Search

Correspondence, manuscripts, notes, documents, subject files, photographs, art works, and printed materials. This collection covers the entire span of his life, although by far the greatest part relates to his activities as a professor from the 1930s to the 1960s. Among the correspondents are many important figures in American Russian studies or Columbia University; there are also many letters from his wife, Clemens T. Robinson, and Lewis Mumford. Manuscripts by Robinson include his "Rural Russia under the Old Regime" lectures, notes, speeches and essays, and also miscellaneous pieces (essays, reviews, poems, stories, plays, etc.) that he wrote while he was an aspiring young journalist and writer in the 1910s and 1920s. Manuscripts by others consist of student theses, papers, books and reports that were given him for review or comment. Subject files deal with such topics as his service in World War I; Columbia University (especially the Libraries and the History Department); and various aspects of academic life and Russian studies. Almost nothing in the collection has any bearing on his government service during World War II; items from the war years concern personal affairs or scholarship. There are photographs of Robinson and his wife; family photographs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries; and Russian scenes. Art works include items by Clemens T. Robinson. Among the printed materials are two books inscribed by Mumford to Robinson.

The materials that comprise the Historical Biographical Files have been collected and added to from a variety of sources over the years by current and previous staff. The files consist of materials related to people who have a connection to the University whether as student, alumni, administrator, faculty, staff, guest lecturer, or honorary degree recipient. Materials generally consist of newspaper and magazine clippings, press releases, programs, ephemera, printed matter, lists, reports, and pamphlets.

Correspondence addressed to the editors, Wendell T. Bush and Frederick J.E. Woodbridge, from numerous philosophers including John Dewey, William James, Josiah Royce, and George Santayana. There are two typewritten manuscripts of John Dewey: "The Naturalistic Theory of Perception by the Senses" and "Valuation Judgments and Immediate Quality" both of which contain the author's holograph corrections and emendations. Also, two manuscripts of Ernst Cassirer: "Kant and Rousseau" and "Ficino's Place in Intellectual History."

These papers consist of correspondence, manuscripts, documents, and printed materials. Most of the correspondence concerns Florinsky's publications and editorial work. Among the correspondents are Boris Bakhmeteff, Michael Karpovich, Aleksandr Meyendorff, Bernard Pares, James T. Shotwell, and Dmitriĭ Svi︠a︡topolk-Mirskiĭ: there are one or two items each from John Dewey, Herbert Hoover, Edwin Seligman, and Harry S. Truman. Manuscripts by Florinsky include his "Russia: A Short History" and some minor articles and book reviews. Other manuscripts include a poem by Bernard Pares and a study by Sergeĭ Prokopovich of the Soviet five-year plan of 1946-50; there is also a photograph of Meyendorff. Documents concern Florinsky's career at Columbia and also include book contracts. Printed materials consist chiefly of reviews of his works and reviews he wrote of others' books.