Call Number:

ACC2047

Repository:

Temple University Libraries Special Collections Research Center

Extent:

6.1 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

1887-1971

Abstract:

James A. Barnes (1898-1980) was a prominent American historian who pioneered the technique of microfilming primary source materials for historical research. Barnes began his professional career as a fellow at the Brookings Institute during the late 1920s. Between 1930 and 1966 Barnes taught history at Temple University and after retirement from academia, served as president of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Barnes' most prominent monographs were the Wealth of the American People (1949) and John G. Carlisle: Financial Statesman (1931).

The papers of this prominent American economic historian include correspondence, manuscripts, tear-sheets, pamphlets, handbills, clippings, photographs, speeches. book reviews, invitations, and over 400 rolls of microfilm documenting his source materials for monographs he wrote and approximately 9 rolls of film from the National Archives. There are two hollingers of photoprints of source documents and a number of transcriptions of these documents. the collection also includes a small number of letters of John G. Carlisle, including a number of letters of recommendation for his nomination to the Supreme Court. Barnes' correspondents include historians Lawrence H. Gipson and Allan Nevins. A good deal of the materials document the historian's research interests, agrarian unrest in early 20th century, the American economy, and World War II. The collection includes manuscripts for Barnes' four major monographs and numerous journal articles. (Literary rights are held by Doris T. Barnes.) The collection also includes pages from a scrapbook of clippings, photographs, and ephemera compiled by Doris T. Barnes during her studies at Temple University.