Michael and Linda Doochin Collection

Scope and Contents

The Michael and Linda Doochin collection contains materials related to the Doochin's photographic travels between 1977 and 2019, including following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Rhodesia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. The collection formats include 35mm slides and 6 videos recorded with Sony 120 video Hi8 60 Digital8.

Arrangement

The collection is physically organized to reflect the creator's original organization into slide carousels. The collection is digitally arranged alphabetically by country, ensuring that users can easily locate slides based on geographic location. This dual arrangement preserves the original context and order of the physical materials while enhancing digital accessibility and searchability for researchers.

Biographical / Historical

Over a span of more than 40 years, Linda Kartoz-Doochin and Michael Doochin have pursued a lifelong passion for learning about diverse peoples, cultures, and customs during their international travels, including trips to Africa, Bhutan, Burma (Myanmar), China, New Guinea, several Oceanian countries, and numerous other locations. Between 1977 and 2019, the Doochins traveled to nineteen African countries on excursions organized and led by various local guides, zoologists, archeologists, and anthropologists. During each trip, they documented their experiences through photographs and video.

An entrepreneur and community leader, Linda received a BA from Barnard College – where she developed an early interest in cultural anthropology as a student of noted anthropologist Margaret Mead – and an MBA from the Harvard Graduate school of Business. During her business career, she has been recognized in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Industry and Finance, and honored for her leadership in the National Society of Plastic Engineers. Linda has served on the Board of Trustees for the Nashville Public Education Foundation, and numerous other Boards of Directors and varied educational and social service endeavors, including the YWCA, YWCA Shelter and Domestic Violence Program, Oasis Center, Jewish Federation of Nashville, and the Harvard Alumni Association. A strong advocate for families and education, Linda was instrumental in starting the first shelter for victims of domestic violence in Nashville and has long been involved with programs dealing with families, teens, education and social issues.

An accomplished photographer, painter, and author, Michael has a BA in Economics from Williams College and an MBA in Economics from Harvard Business School, institutions where he explored his interest in the growth of developing countries. Michael is an owner and manager of a packaging and label manufacturer. He maintains a strong interest in natural history and healing energy. He is a Certified Tennessee Naturalist and maintains a certified arboretum on the grounds of his business. He has served on numerous nonprofit boards, often in officer roles, including chair of The American Chestnut Association and at the Tennessee Naturalist Program. Michael is also a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner and the author of two published books, The Tzaddik (2010) and The Mystical Naturalist (2017).

Influenced by the natural holistic approaches to well-being and health that they witnessed during their travels, Linda and Michael embarked on a path to study holistic energy healing and became Certified Healing Touch* Practitioners in 2006. They have studied with energy medicine luminaries, Donna Eden, Rosalyn Bruyere, James Oschman, and Bonnie Johnson. As a composer of music and lyrics, Linda endeavors to infuse all of her compositions with uplifting healing energy. As an abstract and realist oil painter, Michael has painted scenes from his trips. Exhibits of his paintings and photographs include shows at Cheekwood Museum of Art, Centennial Art Center, Alive Hospice, the Gordon Jewish Community Center, and University School in Nashville.