John Hansan Papers

Collection

Identifier: SWHA 316

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The collection reflects John Hansans career as a social worker and involvement in national and international social work organizations. The material include personal and professional correspondences, administrative files and records documenting his leadership roles for the numerous positions he held, as well as pamphlets and publications related to social work in the United States.

The inventory is organized broadly by organizational title or subject, reflecting the original order in which it was received.

Dates

1952-2011, bulk dates 1952-1969

Language of Materials

English

Use of Materials

Open for use in Social Welfare History Archives reading room.

Copyright

Please contact the Archivist for copyright information.

Historical Note

John Hansan worked for 45 years in the field of social welfare and human services. His career started in 1950 at Minute Circle Friendly House in Kansas City, Missouri; he then contintued his work with settement houses in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio. In 1964, Hansan was selected as the nation's first director of a community action program, the Community Action Commission of the Cincinnati Area. During this time, he also served as the Chairman of the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and volunteered to help organize Cincinatti's delegation to the 1963 "March on Washington, DC for Jobs and Freedom." Based on his dedication to the field, he was appointed as the Director of the Ohio Department of Public Welfare in 1971. In 1973, he was appointed Chief of Staff to Governor Gilligan, making Hansan the first social worker to hold that position. In 1981, John Hansan Hansan received his PhD from Brandeis University, which served as a catalist for redirecting his career focus in gerontology. Hansan worked with The Futures Group managing national projects concerning elderly populations for various govenrment and private agencies.

John Hansan was also deeply involved in social welfare at a national level and in leadership roles for the American Public Welfare Association, National Conference on Social Welfare, and both the National and International Association of Social Workers throughout his career.

Sources:

"Hansan, John E., Ph.D." Social Welfare History Project. Accessed April 13, 2015. http://www.socialwelfarehistory.com/contributors/hansan-john-e-ph-d/

"Pioneers." NASW Foundation. Accessed April 13, 2015. http://www.naswfoundation.org/pioneers/h/hansan.htm