Bishop V. Gene Robinson Papers
name: label: Donor
content: Robinson, V. Gene, 1947-
place: label: Place
content: New Hampshire
topic: label: Topic
content: Anglican Communion
label: Topic
content: Episcopal Church
label: Topic
content: Episcopalians -- United States
label: Topic
content: Gay clergy
label: Topic
content: LGBT
label: Topic
content: Newspapers
label: Topic
content: Protestants
label: Topic
content: sermons
label: Topic
content: Spiritual retreat centers
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated to the Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution by V. Gene Robinson, March 11, 2024.
creator: label: Donor
content: Robinson, V. Gene, 1947-
setName: label: See more items in
content: Bishop V. Gene Robinson Papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: Papers and photographs documenting the life and career of V. Gene Robinson, ninth Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire and the first openly gay priest consecrated as bishop in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States and the broader Anglican Communion.
bioghist: label: Biographical
content: Vicky Gene Robinson (V. Gene Robinson) was born to Charles Victor Robinson and Mary Imogene Bowman in Good Samaritan Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky, on May 29, 1947. Robinson's father was a tenant farmer working tobacco, and his mother was a housewife. A sickly child, he was not expected to live much past his birthing. As a child he attended the Disciples of Christ Church having a conversion experience at age twelve. Gradually he rejected the teachings of the Disciples and continued on an ever-evolving faith journey.

He excelled at school in academics and music, and graduated from Lafayette Senior High School in May 1965. He was admitted to the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and while initially favoring a pre-med curriculum opted instead for an inter-disciplinary major in American Studies. By his senior year, he "began to feel a growing sense of calling to the ministry." On Easter 1969, he was confirmed in the Episcopal Church and applied to the General Theological Seminary in New York City. He was accepted and graduated from General in May 1973. He was ordained into the diaconate at Trinity Cathedral, Newark, New Jersey, in June 1973. Robinson was ordained into the priesthood by the Rt. Rev. George E. Rath, Bshop Coadjutor of Newark on December 15, 1973 in Christ Church, Ridgewood, New Jersey, where he was serving as a curate. Throughout this time, Robinson was becoming more and more aware of what he felt was his true sexual identity as a gay man.

While attending General Seminary, Robinson married Isabella (nicknamed "Boo") Martin on August 26, 1972 in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Robinson transferred from the Diocese of Newark to the Diocese of New Hampshire, in December 1976. Robinson and Boo founded Sign of Dove Retreat Center (now Stepping Stones Farm and Retreat Center) in Temple, New Hampshire in 1975. The couple had two children, Jamee Isabella born in 1977 and Ella Martin born in 1981. They amicably divorced on August 13, 1987. In 1987, Robinson met Mark Andrew while on vacation in St. Croix. Robinson and Andrew moved in together in July 1988 and were legally married in a civil union in 2008. They divorced in 2014.

In 1986 Robinson became the Canon to the Ordinary for Bishop Douglas Theuner, the eighth Bishop of New Hampshire. He served in this position until 2003 when Robinson himself was elected as Bishop of New Hampshire. Robinson's election and elevation to the bishopric caused worldwide discussion in the Anglican communion over the role of known gays in the priesthood. This led to some parishes breaking away from the traditional established Anglican church and aligning themselves with like-minded parishes and dioceses in the United States as well as the broader Anglican Communion. These divisions continue to the present day.

After his retirement from the Diocese of New Hampshire, Robinson moved to the District of Columbia (Washington, DC) and became active in St. Thomas Parish, Dupont Circle, a parish within the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. Robinson also became active with the spritual life of the Washington National Cathedral, often being called to preach at special services such as Matthew Shepard's memorial service as well as the usual services during the liturgical year.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 6 Cubic feet (18 boxes, 47 map-folders)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1947-2023, undated
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1600
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Business records
label: Type
content: Correspondence
label: Type
content: Ephemera
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged in seven series:

Series 1: Early LIfe, Education, Personal, 1947-2018, undated.

Series 2: Sign of the Dove Retreat Center (Temple, New Hampshire) 1973-1986, undated.

Series 3: Correspondence, 1970-2019, undated.

Series 4: Writings (Sermons, Articles, and Papers) 1965-2020, undated.

Series 5: General Files and Ephemera, 1970-2023, undated

Series 6: Publications, Newspapers, Pamphlets, and Programs, 1958-2023, undated

Series 7: Photographs and Audio-Visual Materials, 1952-2019, undated
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., archivist, supervised by Vanessa Broussard Simmons, 2024.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Business records
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence
label: Genre/Form
content: Ephemera
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs
scopecontent: label: Content Description
content: Papers consist of correspondence, writings, business records, photographs, calendars and ephemera relating to the life and career of V. Gene Robinson, the ninth Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire. Robinson was the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican communion.