The Gilbert C. Eastman Collection on Laurent Clerc
Scope and Contents
The Gilbert C. Eastman Collection contains papers mostly on Laurent Clerc. Gilbert C. Eastman became interested in collecting information on Clerc when he was on sabbatical leave from Gallaudet College to write his play, Laurent Clerc: A profile.
The collection has Xerox papers on Laurent Clerc, the history of American School for the Deaf, maps, pictures, Clerc’s descendants, correspondence, presentations, and his trips to France. It also included his script from the play, Laurent Clerc: A profile.
There are slides from his trip to France contained in the photograph collection in the Gallaudet University Archives. He gathered most of that information from Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale College, American School for the Deaf, and Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford, CT.
Dates
- Creation: 1785 - 1994
Biographical / Historical
Gilbert C. Eastman was born in Middletown, CT on September 12, 1934. He graduated from the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, CT in 1953. He entered Gallaudet College and acted in many plays given at Gallaudet College. Eastman graduated in 1957 and started teaching drama after he graduated.
For many years, Gilbert C. Eastman has accomplished so much that he became well-known in the Deaf Community. He was a founding member of the Tony Award-winning National Theater of the Deaf. He received a Master of Fine Arts in Drama from Catholic University in 1963, making him the first deaf person to earn that diploma.
From 1957-1969, Eastman was a director and a stage manager for many plays at Gallaudet College. He wrote and directed the well-known play, Laurent Clerc: A profile in 1977. He was a television host of the Emmy Award-winning show, Deaf Mosaic.
Gilbert C. Eastman gave many presentations on Laurent Clerc at banquets, meetings, and schools. After 35 years of teaching and acting chair for the Drama Department, he retired in 1992.
Extent
2.75 Linear Feet (5 document cases, 1 half case)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Research materials on the life of Laurent Clerc collected by Gilbert C. Eastman during the writing of his play Laurent Clerc: A Profile.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated to Archives by Gilbert C. Eastman, 1990.
- Title
- The Gilbert C. Eastman Collection on Laurent Clerc
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Crisp, Colleen
- Date
- Original creation March 29, 1996. Last update December 2, 2005. ArchivesSpace version created May 12, 2023.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Gallaudet University Archives Repository