Jane and Michael Stern Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Stern, Michael, 1946-
label: Creator
content: Stern, Jane
topic: label: Topic
content: Automobile travel -- United States
label: Topic
content: Diners -- United States
label: Topic
content: Bakeries -- United States
label: Topic
content: Restaurants -- United States
label: Topic
content: Truck stops -- United States
label: Topic
content: Cowboys -- United States
label: Topic
content: Roads -- United States
label: Topic
content: Delicatessens -- United States
label: Topic
content: Dining
label: Topic
content: Dog shows -- United States
label: Topic
content: Truck drivers -- United States
label: Topic
content: Rodeos -- United States
label: Topic
content: Food -- United States
label: Topic
content: Local foods -- United States
label: Topic
content: Kitsch -- United States
label: Topic
content: Material culture -- United States
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Jane and Michael Stern, 2016.
creator: label: Creator
content: Stern, Michael, 1946-
label: Creator
content: Stern, Jane
setName: label: See more items in
content: Jane and Michael Stern Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection documents Jane and Michael Stern's travels across the United States collecting data for their books on American material culture subjects, with particular emphasis on food and dining.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Jane Grossman Stern (1946-) and Michael Stern (1946-) are American writers best known for their popular series of books titled Roadfood. These publications provided recommendations of restaurants, truck stops, diners, delis, bakeries, and other food-related establishments in the United States who served classic American regional specialties. The Sterns are also authors of books about American material culture subjects including truckers, cowboys, kitsch, and dog shows. They have been guests on public radio, contributors to magazine columns, and have won numerous awards for their work.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 17 Cubic feet (41 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1890-2008
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1392
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Ephemera
label: Type
content: Trade literature
label: Type
content: Articles
label: Type
content: Notes
label: Type
content: Menus
label: Type
content: Cookbooks
label: Type
content: Brochures
label: Type
content: Correspondence
label: Type
content: Slides (photographs)
label: Type
content: Writings
label: Type
content: Business records
label: Type
content: Postcards
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is arranged into five series:

Series 1, Research Documentation and Writings, 1975-2015, undated


Series 2, Product Cookbooks, and Trade Literature, 1890-1993, undated


Series 3, Photographic Materials, 1947-2008, undated 


Subseries 3.1, Photographs, 1947-2002, undated


Subseries 3.2, Slides and Transparencies, 1965-2008, undated


Series 4, Subject Files, 1910-1995


Series 5, Vintage Postcards, undated
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Sarah Gediman, intern, 2019; Julia Gibson, intern, 2019; Savannah Hildre, intern, 2019; and Lauren Janik, intern, 2019; supervised by Vanessa Broussard-Simmons, Supervisory Archivist, 2019.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Ephemera -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Ephemera -- 21st century
label: Genre/Form
content: Trade literature
label: Genre/Form
content: Articles -- 21st century
label: Genre/Form
content: Notes -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Menus -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Cookbooks -- 21st century
label: Genre/Form
content: Brochures -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence -- 21st century
label: Genre/Form
content: Brochures -- 21st century
label: Genre/Form
content: Cookbooks -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Slides (photographs) -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Writings
label: Genre/Form
content: Business records -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Articles -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Postcards -- 20th century -- United States
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Menus -- 21st century
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Collection primarily consists of the raw materials amassed by Jane and Michael Stern as they traveled the United States, researching for their books on American material culture subjects, with particular emphasis on food and dining. These materials include writings  and notes from their various stops while traveling; photographs and slides of places they visited; vintage postcards collected in their travels; paper ephemera such as take-out menus, placemats, etc.; large quantities of trade literature such as product cookbooks (some dating back to the 1920s), food packaging and brochures on food related subjects, under headings such as "Meat, Fish, Game", "Parties, Etiquette, How-To", "Baking" and numerous others; trade literature on other material culture subjects the Sterns wrote books about with headings which include Rodeo, Cowboys, Indians" and many others; correspondence; business records, articles, and clippings. The collection is arranged into five series: Series 1, Research Documentation and Writings, 1975-2015, undated; Series 2, Product Cookbooks, and Trade Literature, 1890-1993, undated; Series 3, Photographic Materials, 1947-2008, undated; Series 4, Subject Files, 1910-1995; and Series 5, Vintage Postcards, undated.