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Dr. Nancy M. Henley was a feminist psychologist and professor who specialized in research on language and nonverbal communication; issues of gender, power, change, and semantics; psychology of women and gender; attitudes toward women and gender issues; and violence against women.
Born Nancy Eloise Main on October 27, 1934, in Palatka, Florida, Henley grew up in Washington, DC. She attended Wilson Teachers College, where she took her first psychology courses before leaving to start a family. She earned a B.S. in psychology in 1964, an M.A. in 1967, and a Ph.D. in 1968, all from Johns Hopkins University.
Henley taught at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County from 1968-1971, at Lowell Technological Institute/University of Lowell from 1974-1980, and at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1980-1994. From 1971-1972, she was a postdoctoral researcher with Roger Brown at Harvard University. From 1980-1986, Henley served as the Director of Women's Studies at UCLA and the editor of
Henley is the author of
Henley passed away on June 4, 2016.
The Nancy Henley papers document Henley's career as a feminist psychologist and professor who specialized in research on language, semantics, nonverbal communication, and issues of gender and power. The papers include correspondence, research and writing material, and writing of others.
The correspondence series contains Henley's professional correspondence, including letters, emails, and notes.
The research and writing series contains material related to Henley's academic work, particularly her research and scholarly writing. This series includes research material, subject files, published and unpublished manuscripts, conference papers and other conference material, drafts, correspondence, journals, articles, and essays.
The writing of others series contains writings by others sent to and collected by Henley, including writings that Henley edited and reviewed. This series includes essays, conference papers, journals, newspaper clippings, and photocopies of publications.