Judith Lynne Hanna papers
Collection
0126-SCPA
The Judith Hanna papers details the academic pursuits, cultural interests and numerous projects of the prolific American anthropological scholar. Her specialized expertise in the fields of anthropology, education, dance, and political science informs her cross-disciplinary interests in such diverse topics as education policy, societal perceptions of dance, gender, sexuality, first-amendment rights, dance as communication, and dance therapy. The collection also includes the numerous books, articles, reviews, critiques, and pedagogical manuals she has written.
There are no restricted files in this collection.
Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Please make an appointment with the curator: Tel: 301.405.9220, Email: scpa@umd.edu
37.50 Linear Feet
The Judith Lynne Hanna papers covers the period from 1910 to 2019 with the bulk of materials dating from 1965-1989. The collection consists of research materials, subject materials, writings, photographs, video and audio recordings, newspaper clippings, correspondence, interview transcripts, and materials from numerous, varied organizations. Related to Hanna's work as an anthropologist, there is an abundance of materials on the subjects of African and American culture as well as more theoretical and scholarly works in the field. Her subject files cover the broad topics of dance education, communication, therapy, criticism, and teaching as well as the art’s relation to gender and sexuality. There is also substantial material relating to human psychology, emotion and their relation to artistic expression. Hanna’s correspondence also ranges from notes to friends and family up to famous dancers and dance scholars as well as other prominent professionals in her other fields of interest.
Born in 1936, Judith Hanna made numerous contributions to the arts, humanities and social sciences through her numerous and multidisciplinary pursuits. Due to her broad academic interests, she combined the fields of African studies, art anthropology, black studies, dance, drama, education, gender, leisure and recreation, medicine, music, planning, political science, psychology, religion, semiotics, therapy, and urban studies in her body of work. She is chiefly an academic, as well as a prolific author of books, both academic and trade, scholarly papers, columns, reviews and articles.
Hanna earned her doctorate in anthropology from Columbia University in 1976, which was preceded by two separate master's degrees respectively in anthropology from Columbia University in 1975 and political science from Michigan State in 1962. She holds a teaching credential from the state of California where she also completed her bachelor's degree in political science at UCLA.
Aside from writing and researching, Judith Hanna has also served as an expert court witness, consultant, ethnographer, dance critic, committee chair, advisor, and academic fellow.
This collection is minimally processed. Materials are in accession order.
Materials transferred to the archives beginning in 2012 with ongoing accruals.
Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library