Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
The Martin L. Stephens Papers, 1927-2010, contain photographs, reports, pamphlets, newspapers, books, and memorabilia, many of which pertain to Mobilization for Animals, an organization Stephens worked with in the 1980s. Stephens was a scholar and animal rights activist focused on finding alternatives to animal testing and research, and he worked with organizations such as the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the International Council on Animal Protection in OECD Programmes, the National Research Council, and Humane World for Animals.
Martin (Marty) L. Stephens was born in New York City on January 4, 1956. After graduating from Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, he attended York College, City University of New York. Stephens received a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Chicago in 1984.
Stephens dedicated his life and career to finding replacements for animal research and testing. This began at the University of Chicago, where he founded an animal welfare club. He then worked with a variety of organizations, including Humane World for Animals, where he served as Vice President for Animal Research Issues for over 25 years. Stephens also served as Senior research associate at the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health for over ten years and was one of the founders of the International Council on Animal Protection in OECD Programmes in 2002. As a National Research Council committee member, Stephens contributed to programs replacing animal testing in the United States and internationally. He published many peer-reviewed articles, and his work highlighted studies by William Russell and Rex Burch, bringing attention to their three R’s: replacement, reduction, and refinement.
Due to his extensive work on replacing animal research, Stephens received the 2014 Russell and Burch Award, the Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award from the Society of Toxicology, a Recognition Award from the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at Johns Hopkins University, and the The Doerenkamp-Zbinden Prize.
Stephens died on February 17, 2024.
The Martin L. Stephens Papers, 1927-2010, contain animal rights pins, pamphlets, organizing materials, reports, newspapers, correspondence, books on animal experimentation and alternatives, and memorabilia. Much of these materials come from Stephen's work with Mobilization for Animals. He collected papers from his time with the organization in the 1980s in a binder.
Remembering Marty L. StephensMartin Stephens ObituaryMartin L. Stephens, Ph.D., Johns HopkinsMarty Stephens, 68, Chose Footnotes Over Flamboyance in Animal Advocacy
Arranged in chronological order.
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries’ “Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain” and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.
[Identification of item], Martin L. Stephens Papers, MC 00805, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Gift of Bernard Unti, 2026 June (Accession 2026.0072).
Preliminary Processing by: Ella Mayfield, 2026 July; Collection guide written by Ella Mayfield, 2026 July; Processed by: Lila Bell, 2026 Nov.; Collection guide updated by: Lila Bell, 2026 Nov.
Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
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[Identification of item], Martin L. Stephens Papers, MC 00805, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries’ “Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain” and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.