University Archives

Emporia State University Archives was established by charter in 1987, and serves as the repository of record for the University and the administrative center for numerous heritage collections relevant to the University’s history or in support of the academic disciplines explored by faculty, students and others throughout the scholarly community. Significant holdings include the personal papers of William Allen White, a multiple-Pulitzer winning journalist, political advisor of nine US Presidents, and friend of hundreds of literary, art, science and political figures of the early 20th Century; and the memorial collection of art and manuscripts documenting the career and influence of May Massee, who, in the early 20th Century, established two of the first three children’s book divisions in American publishing houses, and whose stable of authors and illustrators won a higher percentage of major awards for their works than any publishing house has achieved since. Other collections include the Walter M. Andersen Collection, an extensive photography collection tracing the history of the railroad in Kansas; and such unquestionably unique items as a scrapbook of observations made of Woodrow Wilson when he was President of Princeton by a student in his jurisprudence class (later a History professor at ESU); and a scrapbook of photos and correspondence concerning the 19th Century British and American friends and associates of a large American landowner’s family, including Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert, several of their children, British authors Alfred Lord Tennyson and Sir Walter Scott, US President John Quincy Adams and many, many others.
The Archives Catalog is available for research.
The May Massee Collection and gallery is open to the public from 8-5 M-F in room 308B of the White Library. It is strongly advised that researchers make an appointment with the Archivist to use the collection for research; call 620-341-5034 or e-mail Heather A. Wade at hwade@emporia.edu for additional information on using the May Massee Collection.
Pending current facilities renovation, all other collections are available through research service by e-mailing archives@emporia.edu or call 620-341-6431.