Resource: Mary Jo Fink papers | U of L Archives Catalog

This collection contains primarily materials related to Dr. Fink’s tenure as a professor at U of L. These resources include syllabi, research notes, letters of recommendation, financial records of departments, and peer evaluations. There is also information relating to the French Players and the different plays they worked on through Dr. Fink’s association with them. Also records of the Louisville Chapter of the Alliance Française.

Dates

1940-1998

Creator

Fink, Mary Jo (Creator, Person)

Extent

4.125 linear feet (3 records center boxes, 1 flat box)

.25 linear feet (1 half manuscript box)

Additional Description

Biographical / Historical

Mary Jo Fink was born in 1915 in Kenton, Ohio. She received her doctorate from Ohio State University and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Fink served as a professor at the University of Louisville from 1942 to 1979, primarily in the modern languages department. She is believed to be the first female tenured professor in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences. In 1961, Dr. Fink was made Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques (Knight of the Order of the Palms) by the French government for her work on promoting French culture and French-American relations. Also in 1961, she founded the French Players at the University of Louisville which was an organization that produced plays by 17th century French playwrights like Moliere and Marivaux. She served as president of the Louisville Chapter of the Alliance Française. She was married to Dr. Gerhard Herz, professor emeritus of music history at U of L, until her death on January 8, 1995.