Steed, Gitel P. (1914–1977)
Steed, Gitel P. (1914–1977)
American cultural anthropologist. Name variations: Gitel Poznanski Steed. Born Gertrude Poznanski, May 3, 1914, in Cleveland, OH; grew up in the Bronx, NY; died 1977; dau. of Sara Auerbach Poznanski and Jakob Poznanski (businessman); New York University, BA, 1938; Columbia University, PhD, 1969; m. Robert Steed (artist), 1947; children: Andrew Hart Steed.
Served as editor and researcher for explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson; was a member of the Jewish Black Book Committee which submitted the report, The Black Book: The Nazi Crime Against the Jewish People (1946) to the UN War Crimes Commission; worked under direction of Ruth Bunzel among Chinese immigrants in NY (beginning 1947), as part of Columbia Research in Contemporary Cultures Project; taught at Hunter College and Fisk University; as director of Columbia University Research in Contemporary India Project, took team to India for fieldwork (1949–51); published "Notes on an Approach to A Study of Personality Formation in a Hindu Village in Gujarat" (1955); joined staff of Hofstra College (now University) in 1962; made second trip to India (1970). Portrait of her by Rafael Soyer, "Girl in White Blouse" (1932), is located at Metropolitan Museum of Art.