The Humanities Council of Duke University was created in 1961 to give attention to various matters affecting the humanities departments as a whole, including the advancement of research, interdepartmental and inter-institutional programs, and support for various humanistic activities. The Humanities Council records consist of correspondence, memoranda, reports, minutes, clippings, and printed programs relating to planning, resource allocation, curriculum, and state of the humanities at Duke University from 1961 to 1979. Major subjects include graduate studies in anthropology, the Department of Music, the Museum of Art, medieval and renaissance studies, the American Comparative Literature Association, the Cooperative Program in the Humanities between Duke and the University of North Carolina, and the National Humanities Center. English.
The collection consists of records relating to planning, resource allocation, curriculum, and state of the humanities at the University as dealt with by the Committee. Correspondence, memoranda, reports (typed and annotated), minutes, clipping, charts, projections, and printed programs comprise the bulk of this collection. There exist some materials that are not created out of the general functioning of the committee. These materials, while not being direct results of committee work, help to better understand the functioning and role of the Committee in the life of the University. These materials are mainly dedications programs and leaflets, reports, booklets, and reports from outside bodies, such as the American Comparative Literature Association.