Dora E. Giffen papers (MS-0309)

This digital collection features select correspondence and visual materials from the Dora Giffen papers (MS-0309) and documents the experiences of Giffen - a young 23 year-old female Presbyterian missionary in British-held Egypt between 1920 and 1926. As such, they shed light on the role of women in a working situation as educators; the prejudices and biases of Christian Americans against the religion, culture, and educational practices of those amongst whom they are living; and the changing political landscape within Egypt, as viewed through the eyes of an outsider.

Significant portions of the collection remain undigitized. The items represented here as well as the remainder of the collection are available for access at the Center for Archival Collections

This project was supported in part by federal Institute of Museum and Library Services funds, granted through the State Library of Ohio. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of IMLS or the State Library of Ohio, and no official endorsement by either agency should be inferred.

Featured

Two people standing in front of a hut; circa 1920

Dora E. Giffen. A village hut.

View of a coast taken from aboard a boat; circa 1920

Postcard depicting a girls dormitory at Muskingum college; circa 1925

Girls Dormitory Muskingum College [Patton Hall]. "Muskingum College, New Concord, OH. Dining room marked D. Drawing room and porch over dinning room"

Letter from Dora Giffen to her brother John Willard Giffen and the rest of her family at home in New Concord, Ohio, January 28, 1922

Letter from Dora Giffen to her brother John Willard Giffen and the rest of her family in which she describes her life and work as a missionary in Cairo, Egypt and inquires as to how her brother is doing while teaching at Cambridge.

A group of six women in bathing dress standing in front of a small building at Sidi Bishr; circa 1925

Giffen

A person holds two baskets while smiling at the camera; circa 1920

Beni Suef

Unidentified woman, fully covered, looking at the camera; circa 1921

Postcard depicting a street view of the Blue Mosque; circa 1921

Cairo. The Mosque Khaibek (Blue Mosque)

View from the road to the Great Pyramid of Giza; circa 1921

This picture Clarice took and it shows the road we traverse on the way out to the pyramids. This was taken just beyond a small place known as Gizeh. For Martin.