Bernhard Joseph Stern papers, 1926-1943

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Summary

Creators:
Stern, Bernhard Joseph, 1894-1956
Abstract:
The Bernhard Joseph Stern correspondence and papers reflects his work on the biography of Lewis Henry Morgan.
Extent:
3 boxes
Language:
The records are in English and Russian .

Background

Scope and content:

This collection includes subject matter related to Stern’s book about Lewis Henry Morgan and also his contract with the Soviet Union in 1936. There are over 100 letters during the period 1926-1938 addressed to the University of Rochester Library where so much Morgan material was deposited. In response, there are over 70 letters from the Rochester librarians. There are several letters to publishers requesting them to consider his manuscript. Corresponding to this group are over 40 letters from various American publishers in which they express reaction to his letters from various American publishers in which they express reaction to his projected volume. Letters to persons who had known Morgan are included. There are copies of over 140 Morgan letters and/or excerpts of them addressed to Joseph Henry (over 100 letters to him) and others during the period 1862-1881. There are approximately 100 pieces including miscellaneous notes, drafts of articles, and outlines that were working material for the volume. There are 20 printed reviews of the Morgan volume, three of which, appeared in the Soviet Union.

During the period 1931-1940 there are over 50 Stern letters to various Soviet scholars and over 20 letters written by the Soviets to him. These letters (some in Russian with an accompanying translation) are concerned with the mutual interest in Morgan and the 1936 contract, which was not trouble free.

Significant persons represented are: Robert Henrich Lowie (4 letters addressed to Stern, 1928-1929); and the Soviet scholars: A.A. Busigin, J. Winnikow, I.I. Meshchaninov, I.P. Alcor-Koshkin, and M. Kosven.

Box 1 consists of letters addressed to Stern arranged alphabetically by author.

Box 2 consists of letters (copies) written by Stern to various persons arranged alphabetically by addressee; Stern’s notes and drafts; printed reviews of his book Lewis Henry Morgan: Social Evolutionist.

Box 3 consists of letters and/or excerpts (all copies) written by Morgan to various persons arranged alphabetically by addressee. Other related material includes printed ephemera and photographs.

Biographical / historical:

Bernhard Joseph Stern (1894-1956) was an American born sociologist, who received his Ph.D. from Columbia. As a professor, author, and lecturer, his interests were many faceted with special emphasis on anthropology.

He became so absorbed in Lewis Henry Morgan (1818-1881 - the first social evolutionist in the United States to gain an international reputation) that he wrote the book, Lewis Henry Morgan: Social Evolutionist. It was published by the University of Chicago Press in 1931.

In 1936 Dr. Stern entered into an agreement with the Institute of Anthropology and Ethnography of the Academy of Sciences in the Soviet Union. He was authorized to be the American member of the editorial committee for the publication of the complete works of Lewis Henry Morgan.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Mrs. Bernhard Joseph Stern, 1968 and 1977.
Rules or conventions:
Finding Aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Website