Fonds med-439 - Hugh A. Dempsey fonds

Hugh Aylmer Dempsey was born in 1929 in Edgerton, Alberta. From 1948 to 1951 he was employed by the Edmonton Bulletin newspaper, first as a copy boy, then as a reporter, and eventually as provincial editor. From 1951 to 1956 he was a publicity writer for the Alberta Government, and in 1956 he began working for the Glenbow Museum in Calgary as an archivist. Dempsey became curator/director of the Glenbow in 1967, and maintained this position until 1991, when he retired. In this year he was made Chief Curator Emeritus. Through his years, Dempsey published many articles and books about native peoples and Alberta history, and collected photographs relating to southern Alberta reserves. He also had been an instructor at the University of Calgary, teaching Native Studies and Alberta History, as well as being involved in studies of Fort Calgary and Cochrane Ranche. Hugh Dempsey has an honourary doctorate for the University of Calgary. In 1953, Dempsey married Pauline (nee Gladstone), also born in 1929. They had five children together: James, Louise, John, Leah, and Lois.