White, Leslie A., 1900-1975

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Professor of anthropology at University of Michigan, chairman of the anthropology department, 1932-1957 and 1959, and student of the culture of the Pueblo Indians of the southwestern United States, and of the career of early American anthropologist, Lewis H. Morgan.

From the description of Leslie A. White papers, 1921-1974. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34423619

Leslie White was an influential American anthropologist and anthropological theorist who in his writings and teachings espoused the importance of evolutionary theory and helped top revive the work of Lewis Henry Morgan as one of the pioneers of American anthropology.

Leslie A. White was born on January 19, 1900 in Salida, Colorado to Alvin Lincoln White, a Methodist minister, and Mildred May Millard White. His childhood was unstable, with many moves following his parents' divorce in 1905. After high school, White worked as a stenographer and bookkeeper in Louisiana until 1918 when he enlisted in the Navy. Following his discharge the following year, he studied at Louisiana State University. In 1921, he transferred to Columbia University where he received his A.B. in 1923 and his A.M. in psychology in 1924. He continued his education at the University of Chicago receiving his Ph.D. in sociology and anthropology in 1927.

From 1927 to 1930, White taught at the University of Buffalo, then came to the University of Michigan where he remained from 1930 to 1970. He was promoted to full professor in 1943 and served as chairman of the department of anthropology from 1945 to 1957. Following his retirement from the U-M, White was a visiting professor at San Francisco State College and the University of California at Santa Barbara.

White was extremely active as a teacher and researcher in his discipline. He made numerous field trips to the Keresan Pueblos and to the Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico between 1926 and 1957 and was leader of the Ethnological Field Party of the Laboratory of Anthropology, Sante Fe, New Mexico, to the Hopi pueblo of Oraibi in the summer of 1932. In addition, White was the author of many articles, monographs and books. Some of the most important monographs were on the Acoma, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Santa Ana and Sia Pueblos. The books which best expressed his evolutionary and culturological theory and interpretation were The Science of Culture (1949) and The Evolution of Culture (1959). White was the leading scholar of the life and career of anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan, editing Morgan's travel journal and his Indian Journals, 1859-1862.

White was visiting professor at a number of universities. Also professional active, he was president of the Central States Anthropological Society, president of the American Anthropological Association (1963-1964), and vice president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1958).

From the guide to the Leslie A. White Papers, 1921-1974, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn News and Information Services (University of Michigan) photograph series D (faculty and staff portraits), 1946-2006, 1950-1990 Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Jones, Volney H. (Volney Hurt), 1903-1982. Volney H. Jones papers, 1909-1979. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Willis, William Shedrick, 1921-1983. Papers, [ca. 1940-1983]. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn White, Marjorie, 1894-1972. Papers, ca. 1930-ca. 1970 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Parsons, Elsie Worthington Clews, 1875-1941. Papers, 1835-1944. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn William Shedrick Willis papers, [ca. 1940-1983], Circa 1940-1983 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn William N. Fenton papers, 1933-2001 American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf Anderson, Robert, 1914-. Robert Anderson papers, 1946-1979. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Elsie Clews Parsons papers, 1880-1980 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn University of Michigan. News and Information Services. Faculty and Staff Files, 1944-2005 (bulk 1960-1995) Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Frank G. Speck papers, 1903-1950 American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Read Bain papers, 1893-1972 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn William B. Provine collection of evolutionary biology reprints, 20th century. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Haag, William George, 1910-2000,. William George Haag oral history interview, 1994. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
creatorOf White, Leslie A., 1900-1975. Leslie A. White papers, 1921-1974. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Parsons, Elsie Worthington Clews, 1874-1941. Papers, [ca. 1882]-1978. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Matthews, Fred. Papers, 1963-1965 Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library,
referencedIn Parker, Arthur Caswell. Addresses and article. 1951-1953. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
creatorOf Bandelier, Fanny Ritter. Letters to Dr. Leslie A. White : Nashville, Tenn., 1935-1936. California Digital Library
creatorOf Leslie A. White Papers, 1921-1974 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Alumni Association (University of Michigan), Individual Photographs, ca. 1880-ca. 1960s Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn William N. Fenton papers, 1933-2001 American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf White, Leslie A. A study of vocational choice of young men in the professional schools. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf White, Leslie A., 1900-1975. Letters, 1965-1967, to Lewis Mumford. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Babcock, Angus M. Angus M. Babcock papers, 1932-1975. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn White, Marjorie, 1894-1972. Papers, ca.1930-ca.1970 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Alexander G. Ruthven Papers, 1901-1961, 1906-1951 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Matthews, Fred H. Papers : letters about Robert E. Park, 1963-1965 (inclusive). Texas Christian University
referencedIn Frank G. Speck papers, 1903-1950 American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Volney H. Jones papers, 1909-1979, 1930-1979 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn William Shedrick Willis papers, [ca. 1940-1983], Circa 1940-1983 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Frank G. Speck papers, 1903-1950 American Philosophical Society Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adams, Randolph Greenfield, 1892-1951. person
associatedWith American Anthropological Association. corporateBody
associatedWith American Association for the Advancement of Science. corporateBody
associatedWith American Folklore Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Anderson, Robert, 1914- person
associatedWith Babcock, Angus M. person
associatedWith Bain, Read, 1892- person
associatedWith Bandelier, Fanny Ritter. person
associatedWith Barnes, Harry Elmer, 1889-1968. person
associatedWith Beard, Charles A. (Charles Austin), 1874-1948. person
associatedWith Benedict, Ruth, 1887-1948. person
associatedWith Berle, Adolf Augustus, 1895-1971. person
associatedWith Boas, Franz, 1858-1942. person
associatedWith Childe, V. Gordon (Vere Gordon), 1892-1957. person
associatedWith Cole, Fay-Cooper, b. 1881. person
associatedWith Connable, Alfred B. (Alfred Barnes), 1904- person
associatedWith Fenton, William N. (William Nelson), 1908-2005 person
associatedWith Goldenweiser, Alexander, 1880-1940. person
associatedWith Haag, William George, 1910-2000, person
associatedWith Hayakawa, S. I. (Samuel Ichiye), 1906- person
associatedWith Hayakawa, S. I. (Samuel Ichiyé), 1906-1992. person
associatedWith Humphrey, Norman Daymond, 1911-1955. person
associatedWith Jones, Volney H. (Volney Hurt), 1903-1982. person
associatedWith Kidder, Alfred Vincent, 1885-1963. person
associatedWith Kluckhohn, Clyde, 1905-1960. person
associatedWith Kroeber, A. L. (Alfred Louis), 1876-1960. person
associatedWith Lévi-Strauss, Claude. person
associatedWith Levi-Strauss, Claude. person
associatedWith Linton, Ralph, 1893-1953. person
associatedWith Mann, Thomas, 1875-1955. person
associatedWith Marjorie White, 1894-1972 person
associatedWith Matthews, Fred H. person
associatedWith Matthews, Fred H. Quest for an American Sociology person
associatedWith McLuhan, Marshall, 1911- person
associatedWith McLuhan, Marshall, 1911-1980. person
associatedWith Mead, Margaret, 1901-1978. person
associatedWith Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956. person
associatedWith Montagu, Ashley, 1905-1999. person
associatedWith Morgan, Lewis Henry, 1818-1881. person
associatedWith Mumford, Lewis, 1895-1990. person
associatedWith Osgood, Cornelius, 1905-1985. person
associatedWith Parker, Arthur Caswell, 1881-1955. person
associatedWith Parsons, Elsie Worthington Clews, 1875-1941. person
correspondedWith Provine, William B. person
associatedWith Reuther, Walter, 1907-1970 person
associatedWith Ruthven, Alexander Grant, 1882- person
associatedWith Sagan, Carl, 1934- person
associatedWith San Francisco State College. corporateBody
associatedWith Sapir, Edward, 1884-1939 person
associatedWith Speck, Frank G. (Frank Gouldsmith), 1881-1950. person
associatedWith Spier, Leslie, 1893-1961 person
associatedWith Trotsky, Leon, 1879-1940 person
associatedWith University of Michigan corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Alumni Association. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Dept. of Anthropology. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Dept. of Anthropology. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Museum of Anthropology. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. News and Information Services. corporateBody
associatedWith Vandenberg, Arthur Hendrick, 1907-1968 person
associatedWith White, Marjorie, 1894-1972. person
associatedWith White, Mary P. person
associatedWith Willis, William Shedrick, 1921-1983. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Vancouver Island (B.C.)
Subject
Religion
Anthropology
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Kwakiutl Indians
Nuclear energy
Pueblo Indians
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1900-01-19

Death 1975-03-31

Americans

English

Information

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