Smithsonian Institution Archives

E. Yale Dawson Papers, 1934-1966

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU7097
Creators:
Dawson, Elmer Yale, 1918-1966
Dates:
1934-1966
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
10 cu. ft. (20 document boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Introduction

Introduction
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women’s Committee.

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
This collection contains papers documenting the professional and personal life of E. Yale Dawson, with most of the collection consisting of correspondence with colleagues. There are, in addition, a few segments of field notes and manuscript and typescript copies and drafts of some of his later publications. The collection generally does not include research and field notes, or publications.

Historical Note

Historical Note
Elmer Yale Dawson (1918-1966) came to the Smithsonian Institution in 1965 to accept the newly established position of curator of Cryptogamic Botany in the National Museum of Natural History. Dawson received his A.B. degree in 1940 from the University of California at Berkeley. Two years later he received his Ph.D. from the same institution. The research for his doctoral dissertation he conducted as a member of Captain Allan Hancock's expedition with the Velero III to the Gulf of California. The dissertation was published in 1944 as The Marine Algae of the Gulf of California (A. Hancock Pac. Exped. 3:189-464). After a term of service in the U. S. Army, Dawson was a research associate at the Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, from 1945 to 1955. In 1956 he was appointed professor of biology at University of Southern California, a position which he held, with some interruptions, until 1964. From 1958 to 1962 he served as research director of the Beaudette Foundation for Biological Research, in 1964 he was director of the San Diego Natural History Museum, and from 1964 until his death he served as secretary of the Americas for the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands. Dr. Dawson's research specialities included benthic marine algae, especially Rhodophyta of the tropical and subtropical Pacific; and Cactaceae. He published 165 books and papers, 96 of which were related to marine algae, the others mostly to cacti and succulents. Dawson's books include: How to Know the Seaweeds (1956), How to Know the Cacti (1963), The Cacti of California (1966), Seashore Plants of Southern California (1966), Seashore Plants of Northern California (1966), and Marine Botany: An Introduction (1966). On June 22, 1966 Dawson was drowned while diving for seaweeds in the Red Sea.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7097, E. Yale Dawson Papers

More Information

Notes

Personal Papers


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Dawson, Elmer Yale, 1918-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of Natural History (U.S.). Department of Botany Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
University of California (1868-1952) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States. Army Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Allan Hancock Foundation Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
University of Southern California Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Beaudette Foundation for Biological Research Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
San Diego Natural History Museum Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Charles Darwin Foundation Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Botany Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Field notes Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
Contact us at osiaref@si.edu