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Electronic finding aid encoded by Jessica Lynn

Summary Information

Repository
Liberian Collections
Indiana University
504 North Fess Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47408
Phone: (812) 856-0782
Email: liberia@indiana.edu
https://libraries.indiana.edu/african-studies

Creator
John Gay

Title
John Gay Collection, 1916-2002

Collection No.
LCP2002/001

Extent
12 cubic feet; 12 records cartons

Language
Materials are primarily in English

Abstract
John Gay is a former professor and current scholar of Liberian and African studies. He began his career as a missionary for the Episcopal Church, teaching at Cuttington College in Liberia. John also had a number of fellowships that allowed him to develop his research and publish several works covering the civil war conflicts, culture, and social issues in Liberia. Though retired, John continues to have an active role in Liberian studies and currently serves on the Advisory Committee of the International Institute for Justice and Development. This collection contains his research, student publications, and other scholarly works.

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions for this collection.

Biographical Note

John Gay is considered to be an expert on the subect of the Westernization of traditional societies. A priest, professor and scholar, Gay often writes about the civil war conflicts in Liberia and the clash between Westernization and traditional culture in his novels, articles and non-fiction works, His works include:

The Rev. Dr. Gay served as an Episcopal missionary with his wife, The Rev. Dr. Judy Gay, in Liberia from 1958-1974. Gay and his wife continued their missionary work in Lesotho until he took an early retirement in 2001. In Lesotho he worked with the Sechaba Consultants on social and economic analysis, as well as various agricultural projects.

Gay began his missionary work in Africa at Cuttington College (now Cuttington University) located in Suacoco, Liberia, serving periodically from 1958-1965, 1966-1968, and 1970-1973. For those years he was Chairperson of the Social Science division and also Dean of Instruction from 1958-1960. Along with teaching, Gay also supervised student research projects, worked within the community, and conducted his own research. During a few of his years away from Cuttington, Gay had fellowships at Stanford University, 1965-1966, and Cambridge University, 1975-1976, and again in 1986. Gay took that time to study how new ideas in theology and social and economic development relate, as well as write up his research from in Liberia.

Gay later taught sociology and African studies at the National University of Lesotho. For two of those years Gay taught as a Fulbright Lecturer. He also voluntarily taught at the Anglican theological seminaries in Lesotho and South Africa.

After retirement, Gay became involved with the Episcopal Divinity School and Boston University, organizing seminary tours in Africa and administering contextual theology consultation at the Episcopal Divinity School.

Gay continues his support in current research done at Sechaba Consultants in Cambridge and in several visits completed from 2002-2005 to Lesotho, South Africa and Namibia. Because of his expertise, he now serves on the Advisory Committee of the International Institute for Justice and Development (IIJD).

Arrangement

The collection consists of seven series, which are divided into subseries. The series are as follows:

Scope and Content Note

The materials in the John Gay Collection consist of personal papers, publications, newspaper clippings, journals and magazines, interviews, and maps.

Specifically, the Agriculture series contains histories, interviews, names of plant varieities, reports, publications, and farming & land information.

The Culture series contains extensive field notes and papers documenting every facet of Liberian culture, including folklore and social structures. The series also contains the following: hand drawn maps, family histories, interviews, photographs of people and artwork, music, board game rules, myths, and religious information.

The Economy series contains industry case studies, company information, censuses, papers on trade, development, and slave trade.

The Education series contains curriculum information, papers on education development & reform, professional organization information, literacy projects, and papers & reports on problems in the educational systems of Liberia.

The Government series consists of papers on settlers, past presidents, government practices, foreign policy, and civil conflicts. Also included are articles, clippings, reports, maps and information on Liberian geography, interviews & papers on political systems, transcripts & reports on legal cases & trials, agendas, programs, and letters.

The Linguistics series contains Kpelle classifcation papers and field notes & research on the Kpelle language. Proverbs and information on other languages such as Loma & Liberian English are also included.

The Publications series contains scholarly works such as dissertations and theses, essays, official reports, poems, language & educational workbooks, journals, newspapers, magazines, and newsletters.

• Indexing Terms

• The following terms have been used to index this collection.

• • Names
  • Gay, John
  • D'Azevedo, Warren L.
  • Hayden, Tom
  • Holsoe, Svend E.
  • Tolbert, William R.
  • Tubman, William V. S., 1895 - 1971
  • Welmers, William Everett, 1916-
  • Cuttington College and Divinity School
  • Friends of Liberia (Organization)
  • LAMCO
  • Liberia. Dept. of Education
  • Liberia. Ministry of Agriculture
  • Liberia. Ministry of Education
  • Liberia Watch for Human Rights
  • Liberian Research Association
  • National Teachers' Association of Liberia
  • Unesco
  • University of Liberia
• • Places
  • Balama (Liberia)
  • Liberia
  • Lofa County (Liberia)
• • Topics
  • Liberia -- History -- 20th Century

Separated Materials

All audio materials have been removed from collection and stored elsewhere for better storage and preservation.

Administrative Information

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