the Rachel Levy Memorial Tablet at Monticello, Baskerville Bridgeforth at the Giles Robertson's 50th Wedding Anniversary, Dabney at Trillium House, the Times-Dispatch Public Service Awards, Dabney on trips to Moscow, Yucatan, and Barbados, and the Mass Communication Hall of Fame Ceremony.

Printed materials include a catalog, graduation program, and The Monthly Chronicle of the Episcopal High School; a University of Virginia graduation program; publications featuring interviews or talks by Dabney concerning race relations, education, reporters and the election of 1988, and the need for a new Virginia State Library; and programs concerning St. Luke's Annual Pilgrimage Service, the University of Virginia Alumni Hall and Jefferson Room Dedication, "A Literary Evening" at the James Branch Cabell Library, The Virginia Jefferson Meeting on the Constitution, Founder's Day at Longwood College, the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame, the 1986 Douglas Southall Freeman History Award, and a Memorial Service Honoring Ambassador J. Rives Childs.

Other printed items include "Reflections" in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography; invitations; and Richmond Civil War Round-Table bulletins.

Also present in the collection (see the control folder) is a memorandum, September 28, 1989, by Virginius Dabney concerning the position of the Richmond News-Leader and the Richmond Times-Dispatch concerning interposition and massive resistance during the intergration crisis of the 1950's and comparing their positions with his own editorials at the time. One of the issues over which he disagreed with the management of the papers was the closing of the Prince Edward schools.

Organization

This collection has been divided into two series. Series I consists of the research notes for Dabney's book about the Virginia Commonwealth University. Series II contains all other miscellaneous material.