Margaret Mead Autograph Letters Signed 1963 Documenting Encounter Between Anthropologist and Poet Dylan Thomas

Margaret Mead

Manuscript & Autographs

Mead, Margaret. Two autograph letters signed, 1963, documenting her recollection of meeting poet Dylan Thomas at a New American Library gathering in mid century New York, providing direct evidence of interaction between leading figures in anthropology and literary culture. Written during a period when Mead was an established public intellectual shaping discourse on gender, education, and cultural relativism, the letters situate her within overlapping intellectual and publishing networks that connected social science and literary communities. The correspondence contributes to research on mid twentieth century cultural exchange, author networks, and the public role of anthropologists in American intellectual life.

Mead, Margaret. March 7, 1963 and August 13, 1963. Two letters. The first letter is secretarially signed on official museum stationery and notes that it was “Drafted by Dr. Mead, Signed in her absence.” The second letter bears Mead’s full autograph signature. Both respond to an inquiry regarding her encounter with Dylan Thomas, with Mead recalling: “I recall meeting Dylan Thomas at a party given by the New American Library…” The correspondence offers a brief but direct account of a social interaction between Mead and Thomas, confirming their presence within shared literary and publishing environments in New York.

Written a decade after Thomas’s death in 1953, the letters document the continued cultural interest in his literary legacy and the retrospective framing of his presence in American intellectual circles. Mead’s career, including works such as Coming of Age in Samoa and Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies, positioned her as a central figure in debates over gender roles and cultural norms, while Thomas remained a prominent figure in twentieth century poetry. The letters place these two figures within a common social setting, illustrating the convergence of scientific and literary communities in mid century urban culture. Light handling wear; overall very good. A focused example of correspondence linking anthropology and literary history through documented personal encounter.

Item #16005

Price: $750.00