Luther P. Gerlach papers

Luther Paul Gerlach was born on October 25, 1930 in Reading, Pennsylvania. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952 from the University of Minnesota and his Ph.D. in 1961 from the University of London, where he gained the certificate in African and Islamic Law at the School of African and Oriental Studies in 1958. (1) While obtaining his doctorate degree he also earned a Fulbright Fellowship where he traveled to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to research the Digo and Duruma communities and their social and economic habits.(1)

In 1961, Gerlach became an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. After 2 years, Gerlach joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota as an Assistant Professor in June of 1963 and soon after, became an Associate Professor in September of 1965. (1) By 1971, Gerlach was promoted to Professor and took two separate leaves for professional development and research. First was his time at the California Institute of Technology between September 1971 to June 1972, where he was a Visiting Associate in Anthropology and Environmental Studies and performed research in the Environmental Quality Laboratory. (1) The second leave was at the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies, where he served as a Senior Consultant from June 1972 to June 1973. After the conclusion of that leave, he continued teaching at the University of Minnesota and later became Professor Emeritus of Anthropology.

Gerlach has written numerous articles and books on social and economical anthropology, including “People, Power, Change: Movements of Social Transformation” in 1970 with co-author, Virginia H. Hine and “Lifeway Leap: The Dynamics of Change in America,” written with Hine in 1973, of which was later adapted into a ten program series on KTCA-TV. (1) Similar to his program adaptations, Gerlach also produced a number of film documentaries and series on his research. Included in this is “People, Power, Change: A Study of Movements of Revolutionary Change” in May of 1968, “People Eco Action” in May of 1970, “Jamaica: Why Don’t You Stop and Say Hello?” produced with Paul Eide in 1973 and “Grassroots- Energy” produced with Paul Eide in 1978, amongst others. (1)

To this day, Gerlach’s specialities in the fields of economic anthropology, cultural change and anthropology of social movements live on in current coursework and through the use of his research and work in the classroom.

References:

(1) Biographical File, Gerlach, Luther P., Information files collection, University Archives.