In Memoriam: Martha Chaiklin, August 9, 1960–February 4, 2026
Paula R. Curtis
I share the following announcement from H-Net by David Wittner:
Martha Chaiklin, August 9, 1960–February 4, 2026.
It is with heavy heart that I write to inform our community of the passing of Martha Chaiklin, an indefatigable research, writer, and friend. Martha earned her BA in Asian Studies from Washington University, St. Louis, two MAs; one from University of Michigan in Asian Studies, the second in Japanese history from Seijo University, Tokyo, where she continued her doctoral studies before ultimately earning her PhD from Leiden University in the Netherlands. Martha was a highly accomplished scholar, having written or edited eight books, contributing twenty chapters and authoring nearly two dozen scholarly articles. Her talents extended into the sphere of public history as well. She began her career as curator of Asian history at the Milwaukee Public Museum and continued to curate exhibits at various institutions, including most recently the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art.
I met Martha in the mid-1990s at a graduate student conference. As budding historians of technology, we leaned on, and learned from, each other for the entirety of our careers. To call her a historian of technology is a disservice, however. Her interests and research, while incorporating technology, went far beyond. She once called herself a historian of stuff—glass, shoes, ivory, feathers, and elephants to name a few—whose concern was the effect of technologies on people’s lives. Her concern for others was not simply the subject of her research, it extended to all aspects of her life. She was always there for her friends, colleagues, and students. Rarely saying no, and never to a friend, Martha joined H-Japan as review and list editor when she already had too much on her plate. She was also the editor and face of Shashi: The Journal of Japanese Business and Company History. Shortly before her passing, one of her greatest concerns was that the next issue of Shashi be published in fairness to the contributing authors. Martha joined her local board of elections because of a sense civic duty and fairness.
Witty, unflaggingly enthusiastic, and a bit eccentric, Martha was always fun to be with. Conversations seemed to pick up where they left off even if we hadn’t spoken for months. I feel confident speaking for her many friends when I say we’ll miss her.
For H-Japan,
DGW
Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities
Tim Screech
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