Introduction

The Kenneth Burke Papers contain the personal and professional papers of the philosopher of language Kenneth Duva Burke (1897-1993). Spanning over eight decades, from 1906 to 1993, the multifaceted papers illuminate not only the personal and intellectual life of Burke, but also the lives of his correspondents, many of them major twentieth-century figures. The papers are housed in the Rare Books and Manuscripts division of the Special Collection Library at The Pennsylvania State University Libraries.

Respecting their different provenance, the Kenneth Burke Papers consist of two collections. The first Burke collection, Burke-1, dating from 1906 to 1961, was purchased by The Pennsylvania State University Libraries from Kenneth Burke in 1974. Although it includes a few manuscripts, it is primarily a correspondence file of letters written to Burke. It measures twelve linear feet.

The Pennsylvania State University Libraries purchased the second Burke collection, Burke-2, from the Kenneth Burke Literary Estate in 2005. This collection dates from 1950 until Burke’s death in 1993, with the bulk of its correspondence written between 1960 and 1987. Burke-2 contains Burke's later correspondence (including many carbon copies of Burke’s own letters), news clippings, article reprints, a few typescripts, many poems, and several photographs. Burke-2, more than double the size of Burke-1, measures twenty-five linear feet.

Both Burke-1 and Burke-2 follow Burke’s original order: chronologically, and then alphabetically by the correspondents' last names, year by year. This arrangement allows researchers to investigate a select time in Burke’s life or Burke’s interchanges with particular correspondents.

Inquiries, Visits, and Permissions

We welcome inquiries about the Kenneth Burke Papers, as well as visits from researchers. (It's always wise to write or call ahead before visiting.) Questions about use, photocopying, and permission to quote should be directed to Sandra Stelts (sks5@psulias.psu.edu), Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts. The publication of any materials from the Kenneth Burke Papers requires permission from The Pennsylvania State University Libraries. Requests for permission to publish letters of Kenneth Burke will also be directed to the Kenneth Burke Literary Trust, which retains copyright for Kenneth Burke. Researchers seeking permission to publish letters of Burke's correspondents will need additional permissions from the respective copyright holders. While we will try to assist scholars in their search, it is the responsibility of individual researchers to make a good-faith effort to locate and contact literary executors.

The University of Texas at Austin maintains a database, WATCH File (Writers, Artists, and Their Copyright Holders), that provides information about literary copyright.

Photograph: Kenneth Burke in 1991. A detail from a photograph by Richard Ackley.

Banner graphic from top to bottom layer: Typed postcard, 1938, Burke to Sidney Hook (unsent); typed letter with handwritten notes, 3 Nov. 1939, Burke to John Crowe Ransom; handwritten letter, 5 Aug. 1938, Burke to Matthew Josephson (unsent).