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Finding Aid to the Roberta F. Fenlon Papers, 1939-1986 (bulk
1968-1972)
BANC MSS 89/149 c
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Table of contents
Collection Title: Roberta F. Fenlon papers
Date (inclusive): 1939-1986
Date (bulk): 1968-1972
Collection Number: BANC MSS 89/149 c
Creator:
Fenlon, Roberta,
1911-1987
Extent:
4 cartons, 2 oversize boxes
6 linear feet
Repository: The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
Abstract: The Roberta Fenlon papers, 1939-1986, include records and
correspondence relating to her professional activity in various medical and healthcare
organizations, most notably her presidency of the California Medical Association
(1970-1971), her presidency of the San Francisco Medical Society, and her tenure at
University of California, San Francisco's School of Medicine.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite
and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these
materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Collection is open for research.
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.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials
must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library,
University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html .
[Identification of item], Roberta F. Fenlon Papers, BANC MSS 89/149 c, The Bancroft
Library, University of California, Berkeley
There are no alternate forms of this collection.
Photographs from the Roberta F. Fenlon papers (graphic). BANC PIC 1989.057-PIC
Oral history interview with Roberta Fenlon : oral history transcript. BANC MSS
91/89 c
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog
California Medical Association
University of California, San
Francisco
Women physicians--History
The Roberta F. Fenlon Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Richard Carlson on
January 30, 1989.
No additions are expected.
Processed by Christina Mune in 2010.
Roberta F. Fenlon was born in Clinton, Iowa on June 13, 1911. A prominent local San
Francisco physician, she was active in many state and national medical associations and
organizations. In the 1940s Fenlon began her residency at the University of California San
Francisco Medical Center (known after 1970 as UCSF School of Medicine), where she continued
teaching as a professor of clinical medicine until the early 1980s, while serving on
numerous faculty committees. Fenlon was the first woman elected as president of the San
Francisco Medical Society (SFMS) in 1960. In 1970 she became the first woman elected
president to the California Medical Association (CMA). During her time as president and
after, Fenlon contributed to the CMA's response to state and federal legislation
regarding the expansion of public services for health care and compensation for medical
services. She died on August 31, 1987 in San Francisco.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Roberta F. Fenlon papers document her professional career as a prominent San Francisco
physician and the first female president of the California Medical Association (CMA). The
collection includes records and correspondence relating to her professional activity at the
CMA, the San Francisco Medical Society (SFMS), UCSF and other medical and healthcare
organizations. It also contains notes and transcripts of her speeches, especially during her
tenure as CMA president. Some of Fenlon's writings and notes on various medical
conditions are also included in the collection. Personal correspondence for 1965-1985,
letters of congratulations, and news clippings and press releases of her achievements are
also present. While the collection spans 1939 to 1985, the majority of the material is from
the 1960s-1970s with much of it concentrated on the period of her CMA presidency.
The collection has been divided into three series: Series 1. Professional Activities
including subseries for CMA, UCSF and all other organizations and subject files; Series 2.
Writings and Addresses; and Series 3. Personalia. Though arranged into these series,
original folder titles and arrangement of items inside each folder has been maintained.