Collection Guide
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Brantley (Cynthia)
Papers
D-514
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
University of California, Davis Library,
Dept. of Special Collections
Title: Cynthia Brantley Papers
Creator:
Brantley,
Cynthia
Identifier/Call Number: D-514
Identifier/Call Number: 733
Physical Description:
19 linear
feet
Date (inclusive): 1966-2002
Abstract: Research materials
for UC Davis Professor of History Cynthia Brantley's books and
materials from the year Brantley spent in Nigeria
(1966-1967).
Physical Location: Researchers should
contact Archives and Special Collections to request collections,
as many are stored offsite.
Dr. Cynthia Brantley was a historian, professor, and published author. She was born in Port Arthur, Texas on March 13th, 1943
to Tom and Rachel Allen Brantley. She received a Bachelor of Arts in diplomatic history from the University of Texas, Austin
in 1965. Partly influenced by her fiancé’s interest in Africa at the time, she accepted a fellowship by the Rotary International
to study in Ibadan, Nigeria for nine months in 1966, where she took part in undergraduate courses for Nigerian history. The
following year, she further received a master’s in history followed by a doctorate in history in 1972, both from the University
of California, Los Angeles. That same year, Dr. Brantley became the first female professor in the history department for the
University of California, Davis where she worked as an assistant professor from 1972 to 1980. In 1980, she became an associate
professor for the university.
In addition to being the first female professor of the department, Dr. Brantley became the first professor in African studies
in the history department, launching the program and teaching classes on East Africa, West Africa, and Southern Africa. In
1998, she started a graduate program for African studies with her colleague Benjamin Lawrence.
Dr. Brantley’s research focused mainly on African nutritional history, African women’s history, and American women’s history.
Her most notable works in African history are The Giriama and Colonial Resistance in Kenya, 1800-1920 and Feeding Families:
African Realities and British Ideas of Nutrition and Development in Early Colonial Africa.
She was also tasked with creating the first course in American Women’s History for the university. Dr. Brantley was involved
in a number of committees on campus, including the Status of Women at Davis committee, of which she served as chair. She was
also a member of the committee on committees for the university. Her work in these committees eventually led both to the creation
of the Women’s Studies program and the university’s Women’s Resource Center. Dr. Brantley also served as the chair for the
Oversight Committee for the Women’s Resource Center.
Dr. Brantley was involved in a number of organizations, including the American History Association and the African History
Association.
During her career, her work earned her many awards, including the Chancellor’s Award for Mentoring Undergraduate Research.
She was known for both her emotional and financial support of her students.
In 2009, Dr. Brantley retired from her position as associate professor at the University of California, Davis, suffering from
fronto-temporal lobar degeneration. Dr. Brantley passed away in her Davis home on September 20th, 2018. She is survived by
her partner, Nancy Peden, her sister Betty Sue Norton, and her nephews David and Mark Norton.
Collection contains research materials for Brantley's books,
"The Giriama and Colonial Resistance in Kenya, 1800-1920" and
"Feeding Families: African Realities and British Ideas of
Nutrition and Development in Early Colonial Africa," as well as
materials from the year Brantley spent in Nigeria
(1966-1967).
Collection is open for research.
Liz Phillips encoded this finding aid with help from student
assistant Aditi Sinha. The biography was written by Sacramento State Public History graduate student Alison Blecman.
[Identification of item], Cynthia Brantley Papers, D-514,
Archives and Special Collections, UC Davis Library Library,
University of California, Davis.
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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Food supply -- Malawi
Nutrition policy -- Malawi
Giryama (African people) --
History
Kenya -- History -- To 1963
University of California, Davis --
Faculty -- Archives