Gina Cerminara Papers

Collection

Identifier: PCL-MS-0056

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

The Gina Cerminara Papers consist of manuscript drafts, notes and discarded writing samples for six of Cerminara's books, as well as edited manuscripts of the Spanish translations of two of her books. (Series: Manuscripts by Gina Cerminara (Boxes 1-4, all folders); Translations of Cerminara’s Writing (Box 5, all folders))

Dates

Creation: 1957-1984, undated

Extent

1.86 Cubic Feet (5 archives boxes)

Creator

Cerminara, Gina, 1914-1984 (Person)

Scope and Contents

The Gina Cerminara papers include manuscript materials for Cerminara's books about parapsychology and/or reincarnation, including The World Within (published 1957), Insights for the Age of Aquarius (published 1973), Many Lives, Many Loves (published 1981), and Edgar Cayce Revisited and Other Candid Commentaries (published 1984). The collection also consists of manuscripts written by Cerminara on topics beyond her interest in paraspsychology, including Italian for Students of Singing (published 1940) The Mark Twain Proposition (published 1977). The manuscripts are in varying states of completion; the edited drafts demonstrate Cerminara's notetaking and editing process.

The collection also includes Spanish translations of The World Within (El Mundo Interior) and Many Mansions (Muchas Moradas) written by Alberto Dupuy. The materials in this collection are arranged by title and by publication and/or creation date.

Biographical / Historical

Gina Cerminara was an author, researcher, and parapsychologist specializing in the fields of spirituality and reincarnation. She was born Ilda Josephine Louise Cerminara on April 11, 1914, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Cerminara attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in psychology. She spent many years researching Edgar Cayce, a prominent psychic and practitioner of holistic medicine; Cerminara compiled this research into her book Many Mansions. Many of Cerminara's other books explore her interest in parapsychology and reincarnation, like The World Within and The Insights for the Age of Aquarius. She lectured across the United States, the U.K., and Japan. Cerminara passed away on April 16, 1984, in Ventura County, California.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright and other restrictions may apply to the materials in this collection. Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The materials in this collection were transferred to the Browne Popular Culture Library by Gina Cerminara's estate in 1987.

Processing Information

A preliminary finding aid was created at an unknown date prior to 2021. This collection was processed by Shelby Vasko, Graduate Intern, and Tyne Lowe, Manuscripts Archivist, in Fall 2024. The updated finding aid was revised and input into ArchivesSpace by Tyne Lowe in January 2025.