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Crawford H. Greenewalt papers, 1951-1993 (inclusive)

Extent:

23.6 linear feet (40 containers)

Abstract:

Crawford Hallock Greenewalt (1902-1993) was a chemical engineer and the President of the DuPont Company from 1948 to 1962. He had a passion for the natural sciences, and combined his love of ornithology with photography. He was especially known for his high speed photographs of hummingbirds. His ornithological interests included bird songs, the radiance of hummingbird feathers and the evolution of shapes and sizes of birds in relation to their flight abilities. The Crawford H. Greenewalt papers document Greenewalt's personal study of ornithology, primarily his work on hummingbirds. The collection dates from 1951 to 1993 and consists primarily of photographs taken by Greenewalt, and technical data collected by Greenewalt. The images photographed by Greenewalt exist in many different formats throughout the collection, including prints, negatives, and slides. The technical data in this collection represents Greenewalt's research into the physiology of hummingbirds, and the development...(see more)

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Georgij Sanji Zagadinow collection of Kalmyk materials, 1834-1999 (inclusive)

Extent:

10 linear feet (19 boxes)

Abstract:

Georgij Sanji Zagadinow (1925-1999) was a Kalmyk immigrant to Philadelphia who spent much of his life working on a Kalmyk-English dictionary. The materials in this collection include literary and other sources from Soviet Kalmykia, as well as extensive documentation of the Kalmyk communities in the United States. Researchers interested in Inner Asian studies and US immigration history may wish to consult this collection.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Maurice the Maestro Rotenberg record collection, circa 1928-1952 (inclusive)

Extent:

2.5 linear feet (6 boxes)

Abstract:

Maurice Rotenberg (1897-1952) owned Maurice's, an "Old World" style restaurant wired by technicians from Philco to pipe classical music throughout the dining rooms from 1948 until about 1962. Popular with musical celebrities, the restaurant was run for ten years following Rotenberg's death. This collection consists of sixteen recordings that were probably among the 30,000 classical records that were played in the Rotenberg's restaurant.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Kelly Writers House recordings, 1996-2016 (inclusive)

Extent:

6 linear feet (6 boxes)

Abstract:

Founded in 1995 by a group of students, faculty, staff and alumni, the Kelly Writers House serves as a center for writers of all kinds from the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia region at large. This collection consists of original recordings of their programs and projects--poetry readings, film screenings, seminars, web magazines, lectures, dinners, radio broadcasts, workshops, art exhibits, and musical performances, the content of which is available at http://writing.upenn.edu/wh/multimedia/medialinks/

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Oliver Daniel research collection on Leopold Stokowski, 1945-1995 (inclusive)

Extent:

90 box(es)

Abstract:

Research files, cassette tapes, and transcripts for Daniel's biography of Leopold Stokowski titled Stokowski: A Counterpoint of View (1982). Includes the author's correspondence, photocopies of Leopold Stokowski's correspondence, programs, reviews, clippings, photographs, and the completed manuscript submitted for publication; plus preservation and service copies of the oral history sound recordings.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Mahler-Werfel papers, 1880-2004 (inclusive) 1898-1975 (bulk)

Extent:

134 box(es)

Abstract:

The collection comprises the personal papers of Alma Mahler, the personal and professional papers of Franz Werfel, memorabilia related to Gustav Mahler, and the research files of Adolf D. Klarmann concerning Franz Werfel. Materials include correspondence to and from Alma Mahler and Franz Werfel, as well as to and from Adolf Klarmann, sometimes on behalf of Alma; writings of Alma, such as diaries and memoirs, as well as her musical compositions; writings of Werfel, such as poems, plays, novels, novellas and stories, and essays; memorabilia relating to Alma, her parents, Gustav Mahler, and Werfel, such as clippings, programs, and personal documents; photographs (many of which are online); and audio files, such as interviews and songs. Also included are Klarmann's research notes and writings on Werfel, as well as material relating to Klarmann's work as editor of Werfel's writings.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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David J. Mahoney papers, 1923-2000 (inclusive) 1975-1998 (bulk)

Extent:

73 box(es)

Abstract:

Personal papers of business executive and philanthropist David J. Mahoney. The bulk of the materials comprise correspondence from 1951 to 2000, including letters from Richard Nixon, Norton Simon, William Safire, and Vernon Jordan; writings from 1965 to 1999, including two books written by Mahoney: Confessions of a Street Smart Manager (1988) with Richard Conarroe and The Longevity Strategy: How to Live to 100 Using the Brain-Body Connection (1998) with Richard Restak, M.D.; and events covering the years 1968 to 1998, such as the Horatio Alger Award, which Mahoney won in 1977, and the Bilderburg Conference in both 1981 and 1982. Also available are newspaper clippings and publicity materials focusing on Mahoney as a society figure and businessman, media such as VHS tapes and DVD's, books, photographs, and award plaques and medals.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Rudolf Serkin papers, 1908-2003 (inclusive)

Extent:

76 linear feet (178 boxes)

Abstract:

Rudolf Serkin (1903-1991) was an American classical pianist known as one of the 20th century's greatest soloists and for fostering a vibrant culture of chamber music via the Marlboro Music School and Festival. The papers consist mainly of materials collected by Serkin himself (including his personal correspondence, performance records, papers relating to Marlboro, Curtis Institute of Music, and the Institute for Young Performing Musicians) as well as a small amount of related material added by his wife and his biographers.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Marlboro Music School and Festival records, 1946-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:

150 linear feet (227 boxes, 3 oversize folders) and 4.1 gigabyte(s)

Abstract:

The Marlboro Music School and Festival Records spans Marlboro's history from 1950 through 2013 and showcases its influence on chamber music in America as it documents its growth from a small and informally organized summer school in the early 1950s to its current status as a prestigious institution that has shaped careers and inspired the formation of numerous renowned ensembles. The school's emphasis is on the intensive study of chamber music where young and senior professionals collaborate in a relaxed atmosphere that is removed from the demanding rehearsal and performance schedules that they face throughout the year. The collection comprises administrative documents, concert programs, printed promotional materials, articles and reviews, photographs, and audio-visual materials relating to the Marlboro School of Music and annual summer festival as well as the related Musicians from Marlboro touring series and the Marlboro Recording Society.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Curtis W. Davis collection on Leopold Stokowski, 1936-1992 (inclusive)

Extent:

6.5 linear feet (17 boxes)

Abstract:

Curtis W. Davis (1928-1986) was a television producer who planned to publish a biography of the orchestral conductor Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977). The biography remained unfinished at the time of Davis' death. This collection consists of his research materials, notes, correspondence, and drafts of the planned biography.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Telegraph Books collection, 1970-1972 (inclusive)

Extent:

1.6 linear feet (four containers and one oversize folder)

Abstract:

Telegraph Books (circa 1970-1972) was a publishing company founded by Victor Bockris, a poet, editor, and biographer of artists, authors, and musicians, poet Aram Saroyan, and literary agent Andrew Wylie. The Telegraph Books collection, dating from 1970 through 1972, documents the activities and functions of Telegraph Books publications in addition to the activities of Victor Bockris at that time, including audio recordings of interviews and conversations with colleagues and workshop materials.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Michael Zinman collection of World's Fairs and Expositions material, 1851-2000 (inclusive) 1873-1992 (bulk)

Extent:

6 linear feet (8 boxes)

Abstract:

Wolrd's fairs and expositions have been held internationally from 1851 and continue into the present. This collection comprises written materials, memorabilia, and, to a more limited extent, other materials such as photographs and musical recordings from or related to world's fairs and expositions that took place between 1851 and 1992. Most expositions recognized by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) are represented, as well as many that are not officially recognized by the BIE. Some non-world's fair events are also represented to a limited extent. While events from around the world are featured in the collection, it primarily centers on expositions that occurred in the United States.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Joseph Castaldo papers, circa 1930s-2000 (inclusive) 1955-1999 (bulk)

Extent:

12 linear feet (20 boxes)

Abstract:

Joseph Castaldo (1927-2000) was a composer of classical music and a teacher of musical composition and music. This collection includes scores, writings and teaching material, correspondence, program notes and programs, clippings and articles, records relating to his professional associations, images, musical instruments and recordings, and memorial material and provides a view into Castaldo's professional life.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Donald Grey Brownlow papers, 1944-2002 (inclusive) 1960-1990 (bulk)

Extent:

11 linear feet (13 boxes) and 6.6 gigabyte(s)

Abstract:

Donald Gray Brownlow (1924-2006) was an American author, educator, and World War II veteran. He wrote ten books on military history, including The Accused: the ordeal of Rear Admiral Husband Edward Kimmel, U.S.N. (1968), which investigated the culpability of U.S. Navy leadership in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and Checkmate at Ruweisat: Auchinleck's Finest Hour (1977), which concerned the British North African campaign during World War II. This collection contains material related to Brownlow's published and unpublished writings, especially his historical work on World War II.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Marian Brownlow papers, 1893-1990 (inclusive) 1974-1984 (bulk)

Extent:

8.5 linear feet (15 boxes, 1 box currently available)

Abstract:

Marian Brownlow (1933-2012) was an American educator and historical researcher. This collection documents her life during the later years of her marriage to and divorce from Donald Gray Brownlow. The majority of the material is personal in nature, centering on the period between 1978 and 1982, when Marian Brownlow took several trips to Marrakech to care for British Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck in the years leading up to his death in 1981. The bulk of this collection is restricted at the donor's request.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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University of Pennsylvania Dental Medicine Library miscellaneous manuscripts, 1841-1995 (inclusive)

Extent:

1.04 linear feet (3 boxes)

Abstract:

This material comprised part of the Dental Library's historical collection. It contains material on the history of the Thomas W. Evans Museum and Dental Institute School of Dentistry University of Pennsylvania, the profession of dentistry, and biographical information on dentist Thomas W. Evans.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Robert and Molly Freedman Jewish Sound Archive DVD collection, 1919-2015 (inclusive)

Extent:

354 item(s)

Abstract:

The Robert and Molly Freedman Jewish Sound Archive aims to collect, preserve, and promote musical and spoken-word recordings of the Jewish people. This finding aid represents the Archive's materials on Digital Video Disc (DVD).

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Dorothy M. Spencer papers, 1939-1973 (inclusive) 1939-1952 (bulk)

Extent:

3.5 linear feet (7 boxes)

Abstract:

Dorothy M. Spencer (born 1907) was an American anthropologist who was a participant observer among the Mundari-speaking Adivasi tribespeople of India during four periods between 1939 and 1952. This collection features her notes from these expeditions on individual villagers, their customs, daily lives, and town meetings. It also contains several academic papers, materials from two courses taught by Spencer in the Department of South Asia Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and several vinyl records and two 8mm films.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Gotham Book Mart records, 1723-2006 (inclusive) 1967-2006 (bulk)

Extent:

79 linear feet (95 boxes)

Abstract:

The Gotham Book Mart (1920-2006) was one of New York City's most iconic bookstores during the 20th century. Founded by Frances Steloff (1887-1989), the daughter of poor Russian-Jewish immigrants, the Book Mart became a social center for the New York literati and a focal point for literary modernism in the United States. Steloff's successor, independent literary manuscript dealer Andreas Brown (1933-), maintained the store's focus on avant garde and small press publications while incorporating his own interests in postcards and genealogy. This collection contains 91 boxes of material relating to the daily operation of the Book Mart; correspondence, biographical, and legal material from both Brown and Steloff; postcard and genealogical material collected by Brown; photographs of the store, its employees, and events which took place there; and manuscripts and ephemera offered for sale.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Bob and Jann Perez collection of A. Mitchell Palmer materials, 1912-1963 (inclusive) 1912-1925 (bulk)

Extent:

1 linear feet (3 boxes)

Abstract:

A. Mitchell Palmer was a Democrat politician from Pennsylvania who served as Congressman, Alien Property Custodian and Attorney General between 1908 and 1921. This collection covers, to a limited degree, each of these three stages of Palmer's career. It includes photographs, correspondence, and administrative documentation relating to Palmer's political campaigns, his support of president Woodrow Wilson, and his involvement with organizations such as the Chemical Foundation, especially during his appointment as Alien Property Custodian.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Martha Millet papers, 1920-1997 (inclusive)

Extent:

8 linear feet (13 boxes)

Abstract:

Martha Millet (1918-2004) was a poet and literary critic active in the Communist Party USA. Along with her second husband, noted pamphleteer and left-wing journalist Sender Garlin (1902-1999), she was a frequent contributor to Marxist, Communist, and left-leaning journals, and published several books of poetry. This collection includes 9 boxes of material related to her poetic and political writings. It contains most of her poetic and critical work in manuscript form; copies of journals and anthologies to which she contributed; scrapbooks assembled by Millet to commemorate her publications; documents from the Helsinki Peace Conference of 1955 which Millet attended; work by her husband, Sender Garlin, as well as a transcript of his FBI file; and works by others, including the transcripts of Ezra Pounds WWII era radio broadcasts, which Millet used to write a book attacking Pound's political thought.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Lawrence F. Bernstein collection of Leonard B. Meyer papers, 1952-1988 (inclusive)

Extent:

4.42 linear feet (5 boxes)

Abstract:

The Lawrence F. Bernstein collection of Leonard B. Meyer papers contains material American musicologist Meyer transferred to his colleague, Bernstein, upon his retirement from the University of Pennsylvania music department. The collection contains Meyer's correspondence, writings, research and teaching materials, documenting his life's work in music.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Karen Burke LeFevre research collection on Frances Steloff and the Gotham Book Mart, 1891-2022 (inclusive) 1930-1990 (bulk)

Extent:

16.7 linear feet (18 boxes)

Abstract:

Throughout the 1980s, Karen Burke LeFevre, a professor of English and an author, researched Frances Steloff and the Gotham Book Mart with the intention of writing a biography of Steloff (1887-1989), who founded the Gotham Book Mart in 1920. This collection documents the research LeFevre undertook for her unfinished book about Steloff and the Gotham Book Mart, using facsimiles of Steloff's diaries from childhood to adulthood, correspondence, and personal photographs, and conducting taped interviews of Steloff and other Gotham Book Mart employees, some of which have been transcribed. The Gotham Book Mart was a gathering place for modernist authors, artists, and booklovers and during its existence, was a center for controversy over banned books, censorship, and ownership. LeFevre's efforts to publish her research on Steloff is contained within the collection, providing a glimpse into the administrative and political sides, as well as the research and writing sides, of publishing...(see more)

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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J. Percy Moore papers, 1847-1963 (inclusive)

Extent:

16.0 linear feet (45 containers)

Abstract:

John Percy Moore (1869-1965) was a Professor of Zoology at the University of Pennsylvania from 1912 to 1939, an Assistant Curator at the Academy of Natural Sciences from 1902 to 1938, and held several positions between 1920 and 1956 at the Ludwick Institute, which offered free lectures and courses in the natural sciences. He was also a world recognized authority on leeches. During his career, Moore named six genera, 229 species, five subspecies and four varieties of polychaetous annelids, or segmented worms (Loi 1980). The J. Percy Moore papers document Moore's professional career as a zoologist, primarily his study of leeches and other annelids; educator; and biographer. The collection dates from 1847 to 1963 and consists of his specimen notes, sketches, photographs, 16 mm film, travel logs, and field notes related to his study of leeches and other annelids. The collection also contains materials related to his involvement with The Academy of Natural Sciences (ANSP) Board of...(see more)

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Hedgerow Theatre Company records, 1901-2016 (inclusive)

Extent:

59.5 linear feet (67 boxes)

Abstract:

The Hedgerow Theatre Company was established in 1923 by Jasper Deeter, a New York based actor and director. Located in the Rose Valley Arts and Crafts Community of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Hedgerow holds the distinction as the longest serving Repertory Theatre in America. The Hedgerow Theatre Company records contains a wide variety of materials, from business records and show materials to member ephemera and photographs. The collection provides both a practical and intimate look into the workings of this repertory theatre.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Maggie Paley papers, 1947-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:

16.33 linear feet (17 boxes)

Abstract:

Maggie Paley is a prolific journalist and author. Her works include Bad Manners, a novel, and The Book of the Penis, a book of popular nonfiction. Paley was a well-connected participant in a wide variety of NYC cultural life during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, and this collection contains her own writing, correspondence with notable figures, and cultural material she collected. Paley worked as an editor at The Paris Review and a staff writer for LIFE and The Saturday Evening Post before establishing a career as a freelance journalist. Since the 1960's she has been a social fixture in New York artistic circles, and was a close acquaintance of such figures as Jill Krementz, Harry Matthews, and Rachael Hadas.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Richard Wernick papers, 1943-2015 (inclusive)

Extent:

22 linear feet (53 boxes)

Abstract:

Richard Wernick (1934-2025) was an American composer and professor of music composition, working at the University of Pennsylvania from 1968 to 1996. This collection documents Wernick's professional life and includes scores, professional material, concert programs, articles collected by Wernick, recordings of works by Wernick and others, and photographs.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania records, 1967-2018 (inclusive) 1982-2018 (bulk)

Extent:

20.5 linear feet (22 boxes)

Abstract:

The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center at the University of Pennsylvania, unofficially founded in 1982 and officially founded in 1995, supports the LGBTQ+ community at the University of Pennsylvania through services and programs focused on support, advocacy, and education. These records document the creation and development of the LGBT Center and the larger support of the LGBTQ+ community at Penn; the advocacy and influence of Robert Schoenberg and Center staff within the University of Pennsylvania administration; and the influence of global LGBTQ+ issues at the campus level at Penn and more broadly in academia.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Collection of Simpsons and Seinfeld scripts and storyboards, 1991-2016 (inclusive)

Extent:

35 linear feet (35 boxes)

Abstract:

This collection consists of television scripts, storyboards, and audiovisual material for Seinfeld (seasons 2 to 7), The Simpsons (seasons 7 to 28), The Simpsons Movie (2007), and a few episodes of other television shows, including The Vindicators, Futurama, and Twin Cities. The bulk of the material relates to The Simpsons.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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American Poetry Review records, 1971-1998 (inclusive)

Extent:

217 box(es)

Abstract:

The collection primarily comprises the editorial files maintained on each contributor to the journal. Included in these files are correspondence between the authors, translaters, and editors of APR, manuscripts submitted for publication, galleys corrected by the authors and editors, and editors' votes and comments on submitted manuscripts. Other series include a small section of administrative correspondence, financial records from 1972-1980, photographs of the writers whose work has been published in APR (many of which may be viewed online), and an incomplete run of the periodical.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Women's Health Concerns Committee records, 1974-1984 (inclusive)

Extent:

41 box(es)

Abstract:

Materials, including administrative records and minutes; staff information; project files; publications; slides and audio recordings from presentations and events; and reference materials. Collection documents the activities of a coordinating committee created by the Southeastern Region of the Pennsylvania Department of Health to maintain communication between government agencies and local women's activist organizations focusing on health issues and spun off as an independent organization in 1978. Also includes information on the professional activities of the committee's director, JoAnne Fischer, who was special consultant to the governor on women and health.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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James DePreist papers, 1869-2014 (inclusive) 1958-2013 (bulk)

Extent:

98 linear feet (130 boxes, + 2 map drawer folders) and 872.0 megabyte(s)

Abstract:

James DePreist (1936-2013) was an African-American conductor of international renown. This collection primarily documents James DePreist's conducting career, with a focus on the 1980s and 1990s with the Oregon Symphony, including organizational records, concert programs, press coverage, scores, and recordings.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Maternity Care Coalition records, 1960-2009 (inclusive) 1980-2007 (bulk)

Extent:

56 box(es) and 1.1 gigabyte(s)

Abstract:

The business records of the Maternity Care Coalition (MCC), a Philadelphia-based organization devoted to preventing infant mortality. Founded in 1980, the Maternity Care Coalition continued to operate at the time of the donation in 2009. The bulk of the materials comprise community outreach and client education materials, research materials, and publications. Also present within the collection are newspaper clippings, a number of media appearances captured on VHS, reel-to-reel, and audio cassettes, as well as a series of photographs that span the years 1985 to 2005.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Ray Evans papers, 1921-2012 (inclusive)

Extent:

155 box(es)

Abstract:

The Ray Evans papers comprise materials documenting his career as the lyricist for the songwriting team of Livingston and Evans. The collection contains correspondence, sheet music, lyrics and scripts, press clippings, audio and visual recordings, photographs, programs, awards, memorabilia, and art work. Also included are personal mementoes, including some from his time as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania. Researchers will find online access to selected material via the Ray Evans Resource Guide.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Sheldon Hackney research notes on African American history, civil rights, and folk songs, 1943-2006 (inclusive) 1970-1997 (bulk)

Extent:

1 linear feet (2 boxes)

Abstract:

Sheldon Hackney (1933-2013) was a historian of the American south, an academic administrator, and the chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities during the Clinton administration. This collection consists of a very small number of papers created by Sheldon Hackney and includes research notes and audio recordings relating to his research on African American history, the Civil Rights Movement and folk life and folk song.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Kathryn Hansen collection of Nautanki chapbooks, circa 1936-2001 (bulk: 1977-1982) (inclusive)

Extent:

5.4 linear feet (6 boxes)

Abstract:

Kathryn Hansen is a professor emerita in the Department of Asian studies at the University of Texas at Austin who specializes in South Asian languages and literatures (Hindi, Urdu, and Sanskrit); literary, cultural, and historical studies of South Asia; folk and classical performance of music and dance; history of theatrical practices in North India; early Indian film history; gender studies and feminist theory; and diaspora and ethnicity studies. This collection is comprised of chapbooks, studies and anthologies, and recordings related to Indian folk dramas and tales.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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William Steig papers, circa 1907-2002 (inclusive) 1950-2000 (bulk)

Extent:

21 linear feet (45 boxes)

Abstract:

William Steig (1907-2003) was an American cartoonist, illustrator, and writer of children's books. In 1930, Steig began a long and fruitful relationship with The New Yorker, for which he produced more than 2,600 drawings and 117 covers. When he was sixty-one, Steig began writing children's books, including Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (1969), Dominic (1972), Doctor De Soto (1982), and Shrek! (1990), the basis for the DreamWorks animated film of the same name. This collection includes 45 boxes of material, including correspondence; personal and professional records; drafts of Steig's writings; financial records; press, promotional material, and material from exhibits; awards Steig received; and original artwork, including original ink and watercolor drawings and work that would later appear in the New Yorker. There is also ephemera related to the movie Shrek, as well as personal artifacts, such as Steig's brushes and pens.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Mary C. Carras papers, 1959-2007 (inclusive)

Extent:

11 linear feet (15 boxes)

Abstract:

Mary C. Carras (1928-2021) was a professor and scholar focusing on 20th century India and particularly Indira Gandhi. She authored several books and papers relating to Indira Gandhi, economic and foreign policy in India, biotechnology in India, and Indo-American relationships. The bulk of her collection consists of her research that she used for her writings and probably also for her classes; but there is also a small amount of correspondence with publishers, her student papers, and drafts and reproductions of her writings. Of particular interest may be her numerous interviews with politicians and government staff in India and the United States from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Oliver Daniel research collection on Dimitri Mitropoulos, 1905-1995 (inclusive) 1982-1989 (bulk)

Extent:

15 box(es)

Abstract:

Research materials, photographs, and sound recordings for Oliver Daniel's uncompleted biography of orchestral conductor Dimitri Mitropoulos, which was later completed by William R. Trotter as Priest of Music: The Life of Dimitri Mitropoulos (1995). Includes Daniel's correspondence, photocopies of some of Mitropoulos's correspondence, other writers' biographical works on Mitropoulos, oral history interview transcripts, reminiscences, research notes, clippings, programs, reviews, photographs, and sound recordings of interviews, radio programs, and musical works.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Frances McCollin papers, 1924-2007 (inclusive)

Extent:

0.4 linear feet (2 boxes)

Abstract:

The McCollin-Arnett family, including Frances McCollin (1892-1960), Edward McCollin, and Edward McCollin Arnett, was influential in the musical community of Philadelphia. This collection documents some of their activities through correspondence, notes, photographs, programs, sheet music, and recordings.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Lowell Edmunds collection of folk tales relating to incest and parricide, 1974-1985 (inclusive)

Extent:

0.8 linear feet (2 boxes)

Abstract:

Lowell Edmunds is an emeritus professor of Classics at Rutgers University with research interests in Greek literature and mythology. This collection includes correspondence regarding translations and published and unpublished texts of folk tales relating to incest and parricide translated from more than twenty languages. Researchers will find African, Albanian, Asian, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latin and Greek, Lithuanian, Spanish, and Slavic folk tales as well as those from the Near East and the Western Hemisphere.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Howard Fast papers, 1903-2006 (inclusive) 1931-2003 (bulk)

Extent:

41 linear feet ((105 boxes, 1 oversized folder))

Abstract:

Howard Melvin Fast (1914-2003) was a best-selling and prolific American author of historical fiction, mysteries, and science fiction, known for his books on themes of patriotism, social justice, and the immigrant experience. He wrote nearly 100 books and more than 150 short stories, as well as numerous screenplays, stage plays, and newspaper columns. The Howard Fast papers include correspondence, journals, appointment books, address books, financials, writings, promotion and reviews, scrapbooks, biographies, profiles, chronologies, bibliographies, interviews, governmental and political files, vital records, personal documents, awards, photographs, artwork, and audiovisual materials. The papers were deposited at the University of Pennsylvania over the course of 45 years and represent nearly all facets of the writer's life.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Michael Strassfeld papers, 1901-2015 (inclusive) 1968-2015 (bulk)

Extent:

42 linear feet (70 boxes) and 587.1 megabyte(s)

Abstract:

Rabbi Michael Strassfeld (born February 8, 1950) is an American Reconstructionist Rabbi. Raised in a Orthodox Jewish household, Strassfeld was profoundly influenced by the burgeoning Jewish anti-establishment movement in the Boston area in the 1960s and early 1970s. The Michael Strassfeld papers contain the records of the his education and life's work. Represented are elements of his Orthodox upbringing, traditional Jewish education, influence of the Jewish anti-establishment and countercultural movements of the 1960s and early 1970s, and his training and practice as a Reconstructionist Rabbi.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Barbara J. Kukla collection of acetate discs, 1937-1939, undated (inclusive)

Extent:

0.2 linear feet (1 box)

Abstract:

Barbara J. Kukla (born 1940) is an author and an authority on the Newark, New Jersey, jazz scene. This collection consists of ten acetate discs containing classical, gospel, and popular music, dating from at least 1937 to 1939. It includes a recording of Marian Anderson's performance at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, on April 9, 1939.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Elizabeth T. Miller papers, 1928-1960, undated (inclusive)

Extent:

1.35 linear feet (5 boxes)

Abstract:

The Elizabeth T. Miller papers, part of the Caroline F. Schimmel Collection of Women in the American Wilderness, contain documentation of Miller's 1940 travels through Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, along with some later correspondence and recollections of the trip. Miller, a commercial artist from Baltimore, Maryland, undertook this journey with her cousin, sculptor and archaeologist Benjamin Turner Kurtz; the acclaimed operatic singer Carolyn Long; and photographer John Henry Coon. The majority of the collection consists of scrapbooks documenting various Mayan ruins and archaeological sites in these countries. Essays published in the Bulletin of the Natural History Society of Maryland (and a few unpublished pieces) written by Miller and Kurtz are also included, as are miscellaneous photos, notes, letters, publications and documents relating to this trip.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Harvey Finkle photographs, 1968-2021 (inclusive)

Extent:

58.33 linear feet (137 boxes) and 221 gigabyte(s)

Abstract:

Harvey Finkle (born March 28, 1934) is a self-taught documentary photographer who has documented the social, economic, cultural, and political issues in the city of Philadelphia and across the globe. Finkle's work largely focuses on marginalized communities, including low income and homeless families, homeless veterans, refugees, immigrants, and the disabled, to name only a few. This collection, dating from 1968 to 2019, contains a majority of Finkle's five-decade-long oeuvre, in various formats including prints, contact sheets, negatives, slides, research, interview transcripts, and publications. As a whole, this collection provides documentation of activism in Philadelphia and focuses on social injustices in the city, the country, and the world.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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H. A. Pilsbry papers, 1900-1953 (bulk) 1885-1957 (inclusive)

Extent:

6.75 linear feet (8 containers)

Abstract:

Henry Augustus Pilsbry, Dean of American Malacologists, was the conservator, curator and head of the Department of Shells at the Academy of Natural Sciences for 70 years. He was also the internationally recognized authority in the field of land mollusks. He wrote and edited many volumes of the Manual of Conchology and from 1889 until his death was an editor of the journal Nautilus, which he founded. A member of many scientific expeditions, he traveled all over the United States, to the Caribbean, South America, Mexico, Hawaii and other Pacific Islands, and to Australia. This collection contains the professional papers of Henry A. Pilsbry between the years 1885 and 1957. The bulk of this collection consists of Pilsbry’s working files and drafts of published material that came from those files, including a draft of the second volume of Land Mollusks of North America. Pilsbry’s correspondence is by far the most valuable part of this...(see more)

Held at: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia [Contact Us]

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Black Arts Company Records, 1996-1999 (inclusive)

Extent:

1 box and 1 websites

Abstract:

The Black Arts Company was founded at Princeton in 1990 as a hip-hop dance company, with a mission to generate dialogue about the African diaspora through dance. The company also staged other types of performances, including drama and comedy, before it formally split into two separate organizations, BAC: Dance and BAC| Drama, in the mid 2000s. The dance company continues to perform and explore new styles of hip-hop. This collection includes video cassette recordings of Fall and Spring shows from 1996-1999.

Held at: Princeton University Library: University Archives [Contact Us]

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Graeme Moore collection of Ian Hamilton Finlay material, 1972-2013 (inclusive)

Extent:

8 linear feet (10 boxes) and 492.1 megabyte(s)

Abstract:

Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925-2006) was a Scottish poet, artist, and landscape and garden designer, best known for his prints and pamphlets and his iconic garden Little Sparta, a collaboration with his second wife, Sue MacDonald-Lockhart. Graeme Moore is an English landscape and garden designer and critic, and former head gardener of Little Sparta. This collection contains material collected by Graeme Moore related to his relationship with Ian Hamilton Finlay and Finlay's work.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]

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Frank Weise collection of Helen Weiss papers, circa 1940-1948, 1966 (inclusive)

Extent:

1.5 linear feet (3 boxes)

Abstract:

Helen Weiss (1920-1948) was a Philadelphia composer and musician who worked in South America teaching and performing music. This collection documents the last eight years of Helen Weiss's life through letters to her brother, Frank; her educational and musical achievements; and recordings of her work; as well as her legacy as a musician after her death at age 28.

Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]