Collection ID: IULC025
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Collection context

Summary

Abstract:
The Jeanette Carter Papers spans the dates 1928-2014. Renowned anthropologist on West Africa and women, this collections includes her research on women in Liberia and the Gambia, personal accounts of the Liberian Civil War, her field notes, research on ethnic groups, and extensive reports, publications and news articles on Liberia.
Extent:
23 cubic feet; (23 records cartons)
Language:
Materials are primarily in English
Preferred citation:

[item], Jeanette Carter Papers, Bloomington, IN: Liberian Collections, Indiana University Libraries, 2014

Background

Biographical / Historical:

Dr. Jeanette Carter serves as a senior consultant to the Liberian Land Commission and is affiliated with the University of Liberia as director of its research institute. She earned her doctorate in anthropology from the University of Oregon, studying under Vernon R. Dorjahn, a student of Melville Herskovits. Her first involvement with Liberia was in the late 1960s when she conducted her dissertation research in Lofa County on changing household organization and the money economy. Dr. Carter taught anthropology at the University of Iowa and then became involved with the University of Liberia in the early 1970s when she was a Fulbright Professor. She has participated in several research projects for USAID, including a baseline study of women’s roles and status and a study of management in the agricultural sector (with Professor Amos Sawyer). During and after the years of conflict in Liberia, she worked in several capacities with the UN and several international NGOs, including Catholic Relief Services and AfriCare. She helped establish STAR Radio, an independent station, in 1997. She also served as a research and policy consultant to Liberia’s Governance Commission, chaired by Dr. Amos Sawyer, until joining the Land Commission.

Scope and Content:

The Civil War series contains Carter's first hand accounts and correspondence with family and friends while in Liberia during the Civil War. Also included in this series are news clippings, reports, information on Sierra Leone, refugees, and post conflict resolution.

The Ethnic Group series includes reports and papers on many of the different ethnic groups in Liberia with focus on the Kpelle and the Loma.

The Government series is primarily divided into government agencies but also includes task forces and commission reports.

The Organizations series indcludes materials on many of the groups and organizations Carter was affiliated with as well as collected reports from other organizations. Some included are Friends of Liberia, The United Nations, University of Liberia, The World Bank, and the Carter Center.

The Publications and News series includes newspapers, magazines, journals, and other articles on Liberia. Also included in this series is a subseries on Gambian newspapers.

The Reports and Papers series is divided into three subseries: Africa, Liberia, and reports written by Jeanette E. Carter. Subjects in the first two subseries inlcude agriculture, colonialism, economics, family, health, politics, and history. The final subseries includes various drafts and publications of Carter's papers. Titles inlude The Loma Soldier as a Labor Migrant, Profile of Liberian Women in Development and include other papers on women, markets, and agriculture with a focus on the Loma.

The Research series is an exhaustive series which includes the subseries Censuses, Field Notes, the Gambis, Surveys and Questionnaires, Women, and Worker/Consumer Ratios. Other highlights include the Monrovia Employment Survey, the University of Liberia Student Questionnaire, Firestone work records, and household dynamics. The Gambia subseries includes a lot of research Carter conducted on tourism in that country.

The Subject Files series includes miscellaneous materials collected by Carter included conference materials, correspondence, bibliographies, and personal ephemera.

Acquisition information:
Donation from Jeanette Carter
Custodial history:

Copyright interests for this collection have been transferred to the Trustees of Indiana University. For more information, contact the Indiana University Liberian Collections

Processing information:

Processed by Megan MacDonald

Completed in 2014.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized into eight series:

  1. Civil War
  2. Ethnic Groups
  3. Government
  4. Organizations
  5. Publications and News
  6. Reports and Papers
  7. Research
  8. Subject Files

Access

RESTRICTIONS:

Closed for research.

TERMS OF ACCESS:

All research at the Liberian Collections Project is by appointment only.

PREFERRED CITATION:

[item], Jeanette Carter Papers, Bloomington, IN: Liberian Collections, Indiana University Libraries, 2014

CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
Herman B Wells Library
1320 East Tenth Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
BEFORE YOU VISIT:
Attention Visiting Researchers: The African Studies Collection is currently closed for research.
CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
CONTACT:
afstlib@indiana.edu