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Series IV: Professional Work, 1926-1987
Series V: Photographs, 1905-1963
Series VI: Realia, 1905-1971

Lionel Trilling papers, 1899-1987

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Series II: Correspondence, 1900-1983

Series II holds Lionel Trilling's personal and professional correspondence. These letters were sent between Trilling and family members, colleagues at Columbia University and outside of the institution, contacts at publishing houses, and friends. This series is the largest in the collection and along with the writings, illuminates some of Trilling's opinions of other writers, developing literary trends, and the changing political situation, in particular World War II and the rise of social justice organizations in the 1960s. However, much of the correspondence consists of requests for Trilling to lecture, review new literary texts and give recommendations to former students and colleagues.

The series has been arranged into two subseries: Alphabetical, by name or by topic, and Chronological. This collection was processed according to earlier manuscript processing standards followed; therefore letters of "significant" individuals were removed from their place within a loose chronological order and arranged alphabetically. Although this collection has been reprocessed and newly donated material has been integrated, the two systems of arrangement have been maintained since the original order is not clear.

Subseries II.1 Alphabetical, 1900-1983

Subseries 1 is comprised of letters received by Trilling from his friends, family members, and business colleagues. Subjects covered ranged a variety of issues. Often Trilling debated current events with his colleagues, like an exchange concerning affirmative action with Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Many prominent writers may be found here such as Allen Ginsberg, who maintained a long correspondence with Trilling and often included drafts and ideas for poems in his letters, E.M. Forster, Robert Penn Warren (who Trilling affectionately referred to as "Red"), Saul Bellow, and e.e. cummings. In addition, there are long exchanges with John Crowe Ransom, with whom Trilling founded the School of English at Kenyon College, Henry Rosenthal, one of Trilling's oldest and closest friends, and Columbia History professor, Jacques Barzun who, along with being a close friend of Lionel Trilling, co-taught interdisciplinary courses with him. Letters from publishers, in particular Oxford University Press, Harvard University Press, and Viking Press illustrate the variety of professional literary relationships Trilling cultivated.

Family correspondence is available with the following individuals: James Trilling, Diana Trilling, Fannie Trilling (mother), David Trilling (father), Harriet Schwartz (sister), and Hyman Trilling (uncle). In general there is very little correspondence of this nature within the collection.


Box 5 Folder 6 A, 1931 February-1983 March

Box 5 Folder 7 Baldwin through Barzun, undated, 1933 October-1955 April, undated, 1933 October-1955 April

Box 5 Folder 8 Barzun through Bentley, undated, 1942 July-1975 November, undated, 1942 July-1975 November

Box 5 Folder 9 Beale through Butterfield, undated, 1931 October-1973 November, undated, 1931 October-1973 November


Box 6 Folder 1 Calkins through Chase, undated, 1929 April-1966 November, undated, 1929 April-1966 November

Box 6 Folder 2 Cherne through Cummings, undated, 1925-1964 September, undated, 1925-1964 September

Box 6 Folder 3 D, undated, 1929 October-1975 October, undated, 1929 October-1975 October

Box 6 Folder 4 E, undated, 1934 August-1974 May, undated, 1934 August-1974 May

Box 6 Folder 5 F, undated, 1927 March-1974 August, undated, 1927 March-1974 August

Box 6 Folder 6 G, undated, 1926 September-1928 August, 1945 November-1968 January, undated, 1926, 1945 November-1968 January

Box 6 Folder 7 H, undated, 1931 August-1974 April, undated, 1931 August-1974 April


Box 7 Folder 1 I through J, 1939 May-1974 February

Box 7 Folder 2 K, undated, 1929 July-1974 April, undated, 1929 July-1974 April

Box 7 Folder 3 L, undated, 1931 April-1961 December, undated, 1931 April-1961 December

Box 7 Folder 4 M, undated, 1928 February-1973 November, undated, 1928 February-1973 November

Box 7 Folder 5 N, undated, 1956 Septmber-1969 April, undated, 1956

Box 7 Folder 6 O, 1945 March-1969 March

Box 7 Folder 7 P, undated, 1941 March-1975 October, undated, 1941 March-1975 October

Publishers, 1947-1980, 3 folders

Box 7 Folder 8 A through Macy

Box 7 Folder 9 Martin through U


Box 8 Folder 1 Viking Press

Box 8 Folder 2 Rahv through Ransom, undated,1937-August-1957 October, undated

Box 8 Folder 3 Riesman through Rosenthal, undated, 1947 June-1975 June, undated, 1947 June-1975 June

Box 8 Folder 4 Rosenthal, 1923 July-1926 November

Box 8 Folder 5 Rosenthal through Rukeyser, 1927 January-1970 April


Box 9 Folder 1 S, 1927 November-1976 December

Box 9 Folder 2 T, 1938 November-1971 November

Box 9 Folder 3 Trilling, David, undated, 1926, undated, 1926

Box 9 Folder 4 Trilling, Diana to Trilling, Lionel, undated, 1929-1937, 1957, undated, 1929-1937, 1957

Box 9 Folder 5 Trilling, Fannie, 1953 August-1954 July, 1964 September-November, 1953, 1964 September-November

Box 9 Folder 6 Trilling, Harriet, undated, 1926 September-1927 May, undated, 1926 September-1927 May

Box 9 Folder 7 Trilling, Hyman to Trilling, David and Fannie, 1900-1901, 1919, 1900-1901, 1919

Box 9 Folder 8 Trilling, James, 1957 January

Box 9 Folder 9 Trilling, Lionel to Trilling, Diana, undated, 1928 October-1931 July, undated, 1928 October-1931 July, (2 Folders)

Box 9 Folder 10 Trilling, Lionel to Trilling, Diana, 1956 December-1962 May


Box 10 Folder 1 U through V, 1940 June-1962 September

Box 10 Folder 2 W though Z, 1929 October-1974 April

Subseries II.2: Chronological, 1925-1976

Letters held in Subseries 2 are similar in nature to those in Subseries 1. Correspondents include colleagues, publishers, personal friends, and students from Columbia University. Records concerning the Kenyon Institute, in particular the founding, the initial proposal, annual budget, and mission statement are found in January 1947. These letters are between Trilling, and fellow founders F.O. Matthieson and John Ransom. Many of the letters consist of requests to lecture at various academic institutions or to offer opinions of unpublished manuscripts. There are also letters from current and former students, many of whom were soldiers serving in Europe during World War II.

Box 10 Folder 3 Undated

Box 10 Folder 4 1925 March-1931 November

Box 10 Folder 5 1932 May-1937 December

Box 10 Folder 6 1938 January-1939 May


Box 11 Folder 1 1939 June-1940 December

Box 11 Folder 2 1941 January-1942 June

Box 11 Folder 3 1942 July-1943 June

Box 11 Folder 4 1943 July-December

Box 11 Folder 5 1944 January-August

Box 11 Folder 6 1944 September-1945 March


Box 12 Folder 1 1945 April-September

Box 12 Folder 2 1945 October-1946 March

Box 12 Folder 3 1946 April-September

Box 12 Folder 4 1946 October-1947 March

Box 12 Folder 5 1947 April-September


Box 13 Folder 1 1947 October-November

Box 13 Folder 2 1947 December-1948 February

Box 13 Folder 3 1948 March-April

Box 13 Folder 4 1948 May-September

Box 13 Folder 5 1948 October-1949 February


Box 14 Folder 1 1949 February-March

Box 14 Folder 2 1949 April-August

Box 14 Folder 3 1950 January-1951 September

Box 14 Folder 4 1951 October-1952 April

Box 14 Folder 5 1952 May-December


Box 15 Folder 1 1953 January-March

Box 15 Folder 2 1953 April-September

Box 15 Folder 3 1953 October-December

Box 15 Folder 4 1954 January-April

Box 15 Folder 5 1954 May-July

Box 15 Folder 6 1954 August-November


Box 16 Folder 1 1954 December-1955 January

Box 16 Folder 2 1955 February-March

Box 16 Folder 3 1955 April-May

Box 16 Folder 4 1955 June-August

Box 16 Folder 5 1955 September-October

Box 16 Folder 6 1955 November-December


Box 17 Folder 1 1956 January-February

Box 17 Folder 2 1956 March-April

Box 17 Folder 3 1956 May-July

Box 17 Folder 4 1956 August-October 19, 1956 August-October

Box 17 Folder 5 1956 October 20-November, 1956 October

Box 17 Folder 6 1956 December-1957 February


Box 18 Folder 1 1957 March-April

Box 18 Folder 2 1957 May-July

Box 18 Folder 3 1957 August-October

Box 18 Folder 4 1957 November-December

Box 18 Folder 5 1958 January-February

Box 18 Folder 6 1958 March-April


Box 19 Folder 1 1958 May-June

Box 19 Folder 2 1958 July-September

Box 19 Folder 3 1958 October-November 10, 1958 October-November

Box 19 Folder 4 1958 November 11-December, 1958 November

Box 19 Folder 5 1959 January-February

Box 19 Folder 6 1959 March-April


Box 20 Folder 1 1959 May-June

Box 20 Folder 2 1959 July-September

Box 20 Folder 3 1959 October-November

Box 20 Folder 4 1959 December-1960 January

Box 20 Folder 5 1960 February-April


Box 21 Folder 1 1960 May-August

Box 21 Folder 2 1960 September-November

Box 21 Folder 3 1960 December-1961 February

Box 21 Folder 4 1961 March-May

Box 21 Folder 5 1961 June-August


Box 22 Folder 1 1961 September-October

Box 22 Folder 2 1961 November-December

Box 22 Folder 3 1962 January-February

Box 22 Folder 4 1962 March-April

Box 22 Folder 5 1962 May-June

Box 22 Folder 6 1962 July-September


Box 23 Folder 1 1962 October-November

Box 23 Folder 2 1962 December-1963 January

Box 23 Folder 3 1963 February-March

Box 23 Folder 4 1963 April-May 21, 1963 April-May

Box 23 Folder 5 1963 May 22-July, 1963 May


Box 24 Folder 1 1963 August-October

Box 24 Folder 2 1963 November-December

Box 24 Folder 3 1964 January-February

Box 24 Folder 4 1964 March-April

Box 24 Folder 5 1964 May-June


Box 25 Folder 1 1964 July-October

Box 25 Folder 2 1964 November

Box 25 Folder 3 1964 December-1965 January

Box 25 Folder 4 1965 February-March

Box 25 Folder 5 1965 April-May

Box 25 Folder 6 1965 June-July


Box 26 Folder 1 1965 August-October

Box 26 Folder 2 1965 November-December

Box 26 Folder 3 1966 January-February

Box 26 Folder 4 1966 March-April

Box 26 Folder 5 1966 May-June


Box 27 Folder 1 1966 July-September

Box 27 Folder 2 1966 October-November

Box 27 Folder 3 1966 December-1967 March

Box 27 Folder 4 1967 April-June

Box 27 Folder 5 1967 July-September

Box 27 Folder 6 1967 October-November 12, 1967 October-November


Box 28 Folder 1 1967 November 14-1968 January 15

Box 28 Folder 2 1968 January 16-February, 1968 January

Box 28 Folder 3 1968 March-April

Box 28 Folder 4 1968 May-July

Box 28 Folder 5 1968 August-October

Box 28 Folder 6 1968 November-1969 January


Box 29 Folder 1 1969 February-April

Box 29 Folder 2 1969 May-October

Box 29 Folder 3 1969 November-1970 February

Box 29 Folder 4 1970 March-June

Box 29 Folder 5 1970 July-October


Box 30 Folder 1 1970 November-1971 January

Box 30 Folder 2 1971 February-March

Box 30 Folder 3 1971 April-June

Box 30 Folder 4 1971 July-September

Box 30 Folder 5 1971 October-December

Box 30 Folder 6 1972 January-February


Box 31 Folder 1 1972 March-May 14, 1972 March-May

Box 31 Folder 2 1972 May 15-July, 1972 May

Box 31 Folder 3 1972 August-November

Box 31 Folder 4 1972 December-1973 January

Box 31 Folder 5 1973 February-March

Box 31 Folder 6 1973 April-July


Box 32 Folder 1 1973 August-October

Box 32 Folder 2 1973 November-December

Box 32 Folder 3 1974 January-March 19, 1974 January-March

Box 32 Folder 4 1974 March 20-April, 1974 March

Box 32 Folder 5 1974 May-June

Box 32 Folder 6 1974 July-September


Box 33 Folder 1 1974 October-November

Box 33 Folder 2 1974 December-1975 January

Box 33 Folder 3 1975 February-March

Box 33 Folder 4 1975 April-May

Box 33 Folder 5 1975 June-August

Box 33 Folder 6 1975 September-1976 January