Annette Kar Baxter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Annette Kar Baxter
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Annette Kar Baxter from the 1959 Barnard yearbook.
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| Born | November 12, 1926 |
| Died | September 18, 1983 |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | New York University Barnard College (AB) Smith College (AM) Radcliffe College (AM) Brown University (PhD) |
Annette Kar Baxter (born November 12, 1926 – died September 18, 1983) was an American expert in women's history. She was also a professor and an author. She spent most of her career at Barnard College. There, in 1966, she taught one of the first classes about women's history to college students.
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Early Life and Learning
Annette Kar Baxter was born in New York, New York, on November 12, 1926.
She first went to New York University for one year. Then, she moved to Barnard College. In 1947, she earned her bachelor's degree from Barnard. She also started working at Random House, a book publisher. She was an editorial assistant, helping to prepare books for publishing.
After Barnard, she went back to school. She earned a master's degree from Smith College in 1948. She got another master's degree from Radcliffe College in 1949.
Her Career and Work
Annette Baxter then began her long career at Barnard College. She started as a lecturer and later became an associate in the history department. From 1953 to 1959, she worked for a special group at Columbia. This group studied American history and culture. She also helped with a project for the American Studies Association.
Becoming a Professor
In 1958, she earned her Ph.D. (a high-level degree) from Brown. After this, she became a lecturer in history at Barnard. Two years later, she became an associate. In 1966, she was made an assistant professor of history. She quickly became an associate professor. By 1971, she was a full professor. In 1975, she received a special honor. She was given an "endowed chair," which is a very important teaching position. It was named after Adolph and Effie Ochs.
A Leader in Women's History
Professor Baxter was a true pioneer in the study of women's history. In 1966, she taught one of the very first women's history classes for college students. Her class became a guide for many similar courses at other schools.
She was very active at Barnard College. She advised students and was on the Board of Trustees. She helped create and expand the Women's Center at Barnard. This center supports women students. She also led the American Studies Program for many years. From 1974 to 1983, she was the head of the history department. She also helped start the Barnard College Archive, which keeps important college records.
Beyond Barnard
Annette Baxter also worked with many other groups. She was on the board of trustees for colleges like Kirkland College and Middlesex School. She advised important organizations like the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Ford Foundation. She even consulted for the TV show, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood!
She was part of committees for groups like the American Historical Association. She gave speeches about how important women's history and education are. Many people called her "one of the nation's foremost authorities on the history of women."
Throughout her life, Annette Baxter strongly supported women's education and rights. She fought to keep Barnard College separate from Columbia. She believed Barnard's unique focus on women would be lost if it merged with Columbia.
Professor Baxter wrote many book reviews and articles. She also edited several book series about women's life stories and women's studies. She wrote for popular magazines like Harper's. When she passed away in 1983, she had four more books she was working on.
Family Life
In 1955, Annette Baxter married James E. Baxter, a psychiatrist. Their son, Justin McDonald, was born in 1959. Their daughter, Adrienne Marshall, was born in 1962.
Her Passing
Annette Baxter died on September 18, 1983. She was 56 years old. She passed away in a fire at her summer home on Fire Island. Her husband, James, and a house guest also died in the fire. Their son, Justin, survived.
Her Legacy
Barnard College created the Annette Kar Baxter Memorial Prize. This award is given to a junior student who has shown great skill in studying women's experiences.
Her Books
- Henry Miller, Expatriate (1961)
- The Universal Self-Instructor and Manual of General Reference (1970) [with Albert Ellery Berg]
- To Be a Woman in America: 1850 – 1930 (1978) [with Constance Jacobs]
- Inwood House: One Hundred and Fifty Years of Service to Women (1980) [with Barbara Welter]
- Women's History (1984)
