Archives West Finding Aid

The Bernhard J. Stern Papers consist primarily of correspondence dealing with his publications; manuscripts, notes and research files for topics such as medical care, the Lummi Indians, Lysenko's genetic theories and unique correspondence of Lester F. Ward; and files on the organizations he helped to sponsor and support.

There is very little in the way of personal correspondence, and even his personal letters deal with works under publication or the political sympathies of those writing (usually not Stern's). The photographs of the Lummi Indians were removed from their original locations in the collection and are housed separately for preservation reasons under the call number PH091. Throughout the collection are scattered notes by Charlotte Stern explaining the significance of various items.

The correspondence series has been arranged chronologically, 1926-1956, with a selected name index to notable correspondents. This index appears at the end of the Folder by Folder Inventory and includes references to well known names in Sociology and Anthropology, such as: Margaret Mead, Mary R. Beard, Harold J. Laski, Oscar Lewis, Alain Locke, Ashley Montagu, Max Lerner, H.P. Bayon, Melville Herskovits, Melville Jacobs, Russian scholar M. Kosven (with translations) and Paul Lazarsfeld. Following the chronological arrangement of correspondence are five folders of memoranda and correspon¬ence with Waldemar Kaempffert dealing with ideas and proposed articles on social aspects of science and technology.

The book material is arranged alphabetically by title and although there is little manuscript material, there are notes, correspondence and reviews. Stern wrote one book (Young Ward's Diary, 1935) and edited several articles relating to Lester F. Ward. The extensive notes, correspondence, reviews and reprints for all of the Ward publications have been grouped under "Ward, Lester F."

More often there are manuscripts of articles by Stern. These, along with other related material, are arranged alphabetically by title. Of interest here are the notes on eugenics and race gathered for the article, "Genetics Teaching and Lysenko," as well as Stern's proposal for a hospital in Puerto Rico (10/9).

Continuing the manuscripts series are Stern's reviews of other people's works, most of which were published in scholarly journals. These are organized alphabetically by the author of the work and include comments on the writings of Corliss Lamont, Ashley Montagu, and Joseph Stalin. Manuscripts of lectures by Stern follow the reviews, and are filed by title of the lecture. Also included are class notes on the medical profession and social aspects of medical care. Concluding this series are manuscripts of radio scripts and manuscripts of others. Of note here is a one-page typed manuscript of an address by Sherwood Anderson to the World Congress Against Imperialist War, 1932 (11/13). Although it shows many holograph additions and corrections, it is unclear whether these were made by Anderson.

The subject files begin in Box 12 and are arranged alphabetically. They are very comprehensive and deal primarily with health and medical issues.

An extensive collection of agendas, minutes, reports and documents of organizations aided by Stern follow. These are in an alphabetical arrangement by organization. Of special interest are the notes on the American Committee for the Protection of Foreign Born and the Committee of 25 (Charlotte Stern was one of the 25 singled out by Senator McCarthy's Un-American Activities Committee). Most of the organizations are political in nature and deal, in one form or another, with protection of human rights.

There are also several folders of programs of conferences and lectures which Stern supported either with his presence as a participant or as a speaker. These are organized by the sponsoring group or agency. Many of the courses Stern taught are documented in a folder of lecture and course listings, arranged by sponsoring institution.

Concluding the boxed material are two folders of newsclippings and one folder of memorabilia.

Finally, three of Stern's books are in the collection: The Family Past and Present, When Peoples Meet, and Outline of Anthropology.

The collection includes four images by Eugene H. Field from Stern's 1934 book, The Lummi Indians of northwest Washington, of Lummi tribal people and a house. There is also a portrait of three young men, probably including Stern, circa 1910s.