Barbara (Ann) Roberts (1941-1998) was an activist and feminist peace scholar whose work and writing encompassed feminism, the peace movement, women’s history, social justice, and immigrant history. She wrote and contributed to numerous scholarly journals as well as authoring and co-authoring monographs, including: “Whence They Came: Deportation from Canada 1900-1935” (1988), “Strategies for the Year 2000: A Woman’s Handbook” (1995), “A Reconstructed World: A Feminist Biography of Gertrude Richardson” (1996), “A Decent Living: Women Workers in the Winnipeg Garment Industry” (1991), “Feminist Research Ethics: A Process” (1996).
Barbara Roberts was born in California, in 1941; she spent her childhood and early adulthood in the United States, marrying in 1958, at age 17. In 1970, Roberts moved with her two children to Vancouver, British Columbia, where she completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Simon Fraser University.
In 1980, Barbara Roberts completed a doctorate in history from the University of Ottawa; she married fellow historian, David Millar, in the same year. Both Roberts and Millar taught at the University of Winnipeg’s history department from 1980-1982 both. Roberts went on to teach women’s studies at the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba, between 1982-1983, before accepting an appointment in the Department of Educational Foundations, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, from 1983-1984. At the University of Saskatchewan, she taught feminism and cooperative methods.
In 1985, when the United Nations convened its Third World Conference on the status of women in Nairobi, Kenya, Roberts helped organize the Peace Tent, run by the Women’s International for Peace and Food and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. The Peace Tent—held at the University of Nairobi in conjunction with the United Nations event—consisted of nine days of workshops, exhibits, activities, and discussions with women from across the globe.
Among the Peace Tent organizers, Roberts and Alice Wiser created a Peace Caravan that travelled across Europe and North America to raise awareness about women’s efforts to promote peace and social change through women’s values. Roberts also created a Peace Tent educational slide and audiotape show that was featured within Halifax, Nova Scotia as well as within other cities across the province.
In the mid- to late- 1980s, Roberts accepted several academic appointments. In 1986, she worked as a summer lecturer at Dalhousie University before becoming an assistant professor of women’s studies, in 1987, at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute, Concordia University. From 1989-1997, Roberts worked as an associate professor of women’s studies at Athabasca University in Edmonton, Alberta. Roberts and her husband, David Millar, moved to Victoria, British Columbia, in 1998, where Roberts passed away unexpectedly after a brief illness.
-
Barbara Ann Roberts (1941-1998) est née à Riverside, en Californie, le 22 septembre 1941. Elle est la fille de Paul Roberts, un médecin, et de Charlotte (Bowman) Roberts, une Canadienne qui a rencontré son mari alors qu'il étudiait la médecine à l'Université McGill. Roberts s'est mariée à dix-sept ans, a occupé divers emplois en Californie et, en 1970, a immigré au Canada avec ses deux fils, Michael et David Hoffman. Elle a étudié à l'Université Simon Fraser, où elle a obtenu son baccalauréat en 1972 et sa maîtrise en histoire en 1976. De 1974 à 1977, elle a été professeur d'histoire au Cariboo College, à Kamloops. En 1980, elle a obtenu un doctorat en histoire de l'Université d'Ottawa. Sa thèse, intitulée "Purement administrative proceedings : a study of the management of deportation 1900-35", a été publiée sous le titre Whence they Came : deportation from Canada, 1900 -1935, Presses de l'Université d'Ottawa, 1988. En plus de son travail universitaire, elle a travaillé pendant ces années comme chercheuse et rédactrice pour le Musée de l'Homme, a rédigé des brochures pour le ministère des Affaires indiennes et du Nord et a recherché, écrit et coréalisé des bandes de film sur l'immigration pour l'Office national du film du Canada. De 1980 à 1982, Mme Roberts et son mari David Millar, qu'elle avait épousé en 1980, ont partagé un poste en études ethniques (chaire de professeur invité du secrétaire d'État) au département d'histoire de l'Université de Winnipeg. En 1982-1983, elle a enseigné les études féminines à l'Université de Winnipeg et à Inter-Universities North, au département d'histoire de l'Université du Manitoba. En 1983, elle a été, avec son mari, chargée de cours à temps partiel au Winnipeg Education Centre, au département d'histoire de l'Université du Manitoba. En 1983-1984, elle a enseigné au département des fondements de l'éducation, College of Education, Université de la Saskatchewan. Pendant les trois années suivantes, elle n'a pas occupé de poste universitaire à temps plein et s'est beaucoup investie dans les mouvements pacifistes et féministes. En juillet 1985, elle a été "l'une des coordinatrices de la Tente de la paix au Forum des ONG à Nairobi, au Kenya, qui marquait la fin de la Décennie des Nations Unies pour les femmes ; la Tente de la paix, organisée par l'ONG internationale Women's International for Peace and Food, en collaboration avec la Ligue internationale des femmes pour la paix et la liberté, a offert neuf jours de présentations, de discussions et d'occasions pour les femmes de s'exprimer et d'établir des liens avec des personnes partageant les mêmes idées". Elle s'était installée à Halifax avant de se rendre à Nairobi et, en août 1985, avec d'autres personnes qui avaient participé à la Tente de la paix, elle a formé un groupe à Halifax et "a obtenu une subvention du Programme des femmes du Secrétariat d'État et a produit un diaporama et une cassette audio sur le forum de Nairobi, la Décennie et leur relation avec les problèmes des femmes au Canada, que nous avons montrés aux groupes de femmes de la province". Avec d'autres personnes, elle participe à des réseaux internationaux pour la paix, développe l'idée d'une université internationale pour la paix, Ovum Pacis, et crée un groupe quaker interne, "Friendly Nuisances". En 1986, le groupe d'Halifax a obtenu une subvention "pour éduquer les groupes de femmes de toute la province sur la façon dont ils pouvaient utiliser l'adoption par le gouvernement canadien des accords internationaux sur l'égalité des femmes pour obtenir des actions sur leurs problèmes." [Les citations sont tirées d'une lettre de Roberts au doyen intérimaire des arts de l'Université du Nouveau-Brunswick, 27 mars 1994, boîte 1.4]. En tant que coordinatrice et travailleuse de proximité pour ce projet, elle a "élaboré le dépliant 'Promises to Keep'". En 1986, Roberts est chargée de cours d'été au département d'éducation de l'Université Dalhousie. D'octobre à novembre 1986, elle a participé à une tournée de conférences, au Programme des chercheurs internationaux de l'Académie finlandaise et aux groupes de chercheuses universitaires des universités de Jyvaskyla, Tampere, Turko et Helsinki. À l'automne 1987, elle a été nommée professeure adjointe à l'Institut Simone de Beauvoir de l'Université Concordia, où elle a enseigné les études féminines jusqu'en décembre 1988. Au début de 1989, elle a été nommée professeure associée en études féminines à l'Université Athabasca. Mme Roberts a enseigné à l'Université Athabasca, devenant professeur d'études féminines, jusqu'à sa retraite en 1997. À l'Université Athabasca, elle a été présidente de son syndicat et agente de griefs. Mme Roberts a pris une retraite anticipée de l'Université Athabasca à la fin de 1997 après avoir reçu un diagnostic de cancer. En juin 1998, elle et son mari ont déménagé à Victoria où elle est décédée le 22 juin. Roberts a publié de nombreux articles et cinq livres : Whence they came : Deportation from Canada, 1900-1935, Ottawa, Les Presses de l'Université d'Ottawa, 1988 ; A decent living : women in the Winnipeg GarmentIndustry, Toronto, New Hogtown Press, 1991 (coauteur) ; Little but lip service : assessing implementation of Canada's international obligations for women's equality, Conseil consultatif canadien sur la situation de la femme, 1994 (coauteur) ; Strategies for the year 2000 : a Woman's Handbook, Fernwood Publishing Co, 1995 ; et A reconstructed world : a feminist biography of Gertrude Richardson, McGill-Queens University Press, 1996. Ses recherches ont porté sur l'histoire des femmes, les femmes et le travail, les femmes immigrées et leurs difficultés particulières, la violence contre les femmes, le mouvement pour la paix et les femmes dans le mouvement pour la paix. Elle a également donné des conférences et publié des articles sur l'enseignement à distance. Au milieu des années 1980, elle a commencé ses recherches sur Gertrude (Twilley) Richardson, une féministe et pacifiste qui a émigré d'Angleterre vers le nord du Manitoba avant la Première Guerre mondiale. À la fin des années 1980, elle a également fait des recherches sur les femmes pacifistes canadiennes et a réalisé un certain nombre d'entretiens d'histoire orale, principalement en 1988. Au début des années 1990, elle a effectué des recherches sur la Leicester Peace Society. Son dernier projet de recherche était destiné à un livre comparant les femmes pacifistes australiennes et canadiennes pendant la Première Guerre mondiale.
Published
Partial
Draft
ON0034
This fonds documents Barbara Roberts’ work in helping organize the Peace Tent at the United Nations’ Third World Conference on the status of women in Kenya, Nairobi. The fonds contains research material accrued by Barbara Roberts, including audio recordings of the Peace Tent sessions and session transcripts as well as a limited amount of correspondence and notes created in the preparation of a prospective book on the Peace Tent. The fonds includes buttons, many of which were worn at the Peace Tent.
--
Ce fonds documente le travail de Barbara Roberts dans l'organisation de la Tente de la Paix lors de la troisième conférence mondiale des Nations Unies sur le statut des femmes au Kenya, à Nairobi. Le fonds contient des documents de recherche accumulés par Barbara Roberts, y compris des enregistrements audios des sessions de la Tente de la Paix et des transcriptions de sessions, ainsi qu'une quantité limitée de correspondance et de notes créées dans le cadre de la préparation d'un futur livre sur la Tente de la Paix. Le fonds comprend des macarons, dont beaucoup ont été portés lors de l’évènement.
Published
This series consists mostly of transcripts of recordings made at the Peace Tent in Nairobi, Kenya. The series also contains correspondence, outlines, notes and research material for a prospective book on the topic of the Peace Tent. The Peace Tent was held in conjunction with the United Nations Third World Conference on the status of women in Kenya, Nairobi.
Published
This file contains a print-out of file lists [from a database search?]
open
Published
The file contains the chapter outline of a prospective book by Barbara Roberts, Mary Ann Beall, and Alice Wiser on the Peace Tent at the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains a transcript of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki session from the Peace Tent at the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains a transcript [from the Peace Tent at the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains the transcript from the closing session of the Peace Tent at the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains copies of the transcript from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki talk at the Peace Tent at the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains a transcript from the Latin American Women and Peace contingent [from the Peace Tent at the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains the transcript of the Karibut Centre Program talk [held at the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains the transcript of the Feminism and Peace talk [at the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains the transcript of the poetry lunch time reading [at the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains a transcript [from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains a transcript of the address [from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains a transcript [from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains a transcript [from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains notes on content and style for the prospective book on the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains notes and task lists for the research work on the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. The file also contains administrative records related to the '85 NGO Forum in Nairobi.
open
Published
The file contains correspondence from Barbara Roberts and a publisher regarding the prospective book on the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. The file includes a project description.
open
Published
The file contains the session transcript [from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains the closing session [from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains an address from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains a transcript on film censorship from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains a transcript from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains a transcript of the closing ceremonies [from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains a transcript of the opening session [from the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.]
open
Published
The file contains Alice Wiser's biography and description of her work with the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
restrictions
Published
The file contains an index to the sound recordings for the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains research material and correspondence related to the prospective book on the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. The file includes correspondence from Alice [Wiser] as well as articles on the Peace Tent and the Peace Caravan. The file also contains a session tape index, senate debates, notes, and a notice.
open
Published
This photograph shows women gathered at a presentation [at the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.] The photograph is attached to a notice for a presentation on the Peace Tent. The text reads: "was war los in Nairobi? 1400 frauen bei der weltfrauenkonferenz: berichte und analysen, dias uber das friedenszelt" ("what was going on in Nairobi? 1400 women at the world women's conference: reports and analyses, slides about the peace tent.")
open
Published
The file contains correspondence relating to the prospective book on the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
The file contains copies of articles on feminist pacifism as well as correspondence and notes relating to the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. The file includes the May 1985 issue of: "WEA: Women's Studies Newsletter."
restrictions
Published
The file contains chapter outlines and notes for a prospective book on the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. The file includes related correspondence, notes, and transcript excerpts.
open
Published
The file contains a fundraising outreach letter.
restricted
Published
The file contains photograph projector slides of various tent activities, talks, and discussions at the Peace Tent of the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. The file includes a letter from Barbara Roberts explaining the slide presentation.
open
Published
The photographs show individuals, mostly women, gathering, speaking, and listening to the Peace Tent activities at the United Nations Decade of Women Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.
open
Published
This series consists mostly of buttons promoting the women’s peace movement. The buttons criticize militarism and the practice of amassing of nuclear weapons. Some of the buttons relate more generally to the United Nations International Women's Decade.
Accompanying note reads: "Buttons for Barbara Roberts Aug 96 many from Women's Peace Tent Nairobic conference 1985."
Published
This is a maroon rectangular button with white text and the women's gender symbol at centre.
open
Published
This is a square button with a maple leaf represented as a star in the American flag.
open
Published
This is a blue round button with text in white.
open
Published
This is a round black button with a background stop sign and white text.
open
Published
This is a beige button with the women's gender symbol intersecting a dove and a peace sign.
open
Published
This is a white rectangular button with text in different colours and a city skyline in the background.
open
Published
This is a turquoise oval button with yellow text: centre features the drawing of a submarine.
open
Published
This is a round grey button with orange text and the drawing of a figure with a suitcase.
open
Published
This is a pin with the symbol of the United Nations Decade for Women within the number nine. The pin included an explanatory note.
open
Accompanying note reads: "This button is from [Beijing] NGO Forum. I did not go. It was given to me by one of the Edmonton women who did go. Barbara"
Published
This a pink rectangular button with a check mark beside the word, "Taxation" and the letters G.S.T. (Goods and Services Tax) crossed out.
open
Published
This a round orange button with the symbol of a dove [and part of a cross] featured at left.
open
Published
This is a rectangular button featuring the image of three women dancing at centre. The text and images are in blue and pink.
open
Published
This is a round white button with the image of a woman kicking a nuclear warhead.
open
Published
This is a round button that features the drawing of a snake biting a nuclear warhead.
open
Published
This is a round pink button with symbols in white.
open
Published
This a grey button with the women's gender symbol as the "o" in "from."
open
Published
This a blue button with the women's gender symbol as "o" in "soeurs."
open
Published
This is a round black button with the symbol of a white dove holding the women's gender symbol. The English translation from Danish is: "Women for peace."
open
Published
This is a round black and white button.
open
Published
This is a green and white round button with the peace symbol within the women's gender symbol.
open
Published
This is a round white button with blue text and images. The central image is the symbol of the UN Decade for Women with a map and the text, "Kenya."
open
Published
This is a square button with the image of a woman knitting a banner out of nuclear warheads.
open
Published
This is a round beige button with the symbol of laurels around the profile of three individuals and with the symbol of a flower [trillium] at left.
open
Published
This is a round purple and white button with the United Nations dove intersected with the women's gender symbol.
open
Published
This is a blue pin with the dove symbol for peace on the first line and the Soviet hammer and sickle symbol next to the word "Tрyд" [work.]
open