Katharine Dexter McCormick papers
Scope and Contents
The collection includes family correspondence, and a will, 1811-1897; McCormick's student notebooks from her classes at MIT in chemistry, English literature, political economics, sanitary science, geology, climatology, history, biology, and physiology; examinations; papers she wrote, 1895-1902; and "Laboratory Notes on Water Analysis," by Ellen Swallow Richards, from a class McCormick took from Richards.
The collection does not contain material on her philanthropic activities.
Dates
- 1811 - 1964
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open.
Conditions Governing Use
Access to collections in the Department of Distinctive Collections is not authorization to publish. Please see the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy for permission information. Copyright of some items in this collection may be held by respective creators, not by the donor of the collection or MIT.
Biographical Note
Katharine Dexter McCormick, 1875-1967, SB in biology, 1904, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was an activist for women's suffrage and education, and was a supporter of research in mental health. With her friend Carrie Chapman Catt, she founded the League of Women Voters and served as its first vice president. She was also a lifelong friend of birth control reformer Margaret Sanger. From 1953 until her death in 1967 she provided financial support for work which led to the development of the birth control pill, first marketed in 1960.
She was instrumental in the establishment of the first women's residence on the MIT campus, Stanley McCormick Hall, named in honor of her husband and dedicated in 1963.
Extent
2 Cubic Feet (2 record cartons)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Katharine Dexter McCormick, a 1904 graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was an activist for women's suffrage and education, and a leader within the birth control movement. She provided financial support for research that led to the development of the contraceptive pill and was instrumental in the establishment of the first women's residence on the MIT campus, McCormick Hall. The collection includes family correspondence, McCormick’s student notebooks, examinations, and papers she wrote for classes at MIT.
Physical Location
Materials are stored off-site. Advance notice is required for use.
Source of Acquisiton
The papers were given to Distinctive Collections (formerly the Institute Archives and Special Collections) by the Katharine Dexter McCormick Estate in July and December 1968.
Appraisal note
Needs review.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- McCormick, Katharine Dexter, 1875-1967
Creator
- Title
- Guide to the Papers of Katharine Dexter McCormick
- Status
- Ready For Review
- Author
- Joan Haas
- Date
- (Copyright 1982)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2021 July 9: Edited by Lana Mason to remove aggrandizing terms in the abstract note description.
Repository Details
Part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Libraries. Department of Distinctive Collections Repository
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries
Building 14N-118
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02139-4307 US
distinctive-collections@mit.edu