Collections

The Binkley, Raglind mss., ca. 1450-1842, consist of medieval fragments collected by Thomas and Raglind Binkley.

The Latin American mss.--Miscellaneous 1536-1957 consists of miscellaneous documents from various Latin American countries, compiled from the other Latin American mss., including correspondence, goverment documents, literature, photographs, and other documents.

Consists of a collection formed by Professor Breon Mitchell of first and early editions of bi–lingual dictionaries of languages throughout the world, including the languages of Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific Rim.

The Latin American mss. Argentina, 1612-1944, consist of material principally about the independence period of Argentina for the years 1806-1823.

The Lieber mss., 1691-1945, are papers of Richard Lieber, 1869-1944, director of the Indiana State Department of Conservation from its creation in 1919 to 1933.

The German mss., ca. 16th century-2004, consist of individually acquired letters, documents, and historical and literary manuscripts written in German, relating to the history, culture, and life of Germany.

The Gathorne-Hardy, J., mss., 1705-2017, consist of the correspondence, family materials, journals, and manuscripts of writer Jonathan Gathorne-Hardy, 1933-2019.

The Juniper Von Phitzer Press mss., 1719-2012, consists of correspondence, business papers, ephemera, printed materials, reprints of original materials, photographs, albums, and plaques related to the activities of the miniature book publisher Juniper Von Phitzer Press.

The Boerner mss., 1779-1828, consist of manuscripts, journals, and correspondence by and relating to German writers Caroline von Wolzogen, Oskar Seidlin, and Friedrich von Schiller, along with related research material from German literary scholar and Goethe researcher Peter Boerner.

The American literature mss., 1789-2000, consists of an ongoing collection of individual items related to American literature.

The Nordloh mss. consist of over 100 American and English letters, postcards, autographs, and notes spanning the years 1792-1947.

Translations mss., ca. 19th-21st centuries, consist primarily of manuscripts of literary translations, either from a foreign language into English or in some cases from English into another language. Also present are letters from authors to translators of their work or from the translators to the authors they translate.

The Indiana University Folklore Archives was established in 1956 by Richard M. Dorson of the Indiana University Folklore Institute and grew to comprise 40,000 field collections gathered in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky, before closing in 1990. This collection contains the Folklore Archives' administrative files, special collections of prominent folklorists' research materials, reprints of journal articles, bibliographies, a collection of folksongs, and subject files and index cards on topics that include beliefs, customs, games, jokes, and legends.

Collection contains various scrapbooks, publications, yearbooks, reports, and a small amount of correspondence relating to Bloomington, Indiana, and Monroe County.

Before becoming president of Indiana University, Herman B Wells served as an assistant cashier at the National Bank of Lebanon before going on to work for the Indiana Bankers Association, the Indiana Commission for Financial Institutions, and the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. He was named dean of the Indiana University School of Business administration in 1935 by IU President William Lowe Bryan. In 1937 he was named acting president of the university and president the following year, a position he held until 1962. Upon his retirement, IU created the position of University Chancellor, which Dr. Wells held until his death in 2000. This collection consists of Wells' personal papers and includes papers pertaining to his family and personal finances, his activities in the banking profession, his work in Germany for the United States government after World War II, and to his research and teaching and professional activities as a member of the faculty of Indiana University.

The Kizer, C. mss., 1825-2006, bulk 1945-2004, consists of the papers, photographs, and memorabilia of poet Carolyn Kizer, 1925-2004.

The Weaver, W. mss. II, 1833-2006, consists of the correspondence, writings, research, photographs, and teaching materials pertaining to the life and work of literary critic and translator William Weaver, 1923-2013.

The Indiana University Trustees serve as the governing board of the university. Created in 1820, the current Board meets six times per year. Among the Board's powers are their capacity to possess all the real and personal property of the university; to expend the income of the university; and to all bylaws necessary to carry these powers into effect. The minutes in this collection include official acts, resolutions, policies, agreements, and other business pertaining to the governance of Indiana University between 1838-1859 and 1883-2017.

The Jansen, Peter K. mss., 1836–2005, consists primarily of manuscripts, drafts, correspondence and other material relating to translations into English from the German made by Peter K. Jansen (1934–2007) over the course of his career.

The Carroll L. Lurding Library of College Fraternity and Sorority Materials mss., ca 1840-2014, consist of books, pamphlets, histories, yearbooks, and other bound volumes detailing the history of fraternities, sororities, colleges, and universities from all 50 states and the District of Columbia in the United States as well as some colleges in Canada.

This collection consists of the family papers of Indiana University alumni John and Hilda Jay. The collection primarily consists of correspondence between John, Hilda, and family or friends largely spanning 1939-2002; personal files containing educational materials, a journal, and a scrapbook; as well as several home movies from circa 1939-1946.

The Indiana University School of Medicine emerged from a number of private, proprietary medical schools that existed in Indianapolis in the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. The most important of these private medical schools were the Medical College of Indiana and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, both of which operated in Indianapolis. In the first decade of the twentieth century efforts began to try to merge these private schools under the state universities then in Indiana, Purdue University and Indiana University. The merger of several medical schools under Purdue University was short-lived. In 1903 Indiana University established first year (classroom) medical studies at Bloomington, and in 1907 merged with the Medical College of Indiana and the remnant of the Purdue medical school to establish clinical instruction in Indianapolis. In subsequent years the School of Medicine was housed in Indianapolis on a large campus with several hospitals, clinical, and research facilities. First year medical studies were moved to Indianapolis by the 1950s.

Immigrants to the United States in the nineteenth century founded organizations that served as social centers, maintained cultural identity, and promoted the ideals and the interests of the immigrants and their American-born descendants. The American Turners is an example of such an organization. Established by German immigrants in 1850, the American Turners advocated a liberal political philosophy and fought to protect both the political rights and the German heritage of the immigrants. The Turners encouraged the practice of exercise and physical fitness, and they convinced school boards in many cities to make physical education a part of the educational curriculum. The American Turner records include annual reports, minutes and correspondence relating to the national officers, correspondence with local societies, national convention minutes and materials, financial and membership records, national committee records, records and materials from national sporting events sponsored by the American Turners, records of the Turner Pioneers and the Women's Auxiliary, Turner publications, and materials from the German Turner movement and other organizations related to the American Turners.

Arthur R. Metz was a student at Indiana University from 1904-1909 and one of the first recipients of the IU Distinguished Alumni Service Award. He was a doctor who served in multiple capacities including for hospitals, railroads, the military, corporations, and universities and also was a member of many medical organizations. The collection consists of Metz's family records, school materials, personal and professional correspondence, personal photographs, military and travel materials and photographs, magazine and newspaper clippings, medical and organizational publications, and professional certificates. There are also papers and photographs documenting the Metz Foundation and Metz Suite.

The Indiana University Alumni Association was founded in 1854 as an organization through which graduates could contribute to the pursuit of university interests. Members of the Association held semi-annual meetings, first as the Alumni Association and later in separate branches, including the Alumni Council, established in 1913 (later called the Executive Council). This collection consists primarily of the minutes of the IU Alumni Association, Alumni Council, Executive Council, and Board of Managers meetings spanning 1854-2011.

With a history dating back to 1895, the Chemistry library was initially housed in Wylie Hall, however with the completion of the Chemistry building in the 1930s it relocated and remains in that location to this day. The collection consists primarily of administrative files such as handbook, notes and memos.

The Oropesa mss., 1859-1869, consists of charadas, riddles in verse, that Oropesa exchanged with his friends over the course of a decade.

Mr. J. Chester Allen and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Fletcher Allen, were prominent African American attorneys in the South Bend, Indiana area. The Allens lived a relatively privileged lifestyle; however, they were very aware that their privilege necessitated a responsibility to help other African Americans who suffered injustices – social, economical, and educational. As lawyers, they worked within the system and with such groups as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Urban League (among others) to bring about positive social change. Their efforts brought an end to the Engman Natatorium's exclusion of African Americans, and they helped bring equity to war contracts in Michiana industries for both African Americans and women during World War II. Their family law practice often took on pro-bono cases for those who could not afford lawyers of their caliber.

The Chambrun mss. consists of correspondence and political papers of French lawyer Charles-Adolphe de Pinetone, Marquis de Chambrun.

The Whitman, Walt mss., 1864-1960, consist of correspondence, publications, and material about and related to Walt Whitman.

The Jay mss., 1864-2005, consist of approximately 325 spirit photographs and related correspondence and printed materials collected by magician Ricky Jay, 1946-2018.

Many Germans immigrated to the United States following the failure of an 1848 revolution designed to introduce democratic reforms into the governments of the German states. Among these immigrants were members of the Turners, an athletic and political organization founded in Germany during the second decade of the nineteenth century. Turners quickly established societies (known as Turnverein or Turngemeinde) in the American cities in which they settled. These societies served as athletic, political, and social centers for German communities in the United States. The Turners' most important contribution to American life in their communities has been their advocacy of physical education and fitness. Turners successfully lobbied local school boards in many cities for the inclusion of physical education classes in the curriculum, and Turner instructors served as the directors of physical education programs in many school systems in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Robert Campbell was a professor of economics at Indiana University from 1961 until his retirement in 1993, during which he held the positions of chairperson for the Department of Economics and Director of the Russian and East European Institute. He was a scholar of centrally planned economies, especially of the former Soviet Union. The collection consists of materials used for his publication A Biobibliographical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Economists, records related to his consultations and conferences, documents related to his distinguished professor nomination, and correspondence.

The Eastman mss. II, 1869-1981, consist of the correspondence, writings, personal papers, and photographs of Max Eastman, 1883-1969.

Both graduates of the University of California, Berkeley, Barbara and Charles Jelavich were hired at Indiana University in 1962 as specialists in Eastern European History by then Chair of the History Department Robert Byrnes. The majority of the collection reflects the work of Barbara while a small portion of the work of Charles is included with publications.

The Indiana University School of Physical Education opened in 1866 as a private school for the instruction of gymnastic teachers and is the oldest continuously operated school of physical education in the country. The school's faculty and graduates have played a major role in the introduction of physical education into the public school curriculum and in the development of physical education as a discipline. The school, first known as the Turnlehrerseminar (Gymnastic Teachers' Seminary) and then as the Normal College of the American Gymnastic Union, was started by the American Turners, an athletic, cultural, and social organization founded by German immigrants in 1850. The school originally trained instructors for the athletic programs run by Turner societies, but by the late nineteenth century many of the school's graduates were teaching in public schools as school systems began adding physical education to their curriculum. The Normal College, which moved to Indianapolis in 1907, merged with Indiana University in 1941. In 1946 the school became a department within the Indiana University School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, then in 1971 became an autonomous school under its current name. Records include correspondence, minutes, faculty and student records, financial records, alumni records, publications, and other records.

The Athenaeum Turner organization was founded in 1851 as the Indianapolis Turngemeinde. This athletic and social organization was patterned on German clubs that had supported the 1848 revolutions that attempted to form Liberal republics in several European kingdoms. The men who established the Indianapolis Turngemeinde and the competing Indianapolis Socialistischer Turnverein (merged in 1852 to form the Indianapolis Socialistischer Turnegemiende) tried to create a community focus for the rapidly expanding immigrant population. The activist political backgrounds of many German immigrants led to a strong emphasis on the Turner idea of developing both a strong mind and strong body in order to better serve society. After the American Civil War, for which many Turners volunteered due to anti-slavery beliefs and a desire to demonstrate loyalty to their adopted nation, the reorganized and renamed Indianapolis Socialer Turnverein became the primary focus for German business and culture in the city. Certainly the German House (das Deutsches Haus), built between 1894 and 1898, was designed to serve as more than just a center for physical training since it contained a restaurant, theaters, and a number of meeting rooms. From the 1890s, the leaders of the Turner organization were also directors or important officers in dozens of prominent businesses and cultural organizations. This led to some overlap in the interaction between public, private, and political affairs in the German community of Indianapolis - and this is reflected in the collection. The outbreak of World War I and the anti-German sentiment which followed led to a renaming of the building (as the Athenaeum) and contributed to a decline in the importance of the Turnverein. The organization, now known as the Athenaeum Turners, experienced a revival during the 1950s and remained active into the 1960s, though its activities gradually became more social and less athletic. By the 1970s American acculturation and suburbanization resulted in a rapid decline in membership and financial stability and the near collapse of the Turner society. It currently exists solely as a German cultural organization. The records consist of constitutions and by-laws, board and committee minutes, correspondence, officer and committee reports, financial records, membership lists, event advertisements, brochures, newsletters and photographs.

This women's organization was founded by the Socialer Turnverein (Social Athletic Club) in 1876 as the Indianapolis Turn-Schwestern Verein. It was initially intended to support the activities of the Turnverein, and especially to promote and oversee the girls' athletic classes, and to help enlarge and preserve the Turner library. Within a few years the Turn Sisters became known as the Damenverein (Women's Club) des Socialer Turnverein and began to undertake broader responsibilities in the community. As with most German societies, membership declined during World War I and use of the German language was dropped. The organization revived with the merging of several societies during the 1930s and becomes known as the Women's Auxiliary. Membership increased again after World War II as their focus drifted away from a wartime role as a service organization and more towards social activities. The gradual decline of the Athenaeum Turners through the 1970s and 1980s also affected the Women's Auxiliary. In the 1990s the Damenverein name was restored to recognize the earlier German connections, and in recent years the very limited activities of the group have become more closely linked with their German-American cultural identity. The records consist of constitutions and by-laws, minutes, correspondence, financial records, committee reports, membership lists and directories, event advertisements and photographs.

The Hopkins, Edwin mss. consists of four unpublished plays by author and translator Edwin S. Hopkins, 1876-.

David G. Frey was a professor of zoology at Indiana University who specialized in limnology (aquatic ecology) and Cladocera (water flea). The collection consists of Frey's personal correspondence, reprints of most of his publications, as well as extensive research files encompassing his years as a limnologist.

This collection contains scientific articles pertaining to ichthyology, especially blind fish. Most of the articles were written by Carl Eigenmann, Rosa Smith Eigenmann, or both.

The Streets family papers document the life of South Bend, Indiana residents Dr. Bernard and Odie Mae Streets, and their families in previous and subsequent generations. Both Dr. Bernard and Odie Mae Streets were life-long community activists in South Bend and beyond, and Dr. Streets was the first African American dentist in the city. This collection of personal papers and photographs documents both their service to and activities in the South Bend community over several decades. The Streets were key figures in community activism on many levels, bettering South Bend's underserved populations and neighborhoods. The Streets family also was active in national non-profit and religious-based organizations.

The Eastman mss. V, 1880-2009, consist of the photographs, correspondence, personal papers, writings, and legal documents of Max Eastman, 1883-1969; and Yvette Szekely Eastman, 1912-2014.

J. Gus Liebenow was a professor emeritus of political science at Indiana University. Starting his tenure in 1958, Liebenow also served as the dean for Research and Advanced Studies as well as vice president and dean of Academic Affairs. In 1961, he also found the University's African Studies Program. This collections consists of lecture notes, personal files, department records, Liebenow's writings, and materials from numerous organizations he was affiliated with.

Lynton K. Caldwell was an assistant professor of government at Indiana University South Bend from 1939-1944 and returned to Indiana University Bloomington in 1965, where he taught political science as well as public and environmental affairs until his retirement in 1984 as the Arthur F. Bentley Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Professor Emeritus of Public and Environmental Affairs. Caldwell was a recognized authority on environmental policy. His papers include a large amount of published works, but also contain correspondence and material related to conferences and professional organizations.

The Dvořák/Thurber mss., ca. 1885–1937, consist of documents, correspondence, and ephemera relating to Antonín Dvořák, Jeanette M. Thurber, and the history of the National Conservatory of Music of America (NCMA). These materials were collected by Professor Robert Aborn, whose dissertation The Influence on American Musical Culture of Dvořák's Sojourn in America, may be read in its entirety at ScholarWorks.