Online content
Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Ritz, Rosalie
- Abstract:
- COLLECTION RESTRICTED: See Information for Researchers for more information.
Original courtroom art depicts many famous California trials of the late 1960's to early 1980's. These drawings were used to report on the trial in the media, as cameras were not allowed in court. Trials illustrated are: Alioto-Look (1970-1972), Leslie Bacon (1971), Bonanno brothers (1971), Camarillo State Hospital (1976), James Carr arraignment or trial (1972), Eldridge Cleaver (1976), Juan Corona (1971-1973, 1982), Angela Davis (1971-1972), Russell Little and Joseph Remiro (1974), John Linley Frazier (1971-1972), Inez Garcia (1977), Bill and Emily Harris (1975, 1978), Patricia Hearst (1975-1976), Hell's Angels (1971-1972), David Hilliard Trial (1968-1971), Alioto Conflict of Interest Trial (1976), Stephanie Kline (1972), Larry Layton (1981), Ruchell Magee (1970-1973), Sara Jane Moore (1975-1976), Huey Newton (1968, 1971), Daniel Ellsberg - Anthony Russo & the Pentagon Papers (1972), Presidio Court Marshall, Fort Ord Mutiny (1969), California Proposition hearings (1975) [unidentified ballot proposition, most likely California's Proposition 15, on nuclear waste storage], Los Siete de la Raza, (1970), San Quentin Six (1971-1976), Steven Soliah (1975), Sirhan Sirhan (1969), Billy Dean Smith (1972), Soledad Brothers (1971-1972), Bob Wells (1975), Dan White (1978), Wendy Yoshimura (1975-1977), and the Zebra murders (1975). - Extent:
- 27 boxes (1,824 drawings): color ; 46 x 61 cm. or smaller. 1835 digital objects
- Language:
- Collection materials are in English
Background
- Scope and content:
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Original courtroom art by Rosalie Ritz depicts many famous California-based trials, hearings, and arraignments of the late 1960's to early 1980's. These drawings were used to report on trials in the media, as cameras were not allowed in court. They were broadcast by television news programs and constituted a central part of the coverage of prominent trials. Many drawings were also published by newspapers and magazines nationally. The trials to which Ritz was assigned were those with the greatest media interest at the time, and included trials of Black Panther Party members, the Soledad Brothers, Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation Army, San Francisco Supervisor Dan White, and many others. The collection provides not only important documentation of high-profile legal cases, but also provides insight into a distinct era of the television news media.
Cases illustrated in the collection are: Alioto -- Look Magazine (1970-1972); Leslie Bacon hearing (1971); Bonanno brothers (1971); Camarillo State Hospital (1976); James Carr murder arraignment or trial (1972); Eldridge Cleaver (1976); Juan Corona (1971-1973, 1982); Angela Davis (1971-1972); Presidio Court Marshal, Fort Ord Mutiny (1969); Russell Little and Joseph Remiro [Symbionese Liberation Army] (1974); John Linley Frazier (1971-1972); Inez Garcia (1977); Bill and Emily Harris [Symbionese Liberation Army] (1975, 1978); Patricia Hearst [Symbionese Liberation Army] (1975-1976); Hell's Angels (1971-1972); David Hilliard [Black Panthers] (1968-1971); Alioto Conflict of Interest Trial (1976), Stephanie Kline (1972); Larry Layton [People's Temple] (1981); Ruchell Magee (1970-1973); Sara Jane Moore (1975-1976); Huey Newton (1968, 1971); Daniel Ellsberg - Anthony Russo & Pentagon Papers (1972); San Francisco Presidio Court Marshall (1969); California Proposition hearings (1975); the San Quentin Six (1971-1976); Los Siete de la Raza (1970); Sirhan Sirhan (1969); Billy Dean Smith (1972); Steven Soliah hearing [Symbionese Liberation Army] (1975); Soledad Brothers (1971-1972); Anti-War Hearings [SF Municipal Court, Vietnam Veterans Against the War] (undated); Wesley Robert Wells [Bob Wells] (1975); Dan White (1978); Wendy Yoshimura [Symbionese Liberation Army] (1975-1977); and the Zebra murders (1975).
- Biographical / historical:
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Rosalie Ritz studied art at the Layton Art School, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and later at the Artists' Co-op Studio in Washington, D.C. Prior to her career as a courtroom artist, her paintings, drawings, and sculpture were exhibited at numerous galleries, including the Smithsonian and the Corcoran Museum in Washington.
In 1966 Ritz moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. There, she began work as a free-lance courtroom artist for KPIX-TV (a San Francisco CBS affiliate), and the Associated Press, among others. Ritz provided in-depth visual coverage as trials progressed, making up to eighteen drawings a day of many high-profile cases of the late 1960s and 1970s. These images were broadcast by television news shows and reproduced in print media.
In 1972 Ritz was presented with a Special Award for Art by the Associated Press. Her drawings have been exhibited at Gilbert Galleries, San Francisco, at San Francisco State University, and at other Bay Area community venues.
- Acquisition information:
- The Rosalie Ritz Courtroom Drawings were given to The Bancroft Library by Rosalie Ritz in 1991.
- Physical location:
- Many Bancroft Library collections are stored off-site and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding Aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard
Access and use
- Location of this collection:
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University of California, Berkeley, The Bancroft LibraryBerkeley, CA 94720-6000, US
- Contact:
- 510-642-6481