Jay Broadus Hubbell was a professor of American literature at Duke University. The Jay B. Hubbell Papers span the years from 1816 to 1998, with the bulk of the material documenting Hubbell's career from his early student years in the 1920s until his death in 1979. The collection consists mainly of his professional papers, including correspondence with colleagues and literary figures, articles written by others at his request for the Jay B. Hubbell Center, printed materials inscribed to him and written by him, and unpublished manuscripts. The material chronicles the four decades of Hubbell's career as professor and critic, which he dedicated to the growth and development of American literature as a field of critical inquiry. Among the many significant correspondents or subjects of others' writings are Conrad Aiken, Gay Wilson Allen, Robert Frost, Clarence Gohdes, members of the Hubbell family, Ralph Leslie Rusk, Carl Sandburg, Allen Tate, Arlin Turner, and John Hall Wheelock. Other significant topics covered by the material include the founding of the Jay B. Hubbell Center for American Literary Historiography at Duke University, the study and teaching of literature from the American South, the activities of the faculty at Duke University, and the development of the American Literature Section of the Modern Language Association (MLA).

The Jay B. Hubbell Papers span the years from 1816 to 1998, with the bulk of the material documenting Hubbell's career from his early student years in the 1920s until his death in 1979. The collection consists mainly of his professional papers, including correspondence with colleagues and literary figures, articles written by others at his request for the Jay B. Hubbell Center, printed materials inscribed to him and written by him, and unpublished manuscripts. The material chronicles the four decades of Hubbell's career as professor and critic, which he dedicated to the growth and development of American literature as a field of critical inquiry. Among the many significant correspondents or subjects of others' writings are Conrad Aiken, Gay Wilson Allen, Robert Frost, Clarence Gohdes, members of the Hubbell family, Ralph Leslie Rusk, Carl Sandburg, Allen Tate, Arlin Turner, and John Hall Wheelock. Other significant topics covered by the material include the founding of the Jay B. Hubbell Center for American Literary Historiography at Duke University, the study and teaching of literature from the American South, the activities of the faculty at Duke University, and the development of the American Literature Section of the Modern Language Association (MLA). The collection is divided into eight series: Biographical; Correspondence, Alphabetical; Correspondence by Date; Writings and Speeches; Subject Files; Teaching Abroad; Photographs; and Clippings.

The Biographical Data Series contains correspondence, manuscripts of his autobiographical writings, financial and legal documents, writings by his siblings, curriculum vitae, and obituaries, all of which chronicle Hubbell's life from his earliest years until his death.

The largest component of the collection contains correspondence from colleagues, former students, and literary figures. The Correspondence, Alphabetical Series consists of many letters from students and colleagues. The bulk of the correspondence gives shape to the nature and status of American literary studies in the early- to mid-twentieth century. In particular, the many letters exchanged among Hubbell, his colleagues, and his students provide insight into the routine professional life of this first pioneering generation of scholars. From job appointments to topics of scholarship, the letters uncover the kinds of professional interests and pressures that influenced the formation of American literary studies. Additional miscellaneous letters are arranged chronologically in the Correspondence by Date Series. These letters mainly represent single items from colleagues, publishers, and minor writers. The same topics are represented here as in the correspondence arranged alphabetically.

Jay B. Hubbell authored numerous articles and books throughout his career which contributed to the bibliography of American literary studies. Samples of such are located in the collection's Writings and Speeches Series. The series is divided into two subseries, the Writings by Hubbell Subseries and the Writings by Others Subseries. The Writings by Hubbell Subseries includes unpublished manuscripts, publication files consisting of correspondence with publishers and review clippings, and printed material consisting of article reprints and reviews. The Writings by Others Subseries contains articles and essays by Hubbell's colleagues and peers, as well as several essays that Hubbell collected on topics of interest to him. It also contains several memoirs which narrate the lives and influence of several key figures in the first generations of American literary scholars.

The Subject Files Series chronicles some of the major events, interests, and projects of Hubbell's career. His involvement with the Modern Language Association is represented by material filed in the General Files Subseries. Also included in this subseries is material concerning several of his institutional affiliations, including Clemson University, Columbia University, and Southern Methodist University (SMU). Hubbell's papers concerning his many professional projects can be found in the Projects Subseries, such as the Checklist of Manuscripts and the Center for Southern Studies. Information related to many of the subject files can be found throughout the collection, particularly in the Biographical Data and Correspondence Series.

Jay Hubbell dedicated a generous portion of his scholarly career to teaching and students. Besides his interest in different configurations and institutions for furthering learning and scholarship, Hubbell spent several years teaching abroad. The Teaching Abroad Series contains correspondence and incidentals concerning his service at universities in Vienna, Jerusalem, and Athens. This series includes materials which highlight Hubbell's experiences at the intersection of American foreign policy and university teaching, as Hubbell served as a Visiting Expert for the U.S. Army in Vienna as well as a quickly evacuated Visiting Professor in Jerusalem in 1956, during the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The Photographs Series includes photographs of Hubbell, family, and colleagues. The series includes portraits of Hubbell alone as well as with family.

The Clippings Series contains newspaper and journal clippings recording the many significant personal and professional events of Hubbell's life. The series also includes clippings about contemporary events, friends, and colleagues which Hubbell found noteworthy.

Hubbell's papers pertaining to English Department matters and committee assignments can be found in the Duke University Archives. The David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Duke University houses many related collections, particularly in the Hubbell Center for American Literary Historiography: the records of American Literature; American Literary Manuscripts; and the Modern Language Association's American Literature Section and Southern Literature Discussion Group; and the papers of Gay Wilson Allen, Sacvan Berkovitch, Cathy Davidson, and Arlin Turner.

Hubbell was Professor emeritus of History at East Michigan University and brother of Jay B. Hubbell. The collection includes family papers, correspondence, writings, and other material.

This collection consists largely of letters from Jay B. Hubbell to his brother Paul and his family discussing family matters, Hubbell genealogy, careers, publications, and politics, and current events. Other items include one letter from David S. Hubbell to his son Paul; photographs of Lucinda Hubbell and Jay Hubbell; writings by or about Jay B. Hubbell; a program of the Lamar Memorial Lectures; two volumes of GRANT STREET VERSE; a xeroxed copy of "A Tribute to Professor Kenneth Ballard Murdock, Honored Scholar of Early American Literature" from EARLY AMERICAN LITERATURE magazine; poems by Paul E. Hubbbel, including one entitled "In Academici Memoriam" written in memory of his brother in 1979; a 1985 essay by Paul E. Hubbell entitled "The Making of Edward Gibbon, 1737-1778;" and clippings concerning the death of Wilburt C. Davison.

Additional papers pertain to the family of Anne Thompson Hubbell, the wife of Paul Hubbell, and include a biographical sketch of her father Dr. Kimbro Thompson, a deed for land in Carroll Co., Va. (later the site of Hillsville Academy) from Calvin Mitchell to Benjamin F. Thompson, brother of Kimbro Thompson, dated 12 March 1854; another deed for 100 acres in Surry Co., N.C., to Jesse Isaaks, singed by Governor Z.B. Vance and dated 23 January 1863 (the surveyor's report is attached); a copy of the will of John J. McMickle of Surry Co., N.C., dated 25 October 1892, which names Dr. Kimbro Thompson, his son-in-law, as executor; three compositions by Kimbro Thompson, who was also an ordained minister in the Baptist Church; four letters, one to Kimbro Thompson's brother dated 21 January 1856, one written by W.O.T. Banner to his cousin while Banner was a prisoner at Johnsons Island, Oh., dated 24 November 1864, one from J.B. Jones to Rev. Thompson dated 20 October 1868 pertaining to missionary work in western Va., and one from Mame Thompson Woodhouse, sister of Anne Thompson Hubbel, dater 26 April 1930; copies of three notes promising to pay varying amounts of money; a certification of the unfitness of Benjamin F. Thompson for military service and his discharge of November 13, 1862; tax receipt of Benjamin F. Thompson for the year 1856; a scrapbook of Lucy McMickle, wife of Dr. Kimbro Thompson, in which clippings of agricultural pointers, stories, poems, etc. have been pasted on pages which apparently were Dr. Thompson's notes on diseases and medications, recipes, poems, and copies of letters have been added; a notebook fo Anne Thompson from Meredith College, Raleigh, N.C.; clippings of pictures of some of her classmates.

Poet and librarian, of Washington, D.C. Also sister of Jay B. Hubbell, Professor of American Literature, Duke University. The Ruth Ann Hubbell papers span the years from 1905 to 1986, with the bulk dating from 1926 to 1972. The collection consists mainly of correspondence between Ruth Ann Hubbell, her brother Jay Broadus Hubbell, and other members of the Hubbell family, but there are also some materials on the establishment of the Hubbell Center at Duke University, a small group of photographs, and folders of writings by Ruth Ann Hubbell, Jay Broadus Hubbell, Paul Edgar Hubbell, and other individuals. The collection is divided into six series: Clippings, Correspondence, Jay B. Hubbell Center for American Literary Historiography, Miscellany, Pictures, and Writings.

The Ruth Ann Hubbell Papers span the years from 1905 to 1986, with the bulk dating from 1926 to 1972. The collection consists mainly of correspondence between Ruth Ann Hubbell, her brother Jay Broadus Hubbell, and other members of the Hubbell family, but there are also some materials on the establishment of the Hubbell Center at Duke University, and some photographs and writings of Ruth Ann Hubbell, Jay Broadus Hubbell, Paul Edgar Hubbell (their brother), and other individuals. The collection is divided into six series: Clippings, Correspondence, Jay B. Hubbell Center for American Literary Historiography, Miscellany, Photographs, and Writings. These series are described fully below.