Sarah · Lawrence · College Archives

Guide to the Bert Loewenberg (1927-1974) Papers, n.d., 1888, 1914-1980

Administrative Information

• Volume: 2 record cartons (2 linear feet)
• Processing Information: Originally processed by Mary Reynolds in June, 1998. Reprocessed and finding aid updated by Rocio De La Rosa Campos in April, 2005.
• Acquisition Information: The collection was donated to the Sarah Lawrence College Archives by the Loewenberg Family in 1975.
• Terms of Use: The majority of the collection is open to researchers without restriction. Folders with restricted material are labeled as such in the finding aid and on the folder itself. See the College Archivist for further assistance.
• © 2005 Sarah Lawrence College Archives, Esther Raushenbush Library, 1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY 10708

Biographical Note

Bert James Loewenberg was born in Massachusetts on December 24, 1905. At Clark University, he earned a B.A. in 1926 and a M.A. in 1927. Three years later, he received an additional M.A. from Harvard University, where he also finished his Ph.D. in 1934.

From 1935 to 1937, he acted as Assistant State Director of the Massachusetts Federal Writer's Project, a position he left when the opportunity to teach arose at the University of South Dakota. He also had the opportunity to teach at the University of Missouri, Rochester, Cornell, Northwestern, Ruskin, Oxford, the Salzburg Seminar in American Studies, and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He was Fulbright professor in England at Leeds and Cambridge and a visiting professor of American Culture under the auspices of the State Department at the Colegio de Mexico, the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, and the Banco of Mexico. In 1942, he joined the Sarah Lawrence College history faculty where he remained until his retirement in 1971 when he was named Esther Raushenbush Professor of History Emeritus. In addition to teaching on the history faculty, Loewenberg was Director of the Center for Continuing Education from 1965 to 1969. During his tenure at Sarah Lawrence, Loewenberg received numerous grants and fellowships from foundations and organizations including the Society for American Studies, Rockefeller Foundation, Social Science Research Council, Newberry Library, and American Council of Learned Societies. He also holds an honorary degree from Clark University.

A prolific writer, Loewenberg published several important texts including Darwin, Wallace and the Theory of Natural Selection, Religion in Public Schools, Charles Darwin: Evolution and Natural Selection, the Making of American Democracy (co-author) and American History in American Thought. He also published many articles in the American Historical Review, Journal of Modern History, Isis, the Nation, New Republic, American Scholar and many others.

Bert Loewenberg died in August, 1974 at his home in Orange, Conneticut, at the age of 69. He was survived by his wife, Anne, and their three children: Judith Lewis, Sarah Levine and Robert Loewenberg.

Scope and Content

The collection consists largely of the professional papers of Dr. Bert James Loewenberg during his years at Sarah Lawrence College from 1941 to 1971. Some of the material relates to articles, reviews and correspondence before he joined the Sarah Lawrence College faculty. The papers represent Loewenberg's personal and official records and correspondence while teaching at the College. These include publications, manuscripts, lectures notes, articles, reviews, correspondence, lectures, meeting minutes, press releases, and syllabi. The collection is divided into two series:

• Series I. Sarah Lawrence College, 1927-1974
• Series II. Publications and Research, 1935-1973

All newspaper clippings and fragile, acidic, brittle paper were preservation photocopied and the originals discarded. The majority of the folders are arranged chronologically from earliest to latest date. Some of the folders are arranged alphabetically and are marked as such in the folder title.

The first two unidentified manuscripts in Series II were originally housed with the Great Lives Observed manuscript. It is unclear which manuscripts they are a part of. A third unidentified manuscript titled "The Great Agassiz", Chapter VI, was originally housed with the Social and Intellectual History of the American People manuscript. It is also unclear which manuscript it belongs to.

Partially restricted folders are marked as such in the finding aid and on the folder itself. Generally, folders are restricted due to the information contained within the folder relating to former SLC students. Photocopies are not allowed for these particular documents. Please ask the College Archivist for further assistance.

See also: Center for Continuing Education Records and the Syllabus/Course Assignment Collection for additional syllabi in the SLC Archives. The Bert James Loewenberg Papers on Charles Darwin are housed at the American Philosophical Society Library.

Series Descriptions

Series I.

Sarah Lawrence College is dated from 1927 through 1974 and contains general biographical information on Loewenberg including clippings, correspondence with Sarah Lawrence College faculty and administration, lecture notes, minutes of committee meetings, press releases, and syllabi. The series is divided into eight sub-series: Sub-series A. Biographical; Sub-series B. Clippings; Sub-series C. Correspondence; Sub-series D. Lecture Notes; Sub-series E. Lectures; Sub-series F. Minutes; Sub-series G. Press Releases; Sub-series H. Courses.

Series II.

Publications and Research is dated from 1935 through 1973 and includes book reviews, correspondence with publishers and Loewenberg's co-authors, manuscripts, articles, and publications. The series is divided into four sub-series: Sub-series A. Miscellanous; Sub-series B. Correspondence; Sub-series C. Manuscripts, Articles; Sub-series D. Publications.

Folder List

Box 1:

Series I. Sarah Lawrence College

Sub-series A. Biographical

• 1. Curriculum Vitae, n.d.
• 2. Faculty Sheet, 1942

Sub-series B. Clippings (Chronological)

• 3. Civil Liberties, 1947
• 4. Truman Doctrine, 1947
• 5. BJL, 1966-1971

Sub-series C. Correspondence (Alphabetical)

• 6. A.C. Crombie, Oxford University, 1964-1965
• 7. Approaches to Religion course, 1965-1966
• 8. Arthur Schlesinger, Harvard University, 1942-1946
• 9. Asa Briggs, University of Sussex, 1961-1962
• 10. BJL's father, 1943
• 11. BJL's Nephew, 1950
• 12. BJL's Memorial Service, 1974
• 13. Center for Continuing Education, 1965-1969
• 14. Charles DeCarlo, President, SLC, 1969-1973
• 15. Constance Warren, President, SLC, 1938-1945
• 16. Ecampment for Citizenship, 1948-1951
• 17. Esther Raushenbush, President, SLC, 1965-1969
• 18. Fulbright Controversy, include press releases, 1959-1960
• 19. Graduate Program for College Teaching & Ideas in America Seminar, 1964-1973 (RESTRICTED)
• 20. Harold Taylor, President, SLC, 1945-1959
• 21. Helen Lynd, 1927
• 22. Ideas in America course, 1964-1967
• 23. Jackie Mattfeld, Dean, SLC, 1967-1969
• 24. Paul Ward, President, SLC, 1960-1965
• 25. Salary, SLC, 1965-1971
• 26. SLC's trip to TVA and Segregation, 1951
• 27. University Seminar in American Civilization, Columbia University, 1962

Sub-series D. Lecture Notes (Alphabetical)

• 28. 1775-1783, Growth of Democracy, n.d
• 29. 1776-1825, Awakening of National Consciousness, n.d
• 30. 1789-1815, n.d
• 31. 1898-1954, n.d
• 32. 1919-1930, Curve of Regression, n.d
• 33. 1825-1885, Age of the Common Man, n.d
• 34. Burr Conspiracy, n.d
• 35. Canada, n.d
• 36. Confederation, n.d
• 37. Corporate Revolution, n.d
• 38. Emerson, n.d
• 39. Henry Adams, 1838-1918, n.d
• 40. Outlines, n.d
• 41. Prelude to Depression, n.d
• 42. Romanticism in America Thought, n.d
• 43. Slavery, n.d
• 44. Thomas Jefferson, n.d
• 45. Westward Expansion, n.d
• 46. World War I, n.d

Sub-series E. Lectures (Chronological)

• 47. "Questions involved in President Truman's Speech on Greek-Turkish Loan," n.d
• 48. "Religion in the History of American Ideas," 1957
• 49. "Darwin, Darwinism and History," AHA Meeting, 1957
• 50. "Darwin, Darwinism and History," Poster, 1958
• 51. "Henry Adams, Leopold Von Ranke, and Frederick Jackson Turner," 1958
• 52. "A Historian's Preface to a Conference on Social Change," 1959
• 53. "Humanism and Science," SU of Iowa, 1962
• 54. "History in the Liberal Arts College: Its Purposes and Values," 1965
• 55. Fairfield Alumni Association, 1968

Sub-series F. Minutes (Chronological)

• 56. Minutes, First Teaching Seminar, SLC, 1966
• 57. Minutes, Advisory Committee on Appointments, 1971
• 58. Minutes, Board of Trustees Meeting, 1972

Sub-series G. Press Releases (Chronological)

• 59. BJL's Lectures, 1949-1964
• 60. Sarah Lawrence College, 1953-1969

Sub-series H. Courses (Chronological)

• 61. Course Readings, n.d
• 62. History SC8b (syllabus), n.d
• 63. History 312b, "Intellectual History of the US" (syllabus), n.d
• 64. History 25, 1940-1952
• 65. History 26, 1940-1947
• 66. "Ideas in America", 1950
• 67. "American Life and Thought", 1961-1966
• 68. "Approaches to Religion", 1965
• 69. "Approaches to Religion", 1966

Series II. Publications and Research

Sub-series A. Miscellaneous

• 70. Review- "Toward a New Birth of Freedom", n.d
• 71. Book Reviews, by BJL, n.d
• 72. Clippings, Re: Massachusetts: A Guide to its Places and People Controversy, 1937
• 73. Bibliography, "Darwin Year", 1959
• 74. Book Review, American History in American Thought by Irving Goldman and G.D. Lillibridge, 1972

Sub-series B. Correspondence (Alphabetical)

• 75. Carey Williams, The Nation, 1951-1952
• 76. Darwin, Wallace and the theory of Natural Selection, 1957-1962
• 77. Edward and Nancy Lurie, 1956-1962
• 78. F.S. Crofts and Co. Publishers, 1935
• 79. General, Professional, 1935-1949
• 80. General, Professional, 1950-1959
• 81. General, Professional, 1961-1971
• 82. Gerry Stearn, Prentice-Hall Publishing, 1970
• 83. Harvey Cinamon, Husmail Press, 1958
• 84. Houghton Mifflin Co., 1943
• 85. John Cook Wyllie, University of Virginia, 1953
• 86. Jerry ?, n.d
• 87. Joseph Roucek, University of Bridgeport, 1949
• 88. MacMillan Co., 1935-1947
• 89. Merle Curti, University of Wisconsin, 1946-1950, 1971
• 90. Michael Millgate, Leeds University, 1953-1962
• 91. National Endowment for the Humanities, 1974
• 92. Pauline Kling, Mount Holyoke College, 1950

Box 2:

Sub-series B. Correspondence (Alphabetical) continued

• 1. Ray Billington, Smith College, 1943-1950
• 2. Rinehart Publishers, 1943-1952
• 3. Sam Brockunier, Wesleyan University, 1941-1961
• 4. The Guide to Historical Literature, 1957
• 5. Thomas Carruthers, Princeton University, 1949-1950

Sub-series C. Manuscripts, Articles (Chronological)

• 6. Notes, n.d
• 7. "Darwininsm: Reaction or Reform?" Rinehart and Co.", n.d
• 8. "Democratic Orientation", n.d
• 9. Great Lives Observed, Part I; Chapter 1A-1C (edited by BJL), n.d
• 10. Great Lives Observed, Part I; Chapter 2A-2C
• 11. Great Lives Observed, Part I; Chapter 3A-3E
• 12. Great Lives Observed, Part I; Chapters 4, 5A-5B
• 13. Great Lives Observed, Part II; Chapters 6-9
• 14. Great Lives Observed, Part II; Chapters 10-13 (Includes Afterword and Bibliography)
• 15. Unidentified Manuscript, Chapter 1-3, n.d
• 16. Unidentified Manuscript, Chapter 4-5
• 17. Unidentified Manuscript, Chapter 6-7
• 18. Unidentified Manuscript, Chapter 8-9
• 19. Unidentified Manuscript, Chapter 10
• 20. Unidentified Manuscript, Chapter X, n.d
• 21. "The Lie Detector: Science and Public Policy", n.d
• 22. "On the Advancement of Political Learning", n.d
• 23. "Desegregation of the American School System", n.d
• 24. "Sociology and History", n.d
• 25. "This I Believe" - C.B.S Radio Broadcast, n.d
• 26. "Darwin and Darwin Studies, 1959-1963", n.d
• 27. "Learning through Philosophy", n.d
• 28. "The Louisville and Nashville Railroad", n.d
• 29. "Darwin and the Tragic Vision: An Essay Review", n.d
• 30. "Social Views of Scientific School of American Historians: John William Burgess", n.d
• 31. Unidentified Manuscript, "The Great Agassiz", Chapter VI, n.d
• 32. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, (Outline and Prospectus), 1941
• 33. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapter I; Sec. 4-5 (Includes III, 2. Comm. Man. Pg. 2-13), 1941
• 34. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapter II; Sec. 1-4
• 35. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapter III; Sec. 1-4, 6, 7, 10&11
• 36. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapter V
• 37. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapters VI, VII & VIII
• 38. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapters X, XI, XIII & XIV
• 39. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapter XVI
• 40. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapters XVII & XVIII
• 41. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapters XIX & XXI
• 42. Social and Intellectual History of the American People, Chapter XXV
• 43. Social and Intellectual History of the American People (Publisher Pages), 1942
• 44. "American History in college Education", 1950
• 45. Untitled, 1952
• 46. "1964 Election" (Also published in SLC Alum magazine), 1964
• 47. "Charles Darwin," International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 1965
• 48. "Curved and Rendered by Reason", 1965
• 49. "Dwight D. Eisenhower," Herold Statesman, 1965
• 50. "Winston Churchill, 1874-1965" Herold Statesman, 1965
• 51. "American Women Speak"- Play, 1966
• 52. "The President, the Primaries and the Possibilities", 1968
• 53. "American Negro Women", 1969
• 54. Negro Women in America, Arthur Pine Associates, 1971
• 55. "Nixon and Watergate", 1973

Sub-series D. Publications (Chronological)

• 56."Darwin Scholarship of the Darwin Year", n.d
• 57. "The Darwin Book of the Darwin Year", n.d
• 58. "A Charter of Democracy"- The Standard, n.d
• 59. "The Controversy over Evolution in New England", n.d
• 60. "Historical Scholarship in American Culture", n.d
• 61. "Edwin Mims, Jr." by Bert Loewenberg, n.d
• 62. "Efforts of the South to Encourage Immigration, 1865-1900", 1934
• 63. "Darwinism comes to America, 1859-1900", 1941
• 64. "The Coming of the American Civil War", 1941
• 65. "The History of Ideas: 1935-1945, Retrospect and Prospect", 1947
• 66. "Some Problems raised by Historical relativism", 1949
• 67. "The Process of Democracy and Political Parties" -Labor and Union, 1951
• 68. "Power and American Ideals," The Standard, 1951
• 69. "A Democratic Program for Psychological Warfare", 1952
• 70. "John William Burgess, the Scientific Method, and the Hegelian Philosophy of History", 1955
• 71. "The Mosaic of Darwinian Thought," Victorian Studies, 1959
• 72. The Newberry Library, 1959
• 73. Research Notes, Darwin, 1960
• 74. "Darwin and the Tragic Vision", 1962
• 75. "The Heroic Historians -Prescott, Motley, Parkman", 1968
• 76. "American Negro Women: Four 19th Century Selections" SLC Journal, co-written with Ruth Bogin, 1969
• 77. "Women in America", 1971, 1972
• 78. "Upsurge in Colonial Thought: The Creation of a Democratic Tradition, 1764-1781"(NEH Grant Application), 1973