African-American community activist and poet; resident of Waterloo, Iowa. Before moving to Waterloo, Mary Dickens lived in Chicago where she organized community residents and worked with Mayor Richard Daley to build a swimming pool for their neighborhood. In Waterloo she volunteers at nursing homes and has been active in Habitat for Humanity, Operation Threshold, Young Women's Christian Association, Waterloo Women's Civic Club, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the United Methodist Church, among other organizations.
She headed Waterloo's National Night Out celebration for several years. Dickens's community service also includes baking her famous pies and other treats for area shut-ins, school children, and the Salvation Army.
From the description of Papers of Mary Dickens, 1991-1993. (University of Iowa Libraries). WorldCat record id: 233123721
