Scope and content
Dates
- 1915-2005.
Creator
- Abraham, George, 1915- (Person)
- Abraham, Katy. (Person)
Language of Materials
Collection material in English
Conditions Governing Use
Due to the fragility and potential degradation of moving image and sound recordings, viewing and listening is limited to items that have been digitized. If an item is in another media format, you may request to have the item digitized for access. Information on ordering access copies may be found on the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections webpage. Audio visual material that has been digitized: F-2867-2887
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
George "Doc" Abraham (Cornell Class of 1939) and Katherine "Katy" Mehlenbacher Abraham (Cornell Class of 1943) married on July 4, 1942, just before Doc shipped out with Task Force 5889, one of the U.S. Army's first integrated units, to safeguard Liberia's rubber plantations during World War II. Doc's parents were Lebanese immigrants. Katy dropped out of Cornell to work as a munitions inspector. She finished her degree after raising their two children, Leanna and Darryl, and actually graduated from Cornell in 1969. Katy and Doc operated a commercial greenhouse and florist shop, offered landscape architectural services, published nine books on gardening, and worked to extend the reach of their "Green Thumb" garden column. Doc also wrote "The belles of Shangri-La: and other stories of sex, snakes, and survival from World War II," published in 2000. Doc died on January 27, 2005 and Katy on May 25, 2005.
Extent
14.8 cubic feet. (14.8 cubic feet.)
Abstract
Papers of George and Katy Abraham including notes, correspondence showing life in the military in Africa during World War II.
SERIES LIST
Series I. Africa Boxes: 1-7
Subseries I.a. Correspondence, Clippings and Memorabilia Subseries I.b. Belles of Shangri-La files Subseries I.c. Photographs Subseries I.d. Photo Negatives Subseries I.e. Books Subseries I.f. Films Subseries I.g. CDs Subseries I.h. DVDs
Series II. Gardening Boxes: 8-22
Subseries II.a. Clippings, correspondence, photos and slides, Green Thumb articles, and personal files Subseries II.b. Green Thumb subject files, alphabetical Subseries II.c. Personal, Green Thumb, and gardening videotapes Subseries II.d. Green Thumb and gardening CDs Subseries II.e. Green Thumb and gardening DVDs Subseries II.f. Audio tapes Subseries II.g. Negatives: non-African Subseries II.h. Oversize and miscellaneous personal materials
Physical Description
Correspondence, Manuscripts, Photographs, Printed Materials, Research Materials
- Africa -- History -- 20th century.
- Egypt -- Pictorial works.
- Eritrea -- Pictorial works.
- Ethiopia -- Pictorial works.
- Gardening.
- Ghana -- Pictorial works.
- Home movies.
- Lebanese Americans.
- Liberia -- History -- 20th century.
- Liberia -- Pictorial works.
- Medicine -- Africa.
- Nigeria -- Pictorial works.
- Photographs.
- Radio scripts.
- United States. Army -- : African American troops -- : History -- : 20th century.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Africa.
- World War, 1939-1945 -- African Americans.
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Compiled by Kevin McMahon
- Date
- March 2008
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- ENG
Repository Details
Part of the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Repository
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca NY 14853
607-255-3530
607-255-9524 (Fax)
rareref@cornell.edu