Records of Harvard College Observatory Director Harlow Shapley, 1911-1952 and [undated]

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Records of Harvard College Observatory Director Harlow Shapley, 1911-1952 and [undated]

https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/hua40018/catalog

Harlow Shapley (1885-1972) was an astronomer who served as Director of the Harvard College Observatory from 1921 to 1952. The records document Shapley’s tenure as director and primarily consist of his incoming and outgoing correspondence files. The letters, including three volumes of outgoing correspondence, relate to Observatory operations, research, and activities, particularly its cooperation with other astronomers and observatories from throughout the United States and abroad. Also chronicled are Shapley’s political activities, particularly during World War II, and his work with professional organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Shapley also continued the Observatory’s long tradition of employing women; his dedication to hiring and mentoring female astronomers is documented heavily throughout the record series, with letters to many women scientists and students, many of whom Shapley hired to work at the Observatory.

42 cubic feet

Harvard University Archives.

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 8183982

Harvard University Archives.

Related Entities

There are 5 Entities related to this resource.

Harvard College Observatory

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xj0hx1 (corporateBody)

In 1839, the Harvard Corporation appointed William Cranch Bond the first Astronomical Observer to the University, thereby taking the first step in establishing the Harvard College Observatory, after which the first telescope was installed in 1847. Scholars and students had studied astronomy at Harvard since the seventeenth century, but it wasn’t until a large comet sparked public interest in 1843 that donors began donating funds to build an observatory. During the tenure of the Harvar...

Harvard University

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Harvard College was founded by a vote of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts on October 28, 1636 that allocated “400£ towards a schoale or colledge.” Subsequent legislative acts established the Board of Overseers, but it was the Charter of 1650 that created the Harvard Corporation as the College's primary governing board and defined its composition and authority. The College Charter became a contentious target for College officials, the Massachusetts Governor and General C...

American Association for the Advancement of Science

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Edmund W. Sinnott was president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science at the time of this correspondence. Walter G. Berl was an editor for the Association. From the description of Letters, 1948-1971, to Lewis Mumford. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 155878457 ...

Shapley, Harlow, 1885-1972

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6pn96xk (person)

Astronomer (galaxies, photometry, spectroscopy) and administrator. Astronomer, Mount Wilson Observatory, 1914-1921; director, Harvard Observatory, 1921-1952; on the astronomy faculty at Harvard from 1952. From the description of Papers [microform], 1910-1923. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80523781 Harlow Shapley (1885-1972) was an astronomer. Shapley served as director of the Harvard College Observatory and was a professor at Harvard University, eventually he became the Pai...

Douglas, H. E.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6c83vh6 (person)