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Robbins / Levy Family Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS 1065
Finding aid note: Forms part of the South Texas Jewsih Archives. Stored off-site at the Library Service Center and requires 24-hour notice for retrieval. Please contact the Woodson Research Center at 713-348-2586 or woodson@rice.edu for more information.

Content Description

The Robbins/Levy Family Papers contains four boxes of materials from 1819 to 2005 inlcuding a certificate, correspondence, photographs, programs, publications, memorabilia, newspaper clippings, records and writings. The collection contains eight photo albums which document the Robbins/Levy family's history of immigration to the United States and life in the Houston Jewish Community. A large extent of the collection is dedicated to the professional life of Dr. Leonard Robbins, who served as the President of the Board of Education of the Houston Independent School District and owned a medical clinic in Houston. Of particular interest is the familial correspondence spanning many years and languages.

Forms part of the South Texas Jewish Archives.

Dates

  • 1819 - 2005

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.

Stored off-site at the Library Service Center and requires 24-hour notice for retrieval. Please contact the Woodson Research Center at 713-348-2586 or woodson@rice.edu for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from the Robbins/Levy Family Papers must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library.

The Woodson Research Center use policy is that researchers assume sole responsibility for any infringement of privacy, literacy rights, copyrights, or other rights arising from their use of the archival materials. In addition to any restrcitions placed by donors, certain kinds of archival material are restricted for the life of the creator plus 50 years. These materials include, but are not limited to, student grades, transcripts, and any job applications or recommendations.

Biographical / Historical

The Robbins/ Levy Family papers primarily trace the life and accomplishments of Dr. Leonard Robbins (1927-2015). Dr. Leonard Robbins was born in Houston on February 14, 1927. He attended the University of Houston, Rice University, and the Baylor College of Medicine. The papers document his graduation from the Baylor College of Medicine, his involvement in the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, and his acceptance of academic honors; he was both the youngest and the top of his graduating class.

Dr. Robbins was an active member of the Houston Community. He opened and ran a clinic of internal Medicine in Houston specializing in Endocrinology. The papers include a plethora of his medical research and speeches, primarily on Diabetes. Not only did Dr. Robbins serve Houston as a medical professional, he was also active on the Houston Independent School District Board of Education. Dr. Robbins served on the board from 1969-1972 and was board president in 1970. The papers reflect his active involvement in the desegregation of the Houston independent school district, including the educational report “The Intervening Years”.

Once retired, Dr. Robbins spent time researching his family’s genealogy. The papers include letters and government documents which trace the Robbins/Levy Family to places as far as Alsace-Lorraine and France. The Robbins/Robinowitz family immigrated from Eastern Europe (present day Belarus) to Houston in the early 20th century and the Levy family immigrated from Alsace, France to Louisiana and Texas in the late 1800s. Dr. Robbins' father-in-law Dr. Moise Dreyfus Levy, also a prominent Houston Physician and Jewish communit leader, and his family feature prominently in the collection.

Excerpt: Leonard Robbins Obituary (1927 - 2015) - Houston, TX - Houston Chronicle (legacy.com)

Extent

1 Linear Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

This collection is made up of four boxes containing a certificate, correspondence, directories, newspaper clippings, photographs, programs, publications, memorabilia, records, and writings from the Robbins/Levy family spanning from 1819 to 2005.

Arrangement

The materials in this collection have been arranged in six series as follows: Series I: Correspondence; Series II: General; Series III: Photographs; Series IV: Publications; Series V: Records; Series VI: Writings

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Julie Robbins Campbell donated the papers in March of 2023.

Related Materials

Dr Robbins' genealogy research can be found in his published family history books, which are located at the Houston Public Library - Clayton Library Campus: https://catalog.houstonlibrary.org/client/en_US/hou/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:664468/ada?qu=leonard+robbins&d=ent%3A%2F%2FSD_ILS%2F0%2FSD_ILS%3A664468%7EILS%7E0&h=8

Subjects

Record Groups

Related Names

Source

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the Robbins / Levy Family Papers, 1819-2005
Status
Completed
Author
Ally Godsil
Date
2023
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Woodson Research Center, Rice University, Houston, Texas Repository

https://library.rice.edu/woodson
Contact:
Fondren Library MS-44, Rice University
6100 Main St.
Houston Texas 77005 USA

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Harmful Content Statement
© 2023 Woodson Research Center
Fondren Library, Rice University
Physical Address: 6100 Main, Houston, Texas 77005-1827
Mailing Address: MS-44, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892