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Ralph Barton Perry Papers

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Held at: Princeton University Library: University Archives [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: University Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Perry, Ralph Barton, 1876-1957

Ralph Barton Perry was a member of the Princeton University Class of 1896. Following graduation he studied philosophy at Harvard where he was student of William James, among others. He earned his PhD from Harvard in 1899 and became an instructor at that University in 1902, where he would remain a member of the faculty until his retirement in 1946.

Perry was a prolific writer, producing works on philosophy, history, and politics in his lifetime. He was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1936 for his two-volume biography The Thought and Character of William James.

He was notable also as one of the leaders of the New Realist movement in philosophy in the early 20th century, and he served as president of the American Philosophical Association in 1920. Perry died in 1957.

The Ralph Barton Perry Papers consist of correspondence, speeches, clippings, and other materials documenting Ralph Barton Perry's life as an alumnus of the Class of 1896. Nearly all of the documents in some way relate to Princeton. Typical topics discussed in correspondence include speeches that Perry gave at Princeton or contributed to the Princeton Alumni Weekly, as well as upcoming reunions and Barton's published work.

These papers were separated from the Class of 1896 file on December 17, 1965. Their provenance prior to that time is uknown.

This collection was processed by Dan Brennan in 2009. Finding aid written by Dan Brennan in 2009.

Appraisal has been conducted in accordance with Mudd Library guidelines.

Publisher
University Archives
Finding Aid Author
Dan Brennan
Finding Aid Date
2010
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. For quotations that are fair use as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission to cite or publish is required. The Trustees of Princeton University hold copyright to all materials generated by Princeton University employees in the course of their work. If copyright is held by Princeton University, researchers will not need to obtain permission, complete any forms, or receive a letter to move forward with non-commercial use of materials from the Mudd Library. For materials where the copyright is not held by the University, researchers are responsible for determining who may hold the copyright and obtaining approval from them. If you have a question about who owns the copyright for an item, you may request clarification by contacting us through the Ask Us! form.

Collection Inventory

Physical Description

1 box

Correspondence, 1936-1938. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Correspondence, 1941. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Correspondence, 1941-1942. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

John C. Kerr, 1917-1940. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Lectures and Speeches, 1941-1943. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Clippings, 1941-1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Printed Material, 1941-1945. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Print, Suggest