Donna Hill papers

Collection

Identifier: ACCN 1451

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Donna Hill papers (1803-2002) are comprised of her art work, book reviews, and assorted materials pertaining to her biography of Joseph Smith. Boxes 1 through 3 contain the initial and final drafts of her book on Joseph Smith while box 4 possesses the Smith galley and page proofs. Pre- and post-publication correspondence concerning the Smith biography and reviews of it can be found in box 5. Box 6 includes Hill's biographical materials, correspondence with publishers, art work, and numerous reviews of several of her books written for a children's audience. Articles featuring Donna's artistic and literary achievements are located in box 7. Box 8 stores files relating to Ms. Hill's pre-publication work on a novel, her donations to children's literature Collections, and issues of a musical journal which Donna edited. Information linked with the publication of the Joseph Smith study can be accessed in box 9. Boxes 10 through 14 house Hill's research notes taken from a vast array of archival and published sources used in the writing of the Smith monograph. Reproductions of genealogical charts and maps are available in box 15. Boxes 16 through 20 are filled with 3X5 cards citing bibliographies, books, articles, newspapers, public documents, diaries, memoirs, letters, papers, theses and dissertations connected with Hill's research on the Joseph Smith biography.

Dates

1803-2002

Creator

Hill, Donna, 1921-2007 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical Sketch

Donna Hill was born in 1921 in Salt Lake City, Utah and moved to Washington, D.C. where she attended high school and studied at the Phillips Gallery Art School from 1940 through 1943. Graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors from George Washington University in 1948, Donna continued her art studies in Paris where the U.S. Embassy employed her as a code clerk during 1949-1951. Recognition of her artistic talents was manifest when her paintings appeared in several venues in Washington, D.C., France, Germany, Finland, North Africa and Japan. She was the sole recipient of a presitigious scholarship which enabled her to study art at the Museum of Art in Segovia, Spain during the summer of 1953. Subsequent to earning a master's degree in Library Science from Columbia University, Ms. Hill commenced her professional career as a librarian in 1952 where she worked at the New York Public Library for several years. The bulk of her library career occurred at Hunter College (CUNY) where she was employed for twenty years retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1984. In addition to her painting and library activities, Donna was quite active in the publishing world from 1957 to 1992 writing, editing and illustrating twelve books, including a biography of Joseph Smith.

Extent

15 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Donna Hill papers (1803-2002) contain Hill's biographical information, correspondence, art work, book reviews, and assorted materials concerning the Joseph Smith biography. Donna Hill was a university librarian, a painter, a writer of children's books and the author of a study on the life of Joseph Smith.