Mary E. Godfrey (1913-2007): Penn State’s First African American Full-Time Faculty Member

Abstract

Art educator Mary Godfrey was notably the first African American full-time faculty member hired at Penn State in 1957. In 2005, however, the extent of Penn State’s archival records on Godfrey consisted of one index card in the Special Collections’ card catalog that read “Godfrey, Mary E.: Retires after 22 yrs of service.” In this article, I address issues around the making of art education histories and the archival representation of contributions to the field by and about marginalized groups. I present findings from a sustained archival study involving the collection and interpretive analysis of Godfrey’s archival papers, eventually accessioned in 2008, and interview data from two dissertation studies. Assuming a role of citizen archivist, I also provide a case for why archives matter, calling for art educators to take responsibility in assisting archivists in furthering the archival mission by contributing to and diversifying the art education historical record.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I acknowledge my utmost gratitude for the support of Jackie Esposito, Penn State University Archivist and Head of Records Management, as well as Paul Schlotthauer, Pratt Institute Archivist.

Notes

¹ I also contacted Hollingsworth at this time about archiving his dissertation data consisting of interviews with Mrs. Lowenfeld, Mary Godfrey, and Joseph Guillard (Hampton Institute colleague). However, Hollingsworth explained that materials were destroyed in flooding from Hurricane Katrina. This was reconfirmed recently (C. Hollingsworth, personal communication, January 14, 2017).

² At the time of this writing, The Lydia Dambekalns Collection on Art Education has not yet been processed with a finding aid. Therefore, I cite these materials with date and description only. For further interest in studying this collection, researchers should contact the Penn State Special Collections directly and request an appointment at [phone].

³ See the Finding Aid for The Mary Godfrey Papers: www.libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/6447.htm

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ However, the 1920 Census Records show that Godfrey’s parents had seven children. See: “United States Census, 1920,” database with images, Family Search (https://familysearch.orgark:/61903/1:1:MJBK-GZW, accessed May 3, 2017), Louise C. Godfrey in household of Henry B. Godfrey, Manhattan Assembly District 14, New York, New York, United States; citing ED 1034, sheet 7B, line 55, family 154, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1211; FHL microfilm 1,821,211.

⁶ Other documents reveal that Mary Godfrey’s grandmother Emmeline may not have been her maternal grandmother rather than her paternal grandmother (as noted by Dambelkalns). A photo taken in 1910 of an Emmeline Queen Victoria Shepperson marks “Reid” after the full name indicating that her grandmother’s married name was Reid. Another photo shows Emmelines’s gravestone at Union Cemetery in Charlotte Courthouse, Va. (Emmeline Q.V. Shepperson Reid 1850-1953). See: www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=27566801&PIpi=57583212#.WQXiIXBt2vw.email. Additionally, both Stella Bigham Godfrey White’s death certificate and the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History (2006) show that their mother’s maiden name was Reid (although spelled “Read” on the latter).

⁷ “Godfrey, Mary” Biographical Vertical File 1892-Present. PSUA3. Penn State University Archives, Special Collections Library, Pennsylvania State University, University Park.

⁸ See the Penn State Biographical Vertical Files, 1892 to present, PSUA 3: www.libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/3.htm

⁹ Godfrey had started coursework toward her doctorate at Penn State but never finished.

¹⁰ According to Mrs. Lowenfeld (interviewed by Hollingsworth, 1990, p. 169), Viktor Lowenfeld had a heart condition. His first heart attack was in 1939 at the age of 36. Mattil also discussed an incident in 1958 when Lowenfeld survived a stroke (E. Mattil, personal communication, January 5, 2006). He died in 1960, 10 days after suffering another stroke while addressing the Penn State Senate.

¹¹ See the Library of Congress for DIY tips on preserving your own records: www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving