History of Public Health at Harvard

Records from the various deans of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health can be found in both manuscript and institutional collections. The following is an inclusive list, organized by dean and span of their tenure. 

Unless otherwise stated, all collections below are unprocessed and available in print, only. To arrange for access, submit a request to the reference team at the Center for the History of Medicine. Please contact the Harvard Chan School Archivist with questions relating to accessing these resources.

Joint Deanship with the Harvard Medical School
Term of office: September 1, 1922 – August 31, 1935

• Edsall, David Linn (1869-1945) papers, 1881-1964 (inclusive); GA 23, 21 boxes, indexed (contact Public Services)

• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean. 
  • Photographs, 1913-1956 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1920-2004 (inclusive)

Term of office: September 1, 1935 – November 30, 1942

• Drinker, Cecil Kent (1887-1956) papers, 1898-1958; 3.25 cubic feet, Partially processed
• *Papers of Cecil Kent Drinker, 1920-1949 (inclusive), 1936-1949 (bulk); 0.21 cubic feet. Unpublished shelf list available in repository. Available at the Harvard University Archives in Cambridge, MA. 
• Log of the Ketch Tautog, 1934-1948 (inclusive); 3 vols. 
• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean.
  • Records, 1920-2004 (inclusive)
  • Records of Dean Cecil Kent Drinker, 1916-1948 (inclusive)
  • Photographs, 1913-1956 (inclusive)
• Records of the Harvard School of Public Health, 1913-1976 (bulk) (E 72)

Term of office: December 1, 1942 – June 30, 1946

• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean. 
  • Photographs, 1913-1956 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1920-2004 (inclusive)
• Records of the Harvard School of Public Health, 1913-1976 (bulk) (E 72)

Term of office: July 1, 1946 – January 14, 1954

• Simmons, James Stevens, 1890-1954; personal and professional records, 1942-1949 (inclusive). H MS c257, 1 cubic foot, unprocessed (contact Public Services). 
• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean. 
  • Photographs, 1913-1956 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1920-2004 (inclusive)
• Records of the Harvard School of Public Health, 1913-1976 (bulk) (E 72)

Term of office: January 15, 1954 – June 30, 1971

• Snyder, John Crayton, 1910-; papers, 1944-1946; H MS c395; 0.4 cubic feet; unprocessed (contact Public Services). 

• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean. 
  • Departmental reports, 1956-1958
  • Executive administrative records, 1970-2015 (inclusive)
  • Photographs, 1913-1956 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1920-2004 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1961-1985 (inclusive)
• Records of the Harvard School of Public Health, 1913-1976 (bulk) (E 72)

Acting Dean
Term of office: July 1, 1971 – June 30, 1972

• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean.
  • Executive administrative records, 1970-2015 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1920-2004 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1961-1985 (inclusive)
• Records of the Harvard School of Public Health, 1913-1976 (bulk) (E 72)

Term of office: July 1, 1972 – June 30, 1984

• Howard H. Hiatt papers, 1940-2014 (inclusive), 1975-2001 (bulk)
• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean.
  • Executive administrative records, 1970-2015 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1920-2004 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1961-1985 (inclusive)
  • Special event records, 1975-1990 (inclusive)
• Records of the Harvard School of Public Health, 1913-1976 (bulk) (E 72)

Term of office: July 1, 1984 – June 30, 1997

• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean.
  • Executive administrative records, 1970-2015 (inclusive)
  • Meeting records, 1984-1986 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1920-2004 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1961-1985 (inclusive)
  • Self Study reports, 1994-2001 (inclusive)
  • Special event records, 1975-1990 (inclusive)
  • Standing committee records, 1994-2009 (inclusive)

Acting Dean
Term of office: July 1, 1997 – December 31, 1998

• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean.
  • Conference, seminar, and special event records, 1997-2008 (inclusive)
  • Executive administrative records, 1970-2015 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1920-2004 (inclusive)
  • Records of Deans James H. Ware and Barry R. Bloom, 1998-2006 (inclusive)
  • Self Study reports, 1994-2001 (inclusive)
  • Standing committee records, 1994-2009 (inclusive)

Term of office: January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2008

• Barry R. Bloom papers, 2001-2016 (inclusive)
• Harvard School of Public Health. Office of the Dean. 
  • Records of Deans James H. Ware and Barry R. Bloom, 1998-2006 (inclusive)
  • Records, 1920-2004
  • Conference, seminar, and special event records, 1997-2008 (inclusive)
  • Executive administrative records, 1970-2015 (inclusive)
  • Self Study reports, 1994-2001 (inclusive)
  • Standing committee records, 1994-2009 (inclusive)
  • Symposium records, 2001-2004 (inclusive)

Term of office: January 1, 2009 – August 15, 2015

• Harvard School of Public Health/Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Office of the Dean.
  • Executive administrative records, 1970-2015 (inclusive)
  • Memorabilia, 2011 (inclusive)
  • Standing committee records, 1994-2009 (inclusive)

Acting Dean
Term of office: August 16, 2015 – June 30, 2016

Term of office: July 1, 2016 – Present

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Office of the Dean.

• University publications, 2020-2022 (inclusive) [archived websites]