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Creator
Christmas, June Jackson
Call number
Sc MG 787
Physical description
9.25 linear feet (24 boxes)
Language
English
Preferred Citation
[Item], June Jackson Christmas papers, Sc MG 787, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library
Repository
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

June Jackson Christmas (born 1924) is a psychiatrist and mental health professional. Her papers mostly consist of material related to her various positions, including founder of Harlem Rehabilitation Center at Harlem Hospital, New York City Commissioner of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services, professor, and practicing psychiatrist. In addition, her papers contain some materials from her family, including her husband, Walter; her children, Vincent, Rachel, and Gordon; and her father, Mortimer Jackson.

Biographical/historical information

June Jackson Christmas (née Jackson) was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 7, 1924, and grew up in Cambridge. One of the first African American graduates of Vassar College, she received her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine, one of only seven women in her class. She headed the medical school chapter of AIMS, the Association of Interns and Medical Students, and worked with other local Boston groups fighting racism and segregation. After a psychiatric residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York and certification in psychoanalysis, Dr. Christmas opened a private practice. Eight years later, she reduced her practice in order to work in community psychiatry in Harlem.

From 1953-1965, she worked as a psychiatrist for the Riverdale Children's Association. In 1964, she founded Harlem Rehabilitation Center, a community-based program of Harlem Hospital which helped discharged psychiatric hospital patients return to the community and work with staff and community for social change. The Center became a model of psychosocial rehabilitation, resulting in new city policies on mental health career ladders, and pioneered the use of case managers in human services. From 1964-1972, she served as the principal investigator on research projects for the National Institute of Mental Health. In 1976, Dr. Christmas headed the Department of Health, Education and Welfare Transition team for then president-elect Jimmy Carter.

Dr. Christmas served from 1972-1980 under three New York City mayors (John Lindsay, Abraham Beame, and Ed Koch) as Commissioner of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services, expanding her influence city-wide. Under her leadership the department developed vital programs for geriatric mental health, adult and youth alcoholism services, and services for children in foster care or the legal system.

Dr. Christmas also was the executive director of The Urban Issues Group, a research institute she co-founded that conducted policy research related to the concerns of New Yorkers of African descent. She is professor emeritus of behavioral science at the City University of New York (CUNY) Medical School and a practicing psychiatrist. Her other academic appointments have included clinical professor of psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and resident professor of mental health policy at the Heller Graduate School of Social Welfare, Brandeis University.

A vocal advocate for coordinated, preventive, and culturally relevant services, Dr. Christmas has been the recipient of numerous awards. In 1976, Dr. Christmas received the American Public Health Association (APHA) Award for Excellence "in recognition of exceptionally meritorious contributions to the improvement of the health of the people." Among her many additional honors, Dr. Christmas has been named Distinguished Visitor/Scholar/Lecturer by such institutions as Vassar College, the University of Oklahoma, Boston University of School of Medicine, and the Phelps/Stokes Fund. She received honorary degrees from Boston University, Trinity College, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She is a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and a life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and of the American Orthopsychiatric Association. She has written numerous articles on mental health policy, urban and minority health, and health issues related to women and children.

During her career she combined medical practice with public and community service. She served three terms as a trustee of Vassar College and was the first African American woman president of the APHA in 1980. In addition to serving on various national advisory boards (such as the President's Commission on Mental Health under President Carter), she served as vice-president of the APA, president of the Public Health Association of New York City, and co-founded the Black Psychiatrists of America. In addition, she was a long-time member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF)'s board of directors and served as chair of the program committee.

Dr. Christmas married Walter Christmas, an artist and writer, in 1953. Walter Christmas was one of the founders of the Harlem Writers Guild, and along with his wife, was active in the Civil Rights Movement. He worked in public relations, at first for varoius non-profit organizations including the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and later for corporations such as the public relations firm, Ruder and Finn, and Coca-Cola, as Director of Public Relations. An advocate for black artists, he helped promote their work by serving on the Board of Cinque Gallery, which was co-founded by Romare Bearden. A lover of travel, he also co-wrote a travel guide on Bermuda with his daughter, Rachel. Walter Christmas passed away on January 26, 2002.

The Christmases had three children, Vincent, Rachel, and Gordon. Vincent followed in his mother's footsteps by working for the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services and the Bronx Mental Health Council; he is also a composer. Rachel, a travel writer, has published extensively from an early age; her first story was published in Kids Magazine in 1971, when she was 14. Gordon is a photographer who has competed in various ultimate frisbee national championships. Dr. Christmas's father, Mortimer Jackson, was a postal worker and community volunteer.

Scope and arrangement

The June Jackson Christmas papers mostly consist of material related to her career as a mental health professional and advocate. Her personal papers contain such items as curriculum vitae, educational material (diplomas, grades, and residency documents), and correspondence with family and friends. The professional series contains material related to her various positions, including founder of the Harlem Rehabilitation Center at Harlem Hospital, New York City Commissioner of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services, professor, and practicing psychiatrist, among others. Addtionally, it is comprised of material related to her participation in various service organizations, such as the APHA, and professional awards and honors. The writing series contains drafts, edited versions, and final versions of Dr. Christmas's published writing, which mostly includes articles, lectures, and academic papers on various mental health issues and practices. Printed matter mostly consists of newspaper clippings on or about Dr. Christmas as a mental health professional; additionally, there are three scrapbooks, comprised mostly of newspaper clippings, which chronicle her career. The last series, Subject files, consists mostly of printed matter related to various individuals and topics of interest to Dr. Christmas.

In addition, the June Jackson Christmas papers contain some materials from her family, including her husband, Walter; her children, Vincent, Rachel, and Gordon; her sister, Jeri Fjeld; and her father, Mortimer Jackson. The majority of this material is comprised of personal papers (school report cards and commencement programs), personal correspondence, limited professional matter, and printed matter. In the case of Walter Christmas, there is more professional information about his career as a publicist.

The June Jackson Christmas papers are arranged in six series:

  • Personal
    1933-2006

    This series contains biographical information on Dr. Christmas in the form of resumes; educational matter such as certificates, diplomas, and grades from elementary school through graudate school; and correspondence with family and friends.

  • Professional
    1962-2007

    This series, the largest, contains material related to Dr. Christmas's professional career as a psychiatrist and mental health pioneer. The first subseries, Positions held, relates to her various non-academic appointments including Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Alcoholism Services; member of various task forces and committees, mostly under New York City Mayor David Dinkins; and co-founder of the Urban Issues Group, among others. The material in this subseries consists of correspondence, press releases, reports, publications, and printed matter. The second subseries, Academic positions, contains documents related to her various teaching positions at Brandeis University and City University of New York Medical School, among others; these documents include lecture notes, correspondence, and printed matter. The third subseries, Organizational service, refers to Dr. Christmas's service on various boards and advisory committees, mostly for organizations related to the field of mental health, such as the APHA and APA. It also includes her membership on various national task forces. The material in this subseries consists of correspondence, newsletters and other printed matter, conference programs, board meeting material, and certificates. Awards and honors includes, in some cases, the awards themselves; in many cases, it includes award programs and invitations, printed matter (such as newspaper clippings), and correspondence related to honors received by Dr. Christmas. Appearances and engagements, subseries five, refers to public speaking events, including conference participation, lectures, and symposia participation. The material included in this subseries contains conference programs, correspondence, and flyers for appearances by Dr. Christmas at institutions not included in the previous subseries (mostly, health organizations in which Dr. Christmas did not serve on any committee or hold any office). The final subseries, Correspondence, consists of general correspondence, mostly with organizations requesting her participation in an event or conference.

  • Writing
    1961-2006

    This series contains drafts and final published copies of Dr. Christmas's various writing, most of which is related to the field of mental health. The first subseries consists of articles written for various academic and medical journals and organizational publications; it also includes chapters and prefaces written for books. The second subseries includes copies of Dr. Christmas's numerous speeches, addresses, testimonies, and lectures, many of which were delivered to the organizations found in the Organizational service subseries of the Professional series.

  • Printed matter
    1941-2006

    This series mostly contains printed matter about Dr. Christmas, the majority of which is related to her career as a mental health professional. Most of the material consists of newspaper clippings, press releases, articles and interviews on or about Dr. Christmas, and newsletters. There are also three scrapbooks, which mostly contain the same matter; in fact, many of the clippings are duplicates of items in the folders. In addition, the scrapbooks include award programs and invitations for ceremonies honoring Dr. Christmas, most of which are duplicates as well. Finally, this series is comprised of research material, or publications by other individuals or organizations. This material was most likely used by Dr. Christmas as research for her writing and lecturing; also, it includes publications from organizations to which she might have belonged but did not participate in any official capacity.

  • Subject files
    ca. 1965-2007

    This series, the smallest, is comprised of printed matter on various individuals and topics. Memorial service programs comprise much of the material on individuals, so it is likely that many of these people were friends or colleagues of Dr. Christmas. As for the topics, which include apartheid, economic issues, and income equality, they seem to be topics of interest to Dr. Christmas and her family. This material mainly includes articles, newspaper clippings, and academic papers.

  • Family
    1925-2005

    This series contains personal and professional matter on Dr. Christmas's three children; her husband, Walter; her sister, Jeri Fjeld; her father, Mortimer Jackson; and a few extended family members. In most cases, there are personal documents (birth certificate copies; early drawings; school grades; commencement invitations; commencement booklets); correspondence, most of which is personal and to or from other family members; personal and professional printed matter, most of which includes newspaper clippings; and professional papers (correspondence, press releases, published writing, etc. related to each individual's career). Each subseries is thus arranged into these subgroups (education; correspondence; printed matter; and professional), with a few exceptions. The subseries on Walter Christmas is the largest because he worked in many capacities, as a public relations manager, writer, and artist.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of June Jackson Christmas, June 2008.

Processing information

Processed by Lauren Stark, December 2019-January 2020.

Separated material

Transferred to the Photographs and Prints Division: two archival boxes of loose photographs

Related Material

Riverdale Children's Association records, Sc MG 300, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library

Using the collection

Location

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801
Second Floor