Mary Jobe Akeley papers
Dates
- 1859-1940
Creator
Restrictions on Access
Please contact Special Collections; materials are sometimes restricted.
Biographical sketch
Mary Jobe Akeley was an explorer and author. Joined several expeditions to Canada and Africa, and was noted for her expedition to the northern Canadian Rockies. Married Carl Akeley in 1924. Continued his work after his death in 1926, and became a special advisor at the American Museum of Natural History.
Biographical sketch
Carl Ethan Akeley was an animal sculptor and taxidermist, an inventer, naturalist and photographer. Led collecting expeditions to Africa, most notably providing specimens for the African Hall named for him at the American Museum of Natural History. Akeley's encounters with gorillas changed his outlook from hunter to conservationist. He died during his fifth African expedition and was buried in the sanctuary he had helped establish. The expedition was completed under Mary Akeley's leadership.
Extent
11.25 Linear Feet (25 boxes) : including 5 printing plates
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Organized into three series: A342. 1967 accession (11 boxes), unprocessed papers. A343. 1992 accession (1 box). A344. 1977 accession (13 boxes).
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Series A342: Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1967.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Series A343: AMNH Dept. of Education. Method of acquisition--Transfer; Date of acquisition--1992.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Series A344: Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1977.
Alternate Form Available
Library has also a microfilm copy of Series A344 (Archives Microfilm #76), in 5 reels.
Scope and content
Papers relate to Mary Jobe Akeley and her husband Carl E. Akeley. Boxes 1-3 of the 1977 accession include biographical data, correspondence, expedition journals and notes, museum activity records, printed or draft articles and personal items, among them a great deal of material on the sculpture of a lion that Carl designed as a monument to Theodore Roosevelt. Boxes 4-7 include newspaper clippings, primarily of articles by or about the Akeleys, some dealing with gorillas, others with people, expeditions, game hunting, and animals. The 1992 accession includes one folder received in 1978 from Art Greenham of Projection. The 1967 accession consists of 11 boxes of unprocessed material.
- Akeley African Expedition to the Belgian Congo of the American Museum of Natural History (1921-1922)
- Akeley, Carl Ethan, 1864-1926
- Akeley-Eastman-Pomeroy African Hall Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History (1926-1927)
- American Museum of Natural History. Akeley Memorial Hall of African Mammals
- Department of Education
- Explorers -- United States -- Biography
- Manuscript Collection
- Martin Johnson African Expedition (2nd : 1924-1928)
- Scientific expeditions -- Africa.
- Scientific expeditions -- Canada, Western.
- Women explorers -- United States -- Biography
Creator
- Title
- Mary Jobe Akeley papers, 1859-1940
- Status
- Completed
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Sponsor
- The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation provided support to make this finding aid available in ArchivesSpace (2016-2017).
- Edition statement
- Collection description from Library catalog record written by Ann Herendeen, circa 2000.
Repository Details
Part of the Museum Archives at the Gottesman Research Library Repository
American Museum of Natural History
200 Central Park West
New York NY 10024 USA
(212) 769-5420
[email protected]
