Acknowledgments
Dr. Letty M. Russell (1929-2007)
The organization of this collection was made possible by the group of students responsible for the project, along with the professor who allowed them to take on this important project in her class. Dr. Letty M. Russell was a trailblazer in many ways. In 1958, Dr. Russell became one of the first women to be ordained in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. She began teaching at Yale Divinity School in 1974, was named Professor of Theology in 1985, and remained at YDS until she retired in 2001. Her academic research focused primarily on feminist and liberation theologies. Dr. Russell was passionate about social justice issues and advocated for women's rights within academic and church settings. She was also one of the first openly LGBTQ+ faculty members at YDS and Yale. In 2005, she celebrated a civil union service with her partner of 30 years, Shannon Clarkson.
To learn more about Dr. Russell, see "More Than Women's Work" (Crystal Hall, The Burke Library Blog, January 13, 2015).
A smiling Dr. Letty M. Russell leans against a stone wall outside of Yale Divinity School to pose for a photograph.