Bassett Affair collection, 1903 - 2003

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Summary

Creator:
Duke University. University Archives
Abstract:
The Bassett Affair is a celebrated case that helped establish the concept of academic freedom in higher education in the United States and is a benchmark incident in race relations in the South. John Spencer Bassett, a Trinity College professor, published a series of articles in the South Atlantic Quarterly (1903) that praised the accomplishments of African Americans and offered views on how to improve race relations. A campaign to remove Bassett from the faculty was thwarted by a vote of support for Bassett from the University's Board of Trustees on Dec. 2, 1903. The collection contains essays, articles, clippings, correspondence, reminiscences, and other published and unpublished matter including Bassett's article, Stirring Up the Fires of Race Antipathy (1903); a scrapbook, 1903-1904, kept by Trinity College officials with newspaper clippings documenting national coverage the case received; copies of letters by Theodore Roosevelt to Owen Wister (1906) commenting on the case and on Trinity; manuscripts of My Recollections of the Bassett Trial, by Robert Lee Durham (1936), The Bassett Affair: A Play in Six Acts, by Baird Straughan (1975), and Crisis at Trinity a play by John Merritt (1989); lists of related materials in other collections; various shorter articles and speeches including comments by Richard L. Watson and an address to the Academic Council by Terry Sanford; and materials from the centennial celebration of the Bassett Affair, collected by University Archives staff. English.
Extent:
2 Linear Feet
300 Items
Language:
English.
Collection ID:
UA.01.03.0001
University Archives Record Group:
01 -- General Information and University History
01 -- General Information and University History > 03 -- Trinity College (Durham)

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains essays, articles, clippings, correspondence, reminiscences, and other published and unpublished matter including Bassett's article, "Stirring Up the Fires of Race Antipathy" (1903); a scrapbook, 1903-1904, kept by Trinity College officials with newspaper clippings documenting national coverage the case received; copies of letters by Theodore Roosevelt to Owen Wister (1906) commenting on the case and on Trinity; manuscripts of "My Recollections of the Bassett Trial," by Robert Lee Durham (1936), "The Bassett Affair: A Play in Six Acts," by Baird Straughan (1975), and "Crisis at Trinity" a play by John Merritt (1989); lists of related materials in other collections; various shorter articles and speeches including comments by Richard L. Watson and an address to the Academic Council by Terry Sanford; and materials from the centennial celebration of the Bassett Affair, collected by University Archives staff.

Biographical / historical:

The Bassett Affair is a celebrated case that helped establish the concept of academic freedom in higher education in the United States and is a benchmark incident in race relations in the South. John Spencer Bassett, a Trinity College professor, published a series of articles in the South Atlantic Quarterly (1903) that praised the accomplishments of African Americans and offered views on how to improve race relations. A campaign to remove Bassett from the faculty was thwarted by a vote of support for Bassett from the University's Board of Trustees on Dec. 2, 1903.

Acquisition information:
The Bassett Affair Collection was received by the University Archives as a transfer in 1979 (A79-39), 1996 (A96-2). University Archives staff added material about the centennial celebration of the Bassett Affair in 2003.
Processing information:

Processed by Linda Daniel

Completed July 21, 2003

Encoded by Linda Daniel, July 21, 2003

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult University Archives, Duke University.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Bassett Affair Collection, Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.