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Jean Ingram Brookes Papers

 Collection
Identifier: A0182

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of letters, newspaper clippings, and ephemera. The correspondence consists primarily of letters received by Jean Ingram Brookes from her immediate family, friends, and academic associates. The letters contain family news, discussions of international affairs, and some discussions of current affairs such as the Great Depression, World War II, and the assassination of Robert Kennedy. The letters give insight into the family's upper-middle-class lifestyle during the period of the Great Depression. Letters from Jean Ingram Brookes' sister Katherine Brookes Gibson frequently discuss the hiring of servants, social events, and society gossip. The letters also contain expressions of contemporary negative racial stereotypes. Many of the letters contain remarks that reflect the conservative nature of the family. Letters from Mary Brookes, Jean Ingram's mother, often discuss the family's involvement in the Rock Hill Presbyterian Church (Rock Hill, Missouri), the family's health, and family gossip. Jean's sister Katherine Brookes Gibson was married to Dr. Russell Gibson, professor of geology at Harvard University. In 1953, Russell accepted a State Department position assisting mining operations in Teheran, Iran. The position was a component of President Truman's Point Four Program (1951-1955), a technical assistance program designed to help underdeveloped nations while counteracting Soviet influence. Katherine joined him in 1954. A series of letters documents the family's time in Teheran. The letters discuss activities among the American families in Teheran, conditions in Iran, and some discussion of politics. Dr. Theodore Brookes, M.D., Jean’s brother, was a member of several civic organizations and the Boy Scouts of America. He often mentions his work with the Boy Scouts or expresses his opinions on topics that were discussed by speakers at various meetings. These letters provide opinions on issues such as Japanese aggression in the Pacific during the 1930s, religious beliefs, and contemporary medical issues. Jean Ingram Brookes’ diaries (1947-1975) chronicle the everyday events of her life but also include her thoughts on American politics, academic issues, and current events. The diaries include her thoughts and feelings surrounding events such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Vietnam, Watergate, and the resignation of President Richard Nixon. The diaries also present insight into the life of a college professor in the 1950s and 1960s.

Dates

  • 1928-1975

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org . Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

Biographical Sketch

Jean Ingram Brookes was born in St. Louis in 1898. She was the daughter of Henry Spence Brookes and Mary Louise Prewitt. Her father, Dr. Henry S. Brookes, was a general practitioner in St. Louis and a lecturer at Washington University School of Medicine. The family lived near Lafayette and Grand Avenues. Jean attended Washington University and received her A.B. in 1919. She continued her education at Radcliffe (graduated 1920) and later received her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1926. Brookes taught history at Goucher College (Baltimore, Maryland), Lander College (Greenwood, North Carolina), Mississippi College for Women (Columbus, Mississippi), Florida State College for Women (Tallahassee, Florida), Tusculum College, (Greenville, Tennessee), and College of Emporia (Emporia, Kansas). In 1926, her dissertation was published as Anglo-French Rivalry in the Pacific Islands, 1815-1861. In 1941, she published International Rivalry in the Pacific Islands, 1800-1875. Brookes never married. She died December 16, 1988, in St. Louis, and is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery.

Extent

10.75 Cubic Feet ( (20 boxes))

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Physical and Technical Requirements

There are no physical or technical restrictions.

Donor Information

The collection was donated by Dr. Robert D. Brookes, nephew of Jean Ingram Brookes, of St. Louis in 1996.

Processing Information

Processed by Christopher Gordon, December 2003.

Creator

Title
Inventory of Jean Ingram Brookes Papers
Status
Completed
Author
EAD by Jaime Bourassa using ArchivesSpace
Date
2017
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center Repository

Contact:
225 S. Skinker Blvd.
St. Louis MO 63105 United States
314-746-4510