The S. Ann Dunham papers, 1965-2013, primarily document her work as an economic anthropologist in Indonesia. The papers include her dissertation research on blacksmithing and materials relating to her professional work as a consultant for organizations like the Ford Foundation and Bank Raykat Indonesia (BRI). Her work included projects on microcredit, women in development, and rural industries. Materials consist of field notebooks, correspondence, reports, research proposals, case studies, surveys, lectures, photographs, research files, and floppy disks.
Scope and Contents:
The S. Ann Dunham papers, 1965-2013, primarily document her work as an economic anthropologist in Indonesia. The papers include her dissertation research on blacksmithing and materials relating to her professional work as a consultant for organizations like the Ford Foundation and Bank Raykat Indonesia (BRI). Her work included projects on microcredit, women in development, and rural industries. Materials consist of field notebooks, correspondence, reports, research proposals, case studies, surveys, lectures, photographs, research files, and floppy disks.
The field notebooks are mostly written in English, but also contain a mixture of Indonesian and Javanese, and include notes from her years of fieldwork in central Java, work-related travel, experiences as a consultant, and notes on readings.
The bulk of the professional materials relate to Dunham's work at the Ford Foundation as Program Officer for Women and Employment in Jakarta from 1981-1984. Her work with the Provincial Development Program in the Indonesian Department of Industries, a consultancy in Pakistan, at Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), and at Women's World Banking are represented to a lesser degree.
Academic materials primarily deal with Dunham's work toward her PhD, including her comprehensive exams and her dissertation.
The personal and biographical materials include limited material regarding her son, President Barack Obama, and a comprehensive collection of her resumes and qualifications.
The bulk of the photographs relate to Dunham's early field research for dissertation, and subsequently her work as a consultant.
Materials related to Dunham's computer files from 1991-1995 includes floppy disks, inventories, copies of floppy disks on CDs with content lists, and printouts of selected documents. They include final versions of her dissertation and files relating to her work with Women's World Banking and DAI (Development Alternatives Incorporated). The floppy disks and CD-roms are unavailable for research. The printed inventories, content lists, and documents are available.
The reference and research materials were collected by Dunham over the course of her career and studies. A bibliography of the majority of the reference and research materials is filed with the materials.
The collected materials about S. Ann Dunham comprise files posthumously collected by Bronwen Solyom about Dunham and her legacy. These include academic files, publication files, biographical material, and files relating to the recognition of Dunham and her work.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in 8 series: Series 1. Field notebooks, 1977-1994; Series 2. Professional, 1974-1994, undated; Series 3. Academic, 1973-1992, undated; Series 4. Personal and biographical, 1965-1994, undated; Series 5. Photographs, 1978-1992, undated; Series 6. Computer files, 1991-2012, undated; Series 7. Reference and research, circa 1969-2012, undated; Series 8. Collected materials about S. Ann Dunham, 1972-2013, undated.
Biographical Note:
Chronology
1942 November 29 -- Born in Wichita, Kansas
1961 August 4 -- Son Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. born in Hawaii
1967 -- BA, Department of Anthropology, University of Hawaii
1967 -- First trip to Indonesia
1970 August 15 -- Daughter Maya Soetoro born in Indonesia
1972-1973 -- Asia Foundation grant
1973-1974 -- Part-time instructor in handicrafts, Bishop Museum, Honolulu
1973-1978 -- East-West Center, Technology and Development Institute grant
1975 -- M.A. in Anthropology, University of Hawaii
1975 -- Went to Indonesia for PhD fieldwork
1979-1980 -- Consultant on international development, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
1981-1984 -- Program Officer for Women and Employment, Ford Foundation Regional Office for Southeast Asia, Jakarta
1986-1987 -- Rural Development Consultant to the Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan, under the Gujranwala Integrated Rural Development Project (GADP), credit component
1988-1992 -- Research Coordinator and Consultant to the Bank Rakyat Indonesia (under 3 separate contracts funded by the World Bank and USAID in microfinance)
1992 -- PhD, Department of Anthropology, University of Hawaii
1992-1994 -- Research and Policy Coordinator, Women's World Bank, New York City
1995 November 7 -- Died in Honolulu
Stanley Ann Dunham was an anthropologist who worked primarily in Indonesia conducting research for her PhD in economic anthropology while also building a professional career as an international consultant with various non-governmental organizations. Born in 1942 in Kansas, Dunham attended high school in Mercer Island, WA and moved to Honolulu, HI with her family. She attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa where she received her BA in 1967, her MA in 1975, and her PhD in 1992, all in anthropology.
Dunham's research and work dealt mostly with Indonesian handicrafts and small non-argricultural rural industries, including the study of economic and technical aspects that were important to enabling and sustaining development and village level microfinance programs.
Her dissertation Peasant Blacksmithing in Indonesia: Surviving Against all Odds was completed in 1992. The first half of her dissertation was published posthumously in 2009.
Dunham is the mother of President Barack Obama.
She died on November 7, 1995 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
(Chronology courtesy of the Ann Dunham Chronology by Ellen Chapman, S. Ann Dunham papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.)
Separated Materials:
Objects have been transferred to the Anthropology Collections department. For more information please contact the department at 301.238.1340.
Provenance:
These papers were donated to the NAA by Ann Dunham's daughter, Maya Soetoro-Ng, in 2011.
Restrictions:
The S. Ann Dunham papers are open for research.
Electronic records are unavailable for research. Please contact the reference archivist for additional information.
Access to the S. Ann Dunham papers requires an appointment.
Group of Male Actors, Members Of Sultan's Royal Family (Center: Prince Who Stars as Hero in Hindu Legend Called, "Sri Suwelo"; Each Side: Characters Representing Portuguese Invaders of Java, 400 Years Ago); All in Costume With Ornaments
Local Numbers:
NAA INV.05010901
Local Note:
Black and white photomechanical print
Place:
Indonesia -- Indonesian Islands -- Java
Dutch East Indies -- Indonesian Islands -- Java
Topic:
Language and languages -- Documentation Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Citation:
Photo Lot 97 DOE Oceania: Indonesia: Java: Gen/Misc 05010901, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Prince Gusti Pangeran Ario Adikusumo, Brother of Sultan, in Role of Siva on Throne And Group of Nymphs; All in Costume with Gold and Precious Stone Ornaments
Local Numbers:
NAA INV.05010909
Local Note:
Black and white photomechanical print
Place:
Indonesia -- Indonesian Islands -- Java
Dutch East Indies -- Indonesian Islands -- Java
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Citation:
Photo Lot 97 DOE Oceania: Indonesia: Java: Gen/Misc 05010909, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
