Biographical Material and Photographs
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the personal drafts, newspaper clippings, and correspondence of Sara Yorke Stevenson, a prominent Philadelphian archaeolgist, activist, and civil leader in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Stevenson's work touched many parts of Philadelphia life; from the intellectual circles of the Furness-Mitchell Coterie, to the wider female audience of the Equal Franchise Society of Philadelphia. Her close relationship with University of Pennsylvania provost William Pepper, sparked by Stevenson's role as one of the founders of the university's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, is also reflected in their frequent correspondence. Of particular note in this collection is a series of newspaper clippings related to the Hilprecht-Peters affair of 1905. Hermann Volrath Hilprecht, curator of the Penn Museum's Semitic section, was the target of much controversy in the summer of this year due to accusations of unscholarly conduct levied against him by colleagues on the professor's expeditions to Iraq. Stevenson's prominent role as curator meant that she led one of the internal committees investigating the matter, but resigned her from position and never returned to the museum due to perceived interference from the university's Board of Trustees in defense of Hilprecht.
Dates
- 1880 - 1922
Conditions Governing Access
There are no special restrictions to access of this collection. It may be examined by library patrons under the normal rules and conditions of the Department of Special Collections.
Extent
From the Collection: 2.75 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
1900 West Olney Avenue
Philadelphia PA 19141 United States