Awards

Frederic Bachman Lieber Memorial Award - 1990

About Martha B. Kendall

Martha B. "Bonnie" Kendall, born on July 9, 1943, came to Indiana University in 1968 and went on to earn both her master's and doctoral degrees in anthropology. In this interview, she speaks of her childhood with extremely conservative, racist parents, a high-quality high school education in San Diego, and her eye-opening undergraduate years at the ultra-conservative College of William and Mary. Kendall discusses her field of anthropology and some of her negative experiences with the anthropology faculty at Indiana University, both as a student and as a fellow faculty member. She speaks of campus protests, effects of the Kent State University Massacre, the unfairness of associate instructorships, and the teaching versus research debate, especially in the context of her years teaching at Vassar College. In addition, Kendall discusses the negative changes in students' attitudes over the years. Some of the mentors and colleagues she speaks of are Carl Voegelin and Alan Merriam.