My Giving Story: Diane and Mack Mabry M.D.’81

Mack Mabry has developed and patented 11 oncology drugs. Now, he is using his influence to stop a different kind of cancer from spreading.

When you imagine how a university librarian obtains rare items for a collection, do you picture an international search that involves phone calls, internet sleuthing and good old-fashioned detective work?

That was precisely the case a few years ago when longtime Duke donor Mack Mabry called up Andrew Armacost, the curator of collections in the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

In recent years, Mack had grown increasingly alarmed to see antisemitic speech on the rise in the world. As he began to consider what he could do, he spoke with Karin Sullivan, senior regional development director and gift officer for Duke.

With further discussion a plan came into focus: The Mabrys would fund a special library collection with primary source materials that researchers could use to help curb antisemitism. Mack’s hope was that Duke faculty teaching with valuable primary source materials would raise awareness about antisemitic speech and create a sense of responsibility and social justice among Duke students. 

In the fall of 2022, Mack got word that a key acquisition had become available—a collection of antisemitic newspapers called Der Stürmer.

The weekly Der Stürmer newspaper was popular in its time and became infamous for inciting regular German citizens to commit violence against Jews. While other publications spread lies about European Jews, no publication was as unrestrained in their antisemitic attacks as Der Stürmer. It is widely considered the most historically significant source of antisemitism leading up to and during the Holocaust.

And now suddenly, several original issues of Der Stürmer were available for purchase somewhere in Europe. Mack dialed Andy’s number. Once they agreed the periodicals could serve as an important collection for teaching, Andy started the work of locating the owner and exploring the possibility of these coming to Duke.

Associate Professor Kata Gellen calls the Rubenstein Library materials an invaluable resource for students in her “Germany Confronts Nazism and the Holocaust” course. She explains, “It’s one thing to read academic history or even reproductions of primary sources. It’s another thing entirely for students to be able to hold objects in their hands that belong to this charged and devastating historical moment. Students understand the tremendous power of propaganda when they read, see, and touch Nazi newspapers.”

Associate University Librarian for Development Blue Branton is proud of the unique library access Duke students enjoy. “Undergraduate students are able to interact with our diverse and distinctive collections. And, that access fuels discovery and provides opportunities for life-changing research,” she says.

The philanthropy strategy the Mabrys have enacted is threefold. They began making outright gifts to purchase certain items for the collection, then they made a gift to support the Lilly Library Renovation and Expansion Project. Lastly, they included the libraries in their estate planning. Their commitments will support Duke University Libraries for a very long time.

Now the German language paper Der Sturmer is complemented by a wider range of publications from early editions of Martin Luther to other works from 20th Century Germany and North America which enable a broader range of teaching and research.

The collection also contains the antisemitic editorials of Henry Ford’s The Dearborn Independent newspaper, and many transcripts of the famous radio priest Father Coughlin, whose views became more antisemitic over time. “We have all of them. And that’s the importance of having a substantial collection—it can support serious research,” Mack explains.

Have an idea on how your philanthropy could be directed or want to set up your planned gift? Contact Duke’s Gift Planning office at (919) 681-0464 or giftplanning@duke.edu to be connected with the appropriate Gift Planning team member for your needs.

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