Greeting Cards, 1988

The Correspondence and Other Materials series encompasses documents and ephemera of Yepez’s communication with family and friends and other museum professionals. It covers her education, her family’s business and small business ventures, and other materials on community activities in New York. Correspondence ranges from the early 1940s to the 1990s and mainly contains letters regarding Yepez’s personal affairs and her involvement in volunteer activities. The bulk of the letters are in the form of greeting cards.

Early letters throughout the 1950s are mostly personal in nature, related to Yepez’s education, volunteer and work opportunities. Of note is a 1959 letter from Yepez’s high school reunion committee. The letter covers her confirmation of attendance to their 25th anniversary reunion of Burlington High School class of 1934. Another 1959 correspondence regarding Yepez’s work activities is a letter asking her to confirm if she was still interested in remaining on the staff as a private duty nurse at the Francis Delafield Hospital in New York.

Some correspondence are drafts or personal letters handwritten by Dorothy Yepez (1971-1973). Topics of discussion within the letters include condolences for a friend’s loss of her husband; expression of gratitude for gifts, and highlights from Yepez’s travels for conferences and meetings. Of note is a 1971 letter written to “Adam” from Yepez, which addressed a sermon titled “One Church – Two Neighborhoods.” The letter highlights some of the problems of a Harlem minister living in New York during the 1970s.

The extensive number of greeting cards follow correspondence in this series (1961-1989, undated). Most of the greeting cards are holiday or Christmas cards with typescript names and notes. Other cards were presumably handmade and created during Yepez’s art courses on the greeting card industry. Of note is a greeting card from journalist Marguerite Cartwright.

Other Materials encompass an array of files. Files are arranged alphabetically by materials format or topic and include items collected by Yepez. Of interest are materials related to Yepez’s appearance on the N.O.W. Show in August 1969. The file contains a thank you card and a welcome letter from Nancy Meyer, hostess of the WPTZ-TV N.O.W. Show. Yepez appeared on the television show and provided a 15-minute presentation on the Dorothy Yepez Galleries. An additional item in the file is a resume of Yepez’s television appearance, evaluating and highlighting her communication style with the audience.

Of note is a small number of personal finance files which document Yepez’s financial affairs. Included are charity and investments receipts, apartment rental records, notes and documents related to travel expenses. Several check stubs within the files reveal Yepez’s salary as a nurse during two separate time periods: 1954-1955 and 1984-1985.

James S. Peters files represent educational materials possibly used by Yepez for research purposes. Peters served as a psychologist, professor and director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation State Department of Education in Hartford, Connecticut. The files include Peters’ biographical information, published reports and writings. The bulk of the files is Peters’ unpublished manuscript, “Leadership and Career Development,” designed for teachers, guidance counselors and other professionals working with youth.

Yepez’s family owned an employment agency, Robinson’s Employment Agency, and a specialty furniture moving company, M.A. Robinson’s Express Co. The Robinson’s Employment Agency file comprises a business card, blank application card for employment from Robinson’s Employment Agency, and a business card for M.A. Robinson’s Express Co. Established by her husband in 1884, Mary Anne Robinson conducted an express and hauling business, which was located on 430 St. Mary Street in Burlington, New Jersey.

The Jose Carlos Santos files (1959-1965) encompass correspondence, programs and documentation of his denial of U.S. citizenship in May 1965. By writing letters on his behalf, Yepez advocated for Peruvian composer Jose Carlos Santos to receive his residency. She also encouraged and promoted Santos to conduct a concert on behalf of the Dorothy Yepez Galleries.

The series concludes with the Yepshak Enterprise file. Established in 1969, Yepshak was a joint business venture between Dorothy Yepez and Rene Shapshak with the purpose of providing administrative and other business services in New York City. Included within the file are correspondence, agenda and meeting notes.