SMU’s DeGolyer to house Ebby’s papers

By Nancy George

The Ebby Halliday Foundation has donated real estate legend and philanthropist Ebby Halliday Acers’ papers, including letters, journals, speeches and scrapbooks, to SMU’s DeGolyer Library. The foundation also made a donation to the DeGolyer Library. 

The founder of the Ebby Halliday Companies passed away in 2015 at age 104.

The DeGolyer Library is the principal repository at SMU for special collections in the humanities, the history of business and the history of science and technology. Its rare books, manuscripts, photographs, maps and other materials are available to all SMU students, faculty, visiting scholars and other researchers. 

Ebby Halliday’s papers now reside in the Archives of Women of the Southwest, one of the special collections of DeGolyer Library. 

This collection, established in 1993, documents the historical experience of women in the Southwest, highlighting those who have influenced women’s roles in society and shaped the culture, arts, business, social issues, law and politics.

Throughout her life, Ebby’s dedication to the real estate profession and her fellow man remained constant. Her other great passion was service to the community she proudly called home.