J. F. Gates Clarke Oral History Interviews, 1986

Object Details

interviewee

Clarke, J. F. Gates (John Frederick Gates) 1905-1990

Subject

Clarke, J. F. Gates (John Frederick Gates) 1905-1990

Busck, August 1870-1944

Heinrich, Carl

Muesebeck, Carl F. W (Carl Frederick William) 1894-

interviewer

Henson, Pamela M

Subject

National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Department of Entomology

National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Division of Insects

United States Bureau of Entomology

Washington State University

Cornell University

United States National Museum Department of Entomology

United States National Museum Department of Insects

John Frederick Gates Clarke (1905-1990) was a systematic entomologist specializing in Microlepidoptera. Clarke began collecting insects while growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Bellingham, Washington. He worked briefly as a pharmacist but returned to school to pursue postgraduate studies in entomology at Washington State University and Cornell University. He began his career as a lepidopterist in 1936 when he joined the staff of the Bureau of Entomology, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Clarke was stationed in the United States National Museum (USNM) where he worked on the systematics of Macrolepidoptera and, later, Microlepidoptera. In 1954, he transferred to the Smithsonian payroll and was appointed Curator of Insects in the USNM. In 1963, he assumed the position of Chair of the newly created Department of Entomology until his appointment as Senior Entomologist in 1965. After his retirement from the National Museum of Natural History in 1975, he continued his research as Curator Emeritus, until his death in 1990.

(1) Description in control file; (2) name index to transcript.

Forms part of the Smithsonian Institution Oral History Collection.

Organization

(1) Audiotapes, 12.5 hours; digital audio files, 12.5 hours; (2) transcript, 366 pages

Summary

These interviews of Clarke by Pamela M. Henson cover his youth and education, career as an entomologist and administrator at the USDA and NMNH, and reminiscences of field work, life in the National Museum, and colleagues, notably August Busck, Carl Heinrich and Carl Frederick William Muesebeck.

Repository Loc.

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520

1986

Local number

SIA RU009555

Type

Audiotapes

Collection descriptions

Transcripts

Physical description

16 audiotapes (Reference copies). 25 digital .mp3 files (Reference copies)

Place

Vancouver (B.C.)

Bellingham (Wash.)

Smithsonian Institution Archives

Topic

Entomology

Entomologists

Lepidoptera

Museum curators

Oral history

Interviews

Pharmacists

Record ID

siris_arc_217723

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0