Description:

Alfred C. Kinsey
Bloomfield, IN, ca. 1947 & 1953
Alfred C. Kinsey Revolutionary Sexologist Two TLS During Height of His Career
TLS

Alfred C. Kinsey (1894-1972). Two typed letters signed "Alfred C. Kinsey", 1p each, on Indiana University letterhead, 8.5" x 11", Bloomington, Indiana, January 21, 1947 and March 23, 1953, both addressed to Mr. Virgil Smith of the Department of Speech at Indiana University. Both letters exhibit very light toning and expected mailing folds but are in fine condition.

This pair of letters from renowned biologist and pioneering sex researcher Alfred C. Kinsey to fellow Indiana University faculty-member Mr. Virgil Smith of the Department of Speech congratulate Mr. Smith on performances of plays at the university theater. These letters were written at the height of Kinsey's career researching human sexuality at Indiana University, where his forward-thinking science made him a widely circulated name in the academy and within American popular culture. These letters also date to the time of significant development of the Department of Speech into a Department of Theatre and Drama.

Alfred C. Kinsey was an influential researcher in zoology and biology. He received his doctorate from Harvard University and was hired at Indiana University shortly thereafter. After establishing a solid career researching gall wasps, he responded to a student petition to create a class on "Marriage and Family", a change in focus that would shape the trajectory of his career. In 1947 he founded The Institute for Sex Research where he and a team undertook the most extensive research to date on human sexuality, involving thousands of detailed interviews. This research smashed societal norms around sexuality still moored in the Victorian era and foresaw the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Yet, Kinsey himself never saw the era of sexual liberation his science helped to create, dying of heart failure at the age of 62 in 1956. Nevertheless, his research and name live on in the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, with a mission to foster and promote a greater understanding of human sexuality, relationships, and well-being through research, outreach, education, and historical preservation.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Medium: TLS

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