Radin, Paul, 1883-1959

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Dr. Paul Radin is considered to be one of the formative influences in contemporary anthropology and ethnography in the United States and Europe. He was born in Lodz (Russian Poland) on April 2, 1883, the son of a reform rabbi and scholar. In 1884, his family moved to Elmira, New York, and then to New York City in 1890. Educated in the public school system, Radin entered the College of the City of New York as a sub-freshman at the age of fourteen, graduating in 1902. After a brief stint in graduate studies at Columbia exploring the zoology of fish, Radin went to study physical anthropology in Munich. This two-year period afforded him time in Germany, Switzerland and Italy, where he began a process of self-cultivation. He returned to Columbia in 1907 with a major in anthropology and a minor in statistics under the famed professor Franz Boas, the so-called "Father of American Anthropology." Receiving his Ph.D. in 1911, Radin took a series of appointments around North America, first with the Bureau of American Ethnology (1911-12), then a joint fellowship from Columbia and Harvard to study the Zapotec culture (1912-13), followed by four years with the Geological Survey of Canada, studying the Ojibwa of southeast Ontario. His ancillary work on the Winnebago culminated in his Autobiography of The Winnebego Indian in 1920. From 1920-1925, he wrote and did field research at the University of Cambridge, publishing Primitive Man as Philosopher in 1927. From 1927 to 1930, while at Fisk University in Nashville, Radin collected oral histories of former slaves' conversion experiences, many of which remain unpublished. During the Great Depression, Radin moved to Berkeley, where he remained until 1941. From 1930 to 1940, Radin accomplished three major feats: an analysis of the Patwin language of California, his survey of San Francisco's Minorities in 1934-1935 for the State Economic Recovery Act (S.E.R.A. Project 2-F2-98 (3-F2-145)), and the monumental Catalogue of Mexican Pamphlets in the Sutro Collection of the California State Library in 1939 for the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A. project 665-08-3-236). During these trying years of the Depression, Radin still managed to publish Social Anthropology (1932), Method and Theory of Ethnology (1933), and Primitive Religion (1937) at a time when publication, especially in academia, was curtailed. After 1949, Radin lectured in Oxford, Cambridge and Carl Jung's Institute in Zurich. Working from Bollingen Foundation grants, he continued his research on the Winnebago. He joined Brandeis University in 1957, where he worked until his death on February 21, 1959 in New York City.

From the description of Paul Radin papers 1933-2000 1934 - 1935 (San Francisco Public Library). WorldCat record id: 659806675

Paul Radin was an anthropologist and researched the language and folklore of North American and Mexican Indians, the Winnebago, Ojibwa, and Zapotec in particular.

From the description of Papers, [ca. 1912-1959]. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122380117

Anthropologist Paul Radin researched the language and folklore of North American and Mexican Indians, the Winnebago, Ojibwa, and Zapotec in particular.

From the guide to the Paul Radin papers, [ca. 1912-1959], Circa 1912-1959, (American Philosophical Society)

Radin was born on Apr. 2, 1883 in Lodz in Russian Poland; came to the US as an infant; BA, College of the City of New York, 1902; Ph. D, Columbia Univ., 1911; in 1912 became a field ethnologist at the Geological Survey of Canada; became an ethnologist specializing in the study of the Winnebago; publications include Winnebago tales (1910), The Peyote cult of the Winnebago (1913), and Literary aspects of North American mythology (1915); he died on Feb. 21, 1959.

From the description of Papers, 1940. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 40859580

Anthropologist.

Radin was an alumnus of City College, Class of 1902.

From the description of Memorabilia, 1926-1947. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155503617

Biography

Radin was born on April 2, 1883 in Lodz in Russian Poland; came to the U.S. as an infant; BA, College of the City of New York, 1902; Ph.D, Columbia University, 1911; in 1912 became a field ethnologist at the Geological Survey of Canada; became an ethnologist specializing in the study of the Winnebago; publications include Winnebago tales (1910), The Peyote cult of the Winnebago (1913), and Literary aspects of North American mythology (1915); he died on February 21, 1959.

From the guide to the Paul Radin Papers, 1940, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)

Biography

Dr. Paul Radin is considered to be one of the formative influences in contemporary anthropology and ethnography in the United States and Europe. He was born in Lodz (Russian Poland) on April 2, 1883, the son of a reform rabbi and scholar. In 1884, his family moved to Elmira, New York, and then to New York City in 1890. Educated in the public school system, Radin entered the College of the City of New York as a sub-freshman at the age of fourteen, graduating in 1902. After a brief stint in graduate studies at Columbia exploring the zoology of fish, Radin went to study physical anthropology in Munich. This two-year period afforded him time in Germany, Switzerland and Italy, where he began a process of self-cultivation. He returned to Columbia in 1907 with a major in anthropology and a minor in statistics under the famed professor Franz Boas, the so-called "Father of American Anthropology." Receiving his Ph.D. in 1911, Radin took a series of appointments around North America, first with the Bureau of American Ethnology (1911-12), then a joint fellowship from Columbia and Harvard to study the Zapotec culture (1912-13), followed by four years with the Geological Survey of Canada, studying the Ojibwa of southeast Ontario. His ancillary work on the Winnebago culminated in his Autobiography of The Winnebego Indian in 1920.

From 1920-1925, he wrote and did field research at the University of Cambridge, publishing Primitive Man as Philosopher in 1927. From 1927 to 1930, while at Fisk University in Nashville, Radin collected oral histories of former slaves' conversion experiences, many of which remain unpublished.

During the Great Depression, Radin moved to Berkeley, where he remained until 1941. From 1930 to 1940, Radin accomplished three major feats: an analysis of the Patwin language of California, his Survey of San Francisco's Minorities in 1934-1935 for the State Economic Recovery Act (SERA Project 2-F2-98 (3-F2-145)), and the monumental Catalogue of Mexican Pamphlets in the Sutro Collection of the California State Library in 1939 for the Works Progress Administration (WPA project 665-08-3-236). During these trying years of the Depression, Radin still managed to publish Social Anthropology (1932), Method and Theory of Ethnology (1933), and Primitive Religion (1937) at a time when publication--especially in academia--was curtailed.

After 1949, Radin lectured in Oxford, Cambridge and Carl Jung's Institute in Zurich. Working from Bollingen Foundation grants, he continued his research on the Winnebago. He joined Brandeis University in 1957, where he worked until his death on February 21, 1959 in New York City.

From the guide to the Paul Radin Papers, 1933-2000, 1934-1935, (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Radin, Paul, 1883-1959,. Paul Radin papers 1933-2000 1934 - 1935 San Francisco Public Library, Main Library
referencedIn John Alden Mason papers, 1911-1967 American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Kroeber, A. L. (Alfred Louis), 1876-1960. Correspondence with Franz Boas, 1903-1934 [microform]. Iowa State University, Parks Library
creatorOf Radin, Paul, 1883-1959. Correspondence file, 1928, from Horace Liveright, Inc. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Boas, Franz, 1858-1942. Correspondence, 1862-1942. American Philosophical Society Library
creatorOf United States. Works Progress Administration. Radin, Paul (1883-1959) Collection, 1914-1959. Hofstra University Library, Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library
referencedIn Bandelier, Adolph Francis Alphonse, 1840-1914. Adolph Bandelier letters, 1889-1892. Museum of New Mexico Library
creatorOf Winnebago Texts, 1959 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Radin, Paul, 1883-1959. Papers, 1727, 1824-1825, 1827-1991, undated bulk 1835-1903. Marquette University Raynor Memorial Library, John P. Raynor Library
referencedIn Franz Boas Papers, 1862-1942 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Ethnological documents of the Department and Museum of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley, 1875-1958 Bancroft Library
referencedIn Cowell, Sidney Robertson, 1903-1995. Sidney Robertson Cowell correspondence, 1936-1973. Library of Congress
creatorOf Memorabilia, 1926-1947. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Harvey Pitkin Papers, 1884-1968 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Bollingen Foundation Records, 1927-1981, (bulk 1945-1973) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Paul Radin Papers, 1933-2000, 1934-1935 San Francisco History Center
referencedIn John Alden Mason papers, 1904-1967 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Paul Radin papers, [ca. 1912-1959], Circa 1912-1959 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Adolph Bandelier Letters, 1889-1892 Fray Angélico Chávez History Library, New Mexico History Museum.
referencedIn American Council of Learned Societies Committee on Native American Languages, American Philosophical Society, 1882-1958 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Paul Radin Papers, 1940 University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
creatorOf Radin, Paul, 1883-1959. Papers, 1940. University of California, Los Angeles
creatorOf Radin, Paul, 1883-1959. Papers, [ca. 1912-1959]. American Philosophical Society Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Council of Learned Societies. Committee on Native American Languages. corporateBody
associatedWith Bandelier, Adolph Francis Alphonse, 1840-1914. person
associatedWith Blackhawk, Andrew person
associatedWith Boas, Franz, 1858-1942. person
correspondedWith Bollingen Foundation. corporateBody
correspondedWith Cowell, Sidney Robertson, 1903-1995. person
associatedWith Fernández de Lizardi, José Joaquín, 1776-1827. person
associatedWith Fraenkel, Gerd person
correspondedWith Frankfurter, Felix, 1882-1965 person
associatedWith Kroeber, A. L. (Alfred Louis), 1876-1960. person
correspondedWith Lowie, Robert Harry, 1883-1957 person
associatedWith Mason, John Alden, 1885-1967. person
associatedWith Miskwanda person
associatedWith Phoebe Apperson Hearst Museum of Anthropology corporateBody
associatedWith Pitkin, Harvey person
correspondedWith Sapir, Edward, 1884-1939 person
associatedWith Smoke, Elias James person
associatedWith Stacy, Alvin person
associatedWith Stacy, Stella person
associatedWith Stacy, Tilly person
associatedWith Thundercloud, Adam person
associatedWith University of California, Berkeley. Dept. of Anthropology corporateBody
associatedWith Whiterabbit, Mitchell person
associatedWith Wolf, Mary Sacharoff-Fast person
associatedWith Wolf, Mary Sacharoff-Fast person
Place Name Admin Code Country
San Francisco (Calif.)
California--San Francisco
San Francisco (Calif.)
California--San Francisco Bay Area
Subject
African Americans
African Americans
Anthropological linguistics
Anthropology
Anthropology
Chinese
Chinese
Chinese Americans
Chinese Americans
Chippewa Indinas
Depressions
Depressions
Eastern Woodlands Indians
Ethnologists
Ethnology
Ethnology
Folklore
Fox language
Huave language
Immigrants
Immigrants
Indians of Mexico
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Italian Americans
Italian Americans
Italians
Italians
Menominee Indians
Minorities
Minorities
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ojibwa Indians
Ottawa Indians
Ottawa Indians
Ottawa Indians
Pomo language
Prophets
Translating and interpreting
Tukuarika Indians
Tukudh Indians
Wappo dialect
Watercolor drawings
Winnebago Indian
Winnebago Indians
Winnebago Indians
Winnebago Indians
Winnebago Indians
Winnebago Indians
Winnebago language
Winnebago language
Winnebago language
Winnebago mythology
Wintun languages
Zapotec language
Occupation
Anthropologists
Ethnologists
Activity

Person

Birth 1883-04-02

Death 1959-02-21

Americans

English,

Siouan languages

Information

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