Herndon, Marcia

Marcia Alice Herndon (1941-1997) was a musicologist, researcher, and educator who helped shape the field of ethnomusicology, especially in the areas of gender research and Native American studies.

Marcia Herndon was born in Canton, North Carolina, near the Cherokee community of her grandparents. After graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in 1962, and later a Master of Arts in German from Tulane University in 1964, she went on to receive her Ph.D. in Anthropology and Ethnomusicology from Tulane in 1971. From there, she taught at the University of Texas from 1971 to 1978, and then went on to the University of California, where she taught for seven years. In 1990 she joined the School of Music at the University of Maryland as a Professor of Music in the Division of Musicology and Ethnomusicology, while also serving as an affiliate of the Womens Studies Department.

Prior to joining the University of Maryland, Herndon helped to found the Music Research Institute in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1984, which focused on ethnomusicological research addressing issues such as censorship and the demise of American community orchestras. Over the years, her research was awarded grants from prestigious organizations such as the Guggenheim Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In addition to her work as an educator, Marcia Herndon was also an authority of Eastern Band Cherokee music, and the performance traditions of indigenous peoples of North America, in addition to being a trained Cherokee healer. Her contributions to the field of Cherokee research include Native American Music (1980), and The Cherokee Ballgame Cycle: An Ethnomusicologists Viewpoint, (Ethnomusicology, 1971). Herndon also conducted extensive research on Maltese music, religion, and politics, and with the help of Norma McLeod published the work Music as Culture in 1979, and Field Manual for Ethnomusicology in 1983. Other notable collaborations include her work as a co-chair of the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM) from 1987 until her death in 1997, as well as her work as the Metropolitan head bishop of the Ecumenical Catholic Church of America, and her dedication to the ordaining of gay and lesbian priests.

After a life-long struggle with lupus, Marcia Herndon was diagnosed with breast cancer and died on May 19, 1997. She was survived by her long-time companion, Billye Talmadge.

From the guide to the Marcia Herndon Papers, 1830-1995, 1968-1994, (Special Collections in Performing Arts)