Materials are arranged in the order created during the interview process with the first file containing administrative materials created before, during, and after the interview.
Accession No. PA.2000.0053: Edith "Jackie" Ronne, 2000 July
[identification of item], Edith "Jackie" Ronne Oral History, SPEC.PA.56.0062, Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program, Ohio State University
Contains audiocassettes.
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Processed by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2020 March; Finding aid written by: Audrey Wimbiscus, Sam Devereaux, 2020 October
Edith “Jackie” Ronne (1919-2009) was an American explorer and the first woman who worked on an Antarctic expedition. Ronne received a bachelor’s degree in history from George Washington University in 1940 and began working for the National Geographic Society after her graduation. After that, Ronne worked in the United States State Department as the International Information Specialist in the Near and Far Eastern Division of Cultural Affairs. In 1944, she married Finn Ronne. Finn was a Captain in the United States Navy and had previously taken two trips to the South Pole with Richard E. Byrd.
In 1946, Finn planned to go to Stonington Island in Marguerite Bay, Antarctica on the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE). Finn’s first language was Norwegian, so Jackie helped him complete paperwork and edit letters that were needed for the trip. Finn asked Jackie to join him for part of journey there, and then return home from Panama. However, before they reached Panama, Finn asked Jackie to join him for the entire trip to write news releases for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Jackie initially declined, but began writing the expedition’s news releases under Finn’s name to try and avoid publicity. Jackie agreed to join the expedition when Jennie Darlington, the wife of one of the RARE pilots, Harry Darlington, joined as well. Between 1946-1948, the RARE team took nearly 14,000 photographs covering 450,000 square miles, and discovered that the Weddell and Ross Seas were not connected. When RARE geophysicist Andy Thompson was away from the base, Jackie completed his daily work by maintaining the seismographic machines and monitoring tidal activity. She kept a daily record of the expedition’s accomplishments as well as tidal and seismographic observations. Jackie's records formed the basis for Finn's 1949 book, "Antarctic Conquest.” The Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica was named for Jackie by Finn and was later approved by the United States Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names.
Upon returning to the United States, Jackie said she would not go back to Antarctica. However, she returned more than 15 times for the first tourist cruise, the 60th anniversary of Roald Amundsen’s arrival, and to give lectures aboard the Antarctic cruise ships “Explorer” and “Marco Polo.” Jackie served as a fellow of the Explorers Club and President of the Society of Woman Geographers.
The Edith "Jackie" Ronne Oral History, dated 2000-2001, contains audio recordings, administrative information, and transcripts of the interview between Ronne and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society conducted on July 20, 2000. This interview was a part of a series of polar oral histories sponsored by the American Polar Society and Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center Archival Program, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Major topics discussed include Ronne's status as the first woman to work on an Antarctic expedition, how she helped her husband Finn Ronne prepare for the trip, work and writing she did during her time in Antarctica from 1946-1948, her memories of the continent, and return trips to Antarctica throughout the rest of her life.
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