Title: The Society of Women Geographers Collection
Date Span: [1975-1980]
Acquisition Number: N/A
Creator: The Society of Women Geographers
Donor: Dr. Katheryne Whittemore Estate, via Dr. Theodore Kury, Chairman, Geography and Planning Department, Buffalo State College.
Date of Acquisition: 1987
Extent: 1 box; .25 linear ft.
Language: English
Location: Archives & Special Collections Department, E. H. Butler Library, SUNY Buffalo State
Processed: 1987; reprocessed 2006
Access: The Society of Women Geographers Collection is open for research.
Reproduction of Materials:
See Archivist for information on reproducing materials from this collection, including photocopies, digital camera images, or digital scans, as well as copyright restrictions that may pertain to these materials.
Even though all reasonable and customary best-practices have been pursued, this collection may contain materials with confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the SUNY Buffalo State assumes no responsibility.
Preferred Citation:
[Description and dates], Box/folder number, The Society of Women Geographers, Archives & Special Collections Department, E. H. Butler Library, SUNY Buffalo State.
Biographical Note:
The Society of Women Geographers (SWG) Collection was donated to Buffalo State College by the estate of Dr. Katheryne T. Whittemore. Dr. Whittemore (1899-1981) was an instructor and administrator at the College for thirty-seven years, serving specifically as a professor of geography from 1925-1962 and having been appointed to the newly-created post of director of the Division of Arts and Sciences in 1957. She was an active member of the Society of Women Geographers as well as other influential organizations. The Society of Women Geographers began in 1925 as an organization that would bring together women of diverse intellectual backgrounds, enabling them to share knowledge gained from their experiences and fieldwork. As the SWG website says, "In naming [the] organization the Society of Woman Geographers, the founders took 'geographer' in its broadest sense to include such allied disciplines as anthropology, geology, biology, archaeology, oceanography, and ecology. Specialized aspects of the arts round[ed] out the broad spectrum of worldwide interests and professional activities of the Society's members." The Society of Women Geographers remains an active organization. More information on the Society can be found at http://www.iswg.org.
Scope and Contents:
The Society of Women Geographers Collection contains five issues of SWG-produced histories, programs and bulletins. The Vignettes includes biographical sketches of 26 early (pre-1940) members of the SWG; and the Bulletins contain historical information, contemporary activities and committees' reports as well as membership lists and information. All material dates from 1975-1980. Note: Mentions of Dr. Whittemore are highlighted in the inventory; and additional data, interviews and reminiscences of hers are available in the Archives' administrative and biographical files.
