Joseph E. Spencer (1907-1984) was a professor of geography at UCLA. His fields of expertise were East and Southeast Asia and cultural geography. The collection consists of manuscripts, course notes, syllabi, correspondence, publications, research files, and printed materials related to Spencer's life and career.

Spencer was born near Bolivar, Missouri, on September 11, 1907; grew up in the San Fernando Valley, California, and graduated from Burbank High School; BA, geography, UCLA, 1929; Ph.D, geography, University of California at Berkeley, 1936; worked for the Salt Revenue Administration Ministry of Finance, China, 1932-40; instructor in Geography, UCLA, 1940-42; served in World War II and afterwards returned to UCLA as an assistant professor; became professor of Geography (1953-75) and professor emeritus (1975-84); his fields of expertise were East and Southeast Asia and cultural geography; recipient of UCLA Teaching Award, 1966; received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Association of American Geographers in 1968; retired in 1975; died on May 23, 1984.

19 boxes (9.5 linear ft.) 6 oversize boxes

Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

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