Thomas W. Whitaker (1904-1993) served as a geneticist for the United States Department of Agriculture where he developed new varieties of cantaloupes, gourds, and lettuce. The collection contains his articles, talks, and manuscripts, as well as correspondence received upon his retirement, and a photograph album.

Thomas W. Whitaker was born on August 13, 1904 in Monrovia, California. He graduated from the University of California, Davis in 1927 and received his PhD in Biology at the University of Virginia in 1931. He served as a postdoctoral scholar at Harvard University in 1933. In 1934, he became an Associate Professor at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1936-1973, he worked as a geneticist for the United States Department of Agriculture where he developed better tasting and disease resistant varieties of cantaloupes, gourds, and lettuce.

1.8 linear feet

All applicable copyrights for the collection are protected under chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code. Requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California as the owner of the physical items. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Collection is open for research.