Richard Dempsey papers, 1929-1989, bulk 1960s-1980s

Biographical material includes employment records from Dempsey's time working at the Federal Power Commission, the General Services Administration (GSA), and inquiries related to teaching positions. The series also includes materials from courses he taught and resumes, choronologies, and biography information, possibly produced by or for galleries preceding exhibitions. There are some business and membership records, though this material appears elsewhere in the collection as well. Also included in this series are compiled personal papers. These materials may have originally been arranged in scrapbooks, but are no longer bound. They remain in the original order and are within the series in general chronological order. The final folder in this series includes materials related to Vonja Kirkland Brooks, Richard Dempsey's wife, and the donor of this collection.

This series includes correspondence between Dempsey and friends, other artists, galleries, museums curators, art program directors, etc. primarily concerning exhibitions of Dempsey's work. Notable correspondents include Jack Perlmutter, Ethel Waters, a nd Jacob Lawrence. Personal and professional correspondence are intermingled throughout. Researchers should note that additional correspondence can be found throughout the collection, particularly in the biographical material and in some of the project and exhibition files.

This series is arranged chronologically, with undated items appearing at the end.

Writings include notes and drafts of lectures on subjects related to originality, ideas, and working with an agent. There are also excerpts, many copied by hand, of reviews of Dempsey's work and exhibitions. For the most part, the excerpts include the name of the original publication and the date. This series also includes two folders of poetry, all undated.

Project and exhibition files include correspondence, photographs, artwork, lists, and other planning documentation, as well as exhibition announcements, clippings, and other printed material. Some files in this series may consist entirely of photographs or sketches with no other materials related to the exhibition or project. Some materials related to the Bogota, Barranquilla, and Kingston exhibitions are in Spanish.

This series is arranged in loose chronological order by project/exhibition. General project/exhibition files follow and are also arranged chronologically.

Printed material includes auction catalogs, clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs, press releases, and materials created by and for the General Services Administration (GSA). Researchers should note that clippings and exhibition announcements and catalogs can also be found in other parts of the collection, particularly in biographical material and project and exhibition files.

Materials in this series are arranged chronologically by type.

This series consists of photographs of Dempsey's work and of his exhibitions. There are some photographs of the artist, as well as some of his home and studio. The majority of the photographs are black and white. There are four glass slides. The photographs are largely undated.

Photographs are arranged in the original goupings and in chronological order when possible.

This series is primarily composed of sketches, most in pen, marker, or colored pencil. Many of these sketches are accompanied by detailed notes Dempsey made while planning his pieces. Also found is a small paintbrush.