Richard Hofstadter papers
Scope and Contents
Collection includes manuscripts, notes, correspondence, clippings, and photographs of Richard Hofstadter and Beatrice K. Hofstadter. Also includes biographical essays written by other authors about Richard Hofstadter and his impact on the study of American history.
Dates
- circa 1918-2006
Creator
- Hofstadter, Richard (Person)
Language of Materials
Collection material in English.
Terms of Access
The Richard Hofstadter Papers are open for research.
Copyright
Copyright of papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the University Archives before publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.
Biographical Note
Richard Hofstadter was born in Buffalo, New York, on August 6, 1916. He attended Buffalo public schools and received his B.A. from the University of Buffalo in 1937. He went on to Columbia to study law but changed course and received his M.A. and Ph.D. in History in 1938 and 1942 respectively. He taught at the University of Maryland from 1942 to 1946 when he joined the History faculty at Columbia. He was promoted to full professor in 1952 and in 1959 was named De Witt Clinton Professor of History.
He was known nationally and internationally as an "extraordinarily creative historian" and was "probably the most influential American historian of the 1950s and 1960s."¹
In 1956 he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for The Age of Reform and in 1964 for Anti-Intellectualism in American Life.
In 1936 Richard Hofstadter married Felice Swados whom he had met at the University at Buffalo. They had a son, Dan. Felice died of cancer in 1945. In 1947, he married Beatrice Kevitt who was also from Buffalo. They had a daughter, Sarah. Richard Hofstadter died from leukemia on October 24, 1970.
Readers are referred to the numerous biographical and bibliographical essays in folder 1.3 for more detailed information.
¹ Fass, Paula S., "Richard Hofstadter" in Dictionary of Literary Biography: Twentieth Century American Historians (1983) at p.217
Extent
.63 Linear Feet (1 manuscript box, 1 half manuscript box)
Abstract
Collection includes manuscripts, notes, correspondence, clippings, and photographs of Richard Hofstadter and Beatrice K. Hofstadter.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in original order as created by the donor.
Acquisition Information
Papers were donated by Beatrice K. Hofstadter in May 2010.
Accruals and Additions
No further accruals are expected to this collection.
Processing Information
Processed by Karen Spencer, December 2010.
- Columbia University -- Student strike, 1968
- Columbia University. Oral History Research Office
- Historiography Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Hofstadter, Beatrice K.
- Hofstadter, Richard -- Archives -- Manuscripts
- Title
- Finding Aid for the Richard Hofstadter papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Karen Spencer.
- Date
- 2010
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the University Archives Repository
420 Capen Hall
Buffalo New York 14260-1674 US
716-645-2916
716-645-3714 (Fax)
lib-archives@buffalo.edu