Elizabeth A. McMahan papers, 1926-2010 and undated

Using These Materials Teaser

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke...
More about accessing and using these materials...

Summary

Creator:
McMahan, Elizabeth A.
Extent:
16.4 Linear Feet
9105 Items
Language:
English.
Collection ID:
RL.00880

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains primarily correspondence and greeting cards, including correspondence with John Craig Wheeler (considered the father of "black holes") on parapsychology and its intersection with theoretical physics. Also includes news clippings and scrapbooks documenting McMahan's life; illustrations she made describing her travels aboard Pacific-traveling cargo ships; several of her self-published children's books; and compilations of her cartoons from "The Meadowlark, " a newsletter published by Carolina Meadows, a retirement community in Chapel Hill, N.C. Acquired as part of the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture.

Subsequent additions include materials relating to McMahan's termite research; book illustrations; her early life, including school materials and World War II ephemera; and personal correspondence with friends and relatives. Also includes a memorial tribute to her.

Biographical / historical:

Entomologist (termite biology), psychologist, cartoonist, writer of children's books, and ocean traveler. McMahan is credited with 59 publications, many under the name E. A. McMahan, including 11 children's books.

Chronology
Date Event
1924
Born, Davie County, N.C.
1946
A.B., Duke University, Major in Psychology
1948
M.A. in Psychology, Duke University
1943-1954
Research Assistant, Parapsychology Laboratory, Duke University. Close friend of Rhine family.
1960
Ph.D, Entomology, University of Hawaii
1960-1961
Post-doctoral work, Zoology, University of Chicago
1961-1987
Professor, Department of Biology, UNC-Chapel Hill. Received outstanding teaching award in 1970.
1987-1988
Peace Corps, College of Agriculture, Port Antonio, Jamaica
1989
Received North Carolina Entomological Society's Award of Excellence for contributions to entomology.
1989-2009
Retired to Carolina Meadows, a retirement community in Chapel Hill, N.C.
2009
Died, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Acquisition information:
The Elizabeth A. McMahan Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 2003-2011.
Processing information:

Processed by Stacey Clark

Completed September 30, 2003

Encoded by Stacey Clark, Elizabeth Arnold

Finding aid updated by Meghan Lyon, 2008 and 2009

Finding aid updated by Alice Poffinberger, 2010, 2011

This collection is unprocessed: materials may not have been ordered and described beyond their original condition.

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Before you visit:
Please consult our up-to-date information for visitors page, as our services and guidelines periodically change.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Elizabeth A. McMahan Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.