Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Jesse D. Jennings papers, 1939-1998
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Jennings, Jesse D.
- Title
- Jesse D. Jennings papers
- Dates
- 1939-1998 (inclusive)19391999
- Quantity
- 0.75 linear feet
- Collection Number
- Acc0563
- Summary
- Jesse D. Jennings was a Professor and Chair of the Anthropology Department at the University of Utah from 1948 to 1986. He was also the first director of the Utah Museum of Natural History from 1963 to 1973. This collection contains correspondence, speeches, and material related to classes he taught during his career.
- Repository
-
University of Utah Libraries, University Archives and Records Management
University Archives and Records Management, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
666 Guardsman Way
Salt Lake City, UT
84112
Telephone: 8015818242
david.buhler@utah.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Materials must be used on-site. Advance notice suggested. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Jesse D. Jennings was born in 1909 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1929 he received his bachelors degree from Montezuma College in New Mexico. Then in 1943 he earned his PhD from the University of Chicago. From 1930 to 1948 Jennings worked on various archaeological projects around the country including several with the National Park Service. This included a stint as Acting Superintendent of Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, Georgia from 1938 to 1939. From 1938 to 1942 and then again from 1945 to 1946 he was also an archeologist at the Natchez Trace Parkway in Tupelo, Mississippi. He served in the Navy in World War II with the rank of Lieutenant. His final job with the National Park Service before coming to the University of Utah was as an archaeologist in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1948 he became a professor in the Anthropology Department. He was made head of the department in 1952 and held that position until 1960. In addition to being a professor of anthropology, Jennings also became the first director of the Utah Museum of Natural History in 1963 when it was first established. Jennings served as the director of the museum until 1973. During his time with the Anthropology Department, Jennings became a leading expert in Great Basin Desert culture. This included several ground breaking projects such as Danger Cave in 1957. Jennings served as the Director of the Glen Canyon Archaeological Salvage Project from 1957 to 1965. The purpose of the project, which the University of Utah did in conjuction with the Museum of Northern Arizona, was to study the prehistorical sites of the Glen Canyon region before they were destroyed by the Glen Canyon Dam project in 1963. Over the course of his career Jennings published over a hundred articles, monographs, and edited volumes contributing much to the studying of the archaeology of North America. Jesse Jennings received many awards and honors in the field of anthropology including the Viking Medal in Archaeology (1958), Reynolds and Leigh Lectureships at the University of Utah (1963 and 1975) and visiting professorships at universities such as Northwestern University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Hawaii, and the University of New Zealand. In 1977 he was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Before that he had been a member of the American Anthropological Association (1953-1956) and served as President of the Society for American Archaeology (1959-1960). Jennings stayed with the Anthropology Department at the University of Utah until 1980 at which time he and his wife moved to Siletz, Oregon where he worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Oregon in Eugene. However, Jennings continued to teach at the University of Utah until his retirement in July 1986 when he became a Professor Emeritus. Jesse Jennings passed away on August 13, 1997 at his home in Siletz, Oregon.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection consists of correspondence, lectures, and material related to classes Jesse Jennings taught during his career at the University of Utah. The bulk of the collection is composed of papers Jennings wrote for presentations. About .25 linear of the collection consists of Jennings' correspondence with various organizations such as Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, Georgia and Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology in China. The rest of the collection includes some syllabi and material related to courses Jennings taught at the University of Utah and other institutions such as the University of Nevada, Reno.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: Jesse D. Jennings papers, Acc. 563, Box [ ]. University Archives and Records Management. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott. Salt Lake City, Utah.
Following Citations:Acc. 563.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically.
Processing Note
This collection was processed by Tad Garland in 2018.
Acquisition Information
3 boxes were acquired from James O'Connell of the Anthropology Department at the Stewart Building on May 15, 2013
Separated Materials
1 cubic foot of material was seperated and sent to the Utah Museum of Natural History. Two envelopes of photographs were transferred to the Photo Archives.
Related Materials
Acc0540 Utah Museum of Natural History records, 1948-1984
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Adventures in Mississippi to Ocmulgee National MonumentReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 1
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Folder | ||
1 | " Adventures in Mississippi Archaeology" |
1991 |
2 | " American Manners and Customs" |
undated |
3 | Ancient Native Americans - Memoranda |
1979-1981 |
4 | Anthropology Course Syllabi |
1978-1984 |
5 | College of Eastern Utah - Correspondence |
1992-1993 |
6 | Colorado Summer Institute of Anthropology Lectures |
1961 |
7 | " Culture in Conflict or The Anthropology of Peace" |
undated |
8 | Curriculum Vitae |
1992 |
9 | " Glen Canyon: A Multi-Discipline Project" |
1964 |
10 | Great Basin Anthropology Conference |
1979-1980 |
11 | Great Basin Prehistory Tape Script |
undated |
12 | " How Were Things in Olden Times" |
1991 |
13 | Jesse Jennings Memorial |
1998 |
14 | " Macon Daze" |
|
15 | Miscellanous Correspondence |
1977-1980 |
16 | " More Effective Teaching the Responsibility of the Individual Teacher" |
undated |
17 | " North American Prehistory: A Summary" |
undated |
18 | Ocmulgee National Monument Fiftieh Anniversary Conference |
1986 |
PHI BETA KAPPA to Values in the Social SciencesReturn to Top
Container(s): Box 2
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Folder | ||
1 | PHI BETA KAPPA |
1992 |
2 | " Recent Excavations at the Lamar Site, Ocmulgee National Monument, Macon, Georgia" |
1939 |
3 | Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology Correspondence |
1986-1989 |
4 | Southeastern Archaeological Conference |
1991-1993 |
5 | Summer Field School in Archaeological Techniques |
1977 |
6 | " Table Top Archaeology" |
1950 |
7 | University of Nevada, Reno - Correspondence |
1987-1988 |
8 | University of Utah Extension Division Home Study Department |
1963 |
9 | Utah Museum of Natural History - Correspondence |
1993-1995 |
10 | " Utah Prehistory" |
undated |
11 | " Values and Culture: A Non-Theorist View" |
undated |
12 | " Values in the Social Sciences" |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Anthropology--Study and teaching--Utah--History--Sources
- Universities and colleges--Utah--Salt Lake City--History--Sources
Corporate Names
- University of Utah. Department of Anthropology
Form or Genre Terms
- Correspondence
- Speeches
- Syllabi