Guide to the Charles Edwin Blackburn Papers 1930-1976
Cage 479

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Creator
Blackburn, Charles Edwin, 1915-1976
Title
Charles Edwin Blackburn Papers
ID
Cage 479
Date [inclusive]
1930-1976
Extent
14 Linear feet of shelf space, 17 Boxes
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
The Charles Edwin Blackburn Papers consists of his correspondence, financial, and other papers related to family matters; the study and teaching of English; his Coast Guard service, 1942-1945; and employment at Washington State University, 1951-1959 and 1964-1976, and the Boeing Company, Seattle, Washington, 1959-1964.

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

Charles Edwin Blackburn Papers, 1930-1976 (Cage 479)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Return to Top »

Biography/History

Charles Edwin Blackburn was born to William Brownlow Blackburn and Julia Agnes McDonald Blackburn on August 2, 1915, on a farm near Elberton, Washington. He was the youngest of eleven children. Blackburn attended Tekoa High School and graduated in 1934 in the midst of the Great Depression.

The Depression played a large role in Blackburn's early adult years. His father died in April 1934 and the family moved from Tekoa to Moscow, Idaho, the following June. From 1934 to 1936 he held several different jobs. He worked in an office as a typist, he sold silk hosiery door-to-door, he worked a Comptometer in an office in Olympia, and for a time in 1935, was in the Civilian Conservation Corps. All the while he dreamed of getting to college -the one all-consuming goal in his life. Yet, he lacked the funds and an understanding of college admission procedures. In April 1936 he started work in the office of the West Coast Lumberman's Association in Seattle. In the fall of the year, while still working part-time, he enrolled at the University of Washington. He attended college and continued to work for the WCLA until December 1940, when he decided to devote his full attentions to school. While attending the U of W he met his future wife Alice Kiser. Both received their B.A. degrees in 1941, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa. From 1941-1942, Charles attended graduate school, while Alice finished her fifth year studies to complete a Library Science degree.

America's entry into the Second World War delayed Blackburn's education for several years. He entered the service in the spring of 1942 and was assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard Station at Westport, Washington, as a radioman and yeoman. In 1944 he was transfered to the U.S.S. Casper (PF-12) as a radioman. In addition to his regular duties while on board the Casper he served as the ship's librarian and published the ship's newspaper, The Casper Clarion.

Charles Blackburn was discharged from the Coast Guard in late 1945; like so many young couples of the day, the Blackburns were faced with the task of rebuilding their lives. Blackburn returned to the University of Washington to continue his graduate education. In the fall of 1947, after only a year at the U. of W., he moved on to Yale University to complete his doctorate in American Studies. While at Yale, he taught English at Stone College (1948-1949) and the Junior College of Commerce (1949-1950), both in New Haven, Connecticut. During this time he was awarded a Yale University Fellowship (1949-1950) and a Sterling Predoctoral Fellowship (1950-1951).

Upon completing his Ph.D. in 1951, Blackburn joined the English faculty of Washington State University. He served as Chair of the Department of English from 1956-1957.

By 1959, however, the financial pressures of a growing family (children: Julia, 1947; Taft, 1949; Mary Beth, 1953) led Blackburn to look for a better paying position. In June of that year, he began a relatively short-lived career with the Boeing Company Industrial Products Division in Seattle, Washington. He started as a technical writer and over the next five years held several supervisory and administrative posts. Most of Blackburn's work was in marketing (writing and revising brochures and semi-technical documents) and administration (preparing and reporting the section's budget and coordinating his group with the European office). In addition, he was involved with the Boeing Employees' Good Neighbor Fund, a community service organization, from 1962-1964. Although Blackburn enjoyed his work and was promoted quickly, he found that he was not well suited to the business world. Therefore, from 1960 on he attempted to return to a position in academe.

In 1964, Washington State University again offered Blackburn a position in the English Department. WSU's attractive offer-- both in terms of salary and tenure considerations--in combination with Alice's appointment as Pullman City Librarian, brought the family back to Pullman.

From 1964-1976 Blackburn taught a variety of subjects: freshman/sophomore composition, technical writing, American Drama, 20th century Drama, and assorted literature classes. A talented actor himself, Blackburn had several roles with the New Pullman Summer Palace Theatre.

Blackburn died September 7, 1976 at age 61 in a Springfield, Oregon hospital where he had been a patient for two weeks after suffering a heart attack while on vacation.

Return to Top »

Scope and Content

The Charles Edwin Blackburn Papers consists of his correspondence, financial, and other papers related to family matters; the study and teaching of English; his Coast Guard service, 1942-1945; and employment at Washington State University, 1951-1959 and 1964-1976, and the Boeing Company, Seattle, Washington, 1959-1964.

The Correspondence Series, 1940-1976, comprises approximately one half of the collection and contains letters from many family members and friends. Principal correspondents in this series are Alice Kiser Blackburn, Eva (Blackburn) Newsum, Fanny (Blackburn) Rasmussen, and Faye Blackburn.

The Subject File Series, 1930-1976, contains papers from Blackburn's educational, professional, and personal life.

Blackburn's term as Vice-President and later President of the Boeing Employees' Good Neighbor Fund is represented by agency reports, annual reports, correspondence, elections and membership, materials, minutes and many predating his period of service. The remainder of this group of Boeing materials pertains to Blackburn's job assignment and is made up of a work diary, interdepartmental correspondence, personal materials, sales staff meeting minutes, and Boeing News.

The Business, Medical and Financial records include correspondence and receipts referring to the rental of the Blackburn home in Seattle, auto repairs, medical records, income tax forms, and record books.

The section of educational materials encompasses Blackburn's entire academic career including papers from high school, the University of Washington, Yale University and Washington State University. Class notes, papers and exams make up the bulk of this section. A copy of Blackburn's dissertation (entitled: James Freeman Clarke: An Interpretation of the Western Years, 1838-1840) and a bound volume of his research notes are included. The last box in the series contains approximately 4500 dissertation research note cards In addition, some papers from Mrs. Blackburn's undergraduate years at the University of Washington are part of this group. The WSU material is mostly concerned with departmental activities such as correspondence, salary and rank information, promotion and tenure statements, faculty evaluations, and a small number of items from his 1970-1971 sabbatical in New York City.

Also included in this Subject File Series are the papers of John P. Sebree, an uncle on Alice's side of the family. He lived with the Blackburn family from 1969 until his death in 1975. His materials include correspondence, medical records, a college yearbook, memorials and a copy of his will and trust declaration.

Return to Top »

Arrangement

The papers have been arranged into two series. Within the Correspondence Series, 1940-1976, the original group headings have been retained and then arranged in what appeared to be the order of importance. The folders within each group have been arranged chronologically and the original order of the material within each folder has been preserved. The Subject File Series, 1930-1976, was assembled as a unit by Blackburn and brings together loosely ordered materials, arranged alphabetically by subject heading. Within the Educational material subseries, the four main groups have been arranged in chronological order and folders within each group are alphabetically ordered.

Return to Top »

Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2022

https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Information

The papers of Charles Edwin Blackburn were donated to the Washington State University Libraries by Mrs. Alice Blackburn (MS 77-61). Twenty-five additional items were received in 1983 (MS83-35) and added to the correspondence series, as folder 43A.

Processing Information

This collection was processed in 1983.

Return to Top »

Related Materials

Separated Material

Pullman Community Congregational Church papers that were included in this collection were seperated out in 1983 and used to create the Blackburn Collection of Pullman Community Congregational Church Records, 1961-1977 (Cage 480).

Return to Top »

Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • State College of Washington -- Faculty -- Archives
  • Washington State University -- Faculty -- Archives
  • United States. Coast Guard
  • Boeing Company

Personal Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • Blackburn, Charles Edwin, 1915-1976 -- Archives

Subject(s)

  • English language -- Study and teaching
  • Universities and colleges -- Washington (State)
  • Aircraft industry -- Washington (State)
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • Washington (State)
  • Colleges and Universities

Return to Top »

Detailed Description of Collection

Series 1: Correspondence 1940-1976 

Blackburn family; 
box folder

Blackburn family 1947-1975  643 items.

 1 1-11

Charles and Alice Blackburn 1947-1948  40 items.

 1 12

Julia Blackburn 1960-1966  75 items.

 1 13

Julia, Taft, and Mary Beth Blackburn 1968-1976  65 items.

 1 14

Mary Beth Blackburn 1971-1976  200 items.

 1 15
box folder

Charles and Alice Blackburn 1941-1943  455 items.

 2 16-21

Charles and Alice Blackburn 1943-1944  375 items.

 3 22-27

Charles and Alice Blackburn 1944-1945  305 items.

 4 28-32

Charles and Alice Blackburn 1944-1945  210 items.

 5 33-37

Charles and Alice Blackburn 1945  255 items.

 6 38-42

Kiser Family 1947-1976  420 items.

 7 43-49

Family 1940-1957  479 items.

 7 50-59

Family 1950-1965  470 items.

 8 60-68

Family and Friends 1936-1946  300 items.

 8 69-72

Family and Friends 1944-1961  940 items.

 9 73-85

Family and Friends 1958-1961  50 items.

 10 86

Friends 1946-1975  577 items.

 10 87-98

Return to Top »

Series 2: Subject File 1930-1976 

Boeing: 
box folder

Boeing News 1961-1966  68 items.

 11 99-101

Brochure and Newsletter Preparations 1959  30 items.

 11 102

Diary 1959  1 item.

 11 103

Good Neighbor Fund: 
box folder

Agency Reports 1953-1964  20 items.

 11 104

Annual Reports 1961-1966  9 items.

 11 105

Correspondence 1963-1964  140

 11 106

Elections and Membership 1962-1964  17 items.

 11 107

Events 1963-1964  20 items.

 11 108

General 1963-1965  180

 11 109-113

Minutes 1962-1963  30 items.

 11 114

Photos 1963-1964  16 items.

 11 115
box folder

Interdepartmental Correspondence 1959-1964  176 items.

 11 116-120

Hage Fund 1963-1964  40 items.

 11 121

Personal Materials 1959-1964  30 items.

 11 122

Sales Orientation Seminar 1959-1960  7 items.

 11 123

Sales Staff Meeting Minutes 1959-1962  38 items.

 11 124

Business, Medical, and Financial Records: 
box folder

Business Letters and Seattle House 1962-1968  125 items.

 12 125-126

Cars: 
box folder

Chrysler 1967-1970  25 items.

 12 127

Rambler 1961-1975  100

 12 128
box folder

Correspondence -- Financial 1970-1976  60 items.

 12 129

Diabetic Records 1963  1 item.

 12 130

Financial and Medical Records 1951-1972  125 items.

 12 131-132

Financial Records 1966-1975  50 items.

 12 133

Income Tax Reports 1942-1969  67 items.

 12 134-136

Record Books 1942-1951 1967-1973  10 items.

 12 137
box folder

Calenders 1961-1974  11 items.

 12 138

Casper Clarion 1944-1945  35 items.

 12 139-141

Community Congregational Church 1961-1975  150 items.

 12 142-143

Democratic Party 1962-1969  20 items.

 13 144

Education: 
box folder

Diplomas 1930-1941  4 items.

 13 145

High School 1932-1935  35 items.

 13 146
box folder

Tekoa Blade 1934  1 item.

 13 147

University of Washington: 
box folder

The Austin Tree 1936  1 item.

 13 148

Literature 58: 
box folder

Fictional Technique in Cross Section 1937  1 item

 13 149

This Road to Follow 1937  1 item

 13 150
box folder

Personal Values in Literature 1937  1 item.

 13 151

Philosophy I: 
box folder

Berkely in Review 1937  1 item

 13 152

Descartes in Review 1937  1 item

 13 153

Russell in Review 1937  1 item

 13 154
box folder

Various Tests 1937 1940  4 items.

 13 155

English Literature; The Bible as Literature 1938-1939  1 item.

 13 156

The Hurly Burly 1938  1 item.

 13 157

Newspaper Articles, Tempo Articles 1938 1941  3 items.

 13 158

Philosophy 101 Problem Papers 1938  2 items.

 13 159

Philosophy 102 Notes 1939  1 item.

 13 160

Literature 153, 161, 162, Zoology 16-17, History 140 Notes and Tests 1939-1940 1946  8 items.

 13 161

Literature 1940 
box folder

164 Two Travelers in America  1 item

 13 162

171 Notes on Some Long Winded Characters in Shakespeare  1 item

 13 163
box folder

Philosophy 103 Notes 1940  1 item.

 13 164

The Fantasy Worlds of Three British Authors 1941  1 item.

 13 165

American Literature Notes 1946  1 item.

 13 166

English 221 John Calvin and Paradise Lost 1946  1 item.

 13 167

History 175 Notes, American Colonial History 1946  1 item.

 13 168

The Emerson Brothers and some dissertation correspondence 1946-1949  30 items.

 13 169

English 202 Notes and Tests 1947  1 item.

 13 170

History 1947 
box folder

144 Notes  1 item

 13 171

165: 
box folder

Among the Dry Bones  1 item

 13 172

Tests and Book Reviews  3

 13 173

The West in American History, Notes  1 item

 13 174

Undated Material: 
box folder

Anthropology 60 American Indian Notes  1 item

 13 175

History 144 Reading Notes  1 item

 13 176

Literature: 
box folder

57 Notes  1 item

 13 177

106 British Literature Notes  1 item

 13 178

164 American Literature Notes  1 item

 13 179

171 Shakespeare  1 item

 13 180
box folder

Lord Byron and his Contemporary Critics  1 item

 13 181

Philosophy Notes, Untitled Paper  2

 13 182

The Steptoe Campaign of 1858  1 item

 13 183

Alice Kiser Blackburn Papers 

Literature 1941 
box folder

162 The Culmination of Individualism in American Democracy  1 item

 13 184

174 Hard Times: An Attack on Utilitarianism  1 item

 13 185

177: 
box folder

Michael: The Conflict Between Woodsworth's Purpose and Art  1 item

 13 186

Robert Burns: Prophet of an Unborn World  1 item

 13 187
box folder

Librarianship 196 The Land Lies South 1942  1 item

 13 188

Undated Material: 
box folder

History 182 Reading Reports  1 item

 13 189

Literature: 
box folder

104 The Social Significance of Nana  1 item

 13 190

162 Emerson's ""Individualism"" in his Times  1 item

 13 191

164 The Mysterious Stranger  1 item

 13 192

175 The Poet's Diary  1 item

 13 193
box folder

Three Modern Poets and the Modern Ego  1 item

 13 194
box folder

University of Washington Commencement Program 1941  1 item.

 13 195

Yale University: 
box folder

American Studies Notes 1947  1 item.

 13 196

History 180 1947-1948 
box folder

Literature of American History  2

 13 197

Political and Constitutional History  20

 13 198
box folder

Literature 160 Twentieth Century 1947  1 item.

 13 199

American Studies 1948-1949 
box folder

102 Repeal: Diminishing of the Theocracy  1 item

 13 200

151 Term Paper Outlines  1 item

 13 201
box folder

Art 61a Notes 1948-1949  1 item.

 13 202

English 160 Various Papers and Testes 1948  5 items.

 13 203

Government 152 1948-1949 
box folder

Notes  1 item

 13 204

Papers  8

 13 205

History: 
box folder

31a, b Notes 1948-1949  1 item

 13 206

31b Notes 1948  1 item

 13 207

180 James Ford Rhodes: Man in the Web of Time 1948  1 item

 13 208
box folder

Sociology 114a 1948  1 item.

 13 209

American Studies 1949 
box folder

151 Notes  1 item

 14 210

Notes  1 item

 14 211
box folder

Civil War Notes 1949  1 item.

 14 212

History 31 1949 
box folder

American Thought and Civilization  1 item

 14 213

Notes and Tests  1 item

 14 214

Sociology 1949 
box folder

115b Legal Realism: The Pragmatic Spirit in Law  1 item

 14 215

Notes  1 item

 14 216

Undated Materials: 
box folder

All the King's Men  1 item

 14 217

The American Creed in the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut  1 item

 14 218

Literary America 1790-1826  1 item

 14 219

Parrington as an Economic Determinist  1 item

 14 220

Various Papers  10

 14 221

Dissertation: 
box folder

Copy 1952  1 item

 14 222

Research Materials undated  101

 14 223-224
box folder

European Trip Memorabilia 1971  50 items.

 14 225

Family History undated  1 item.

 14 226

General Correspondence: 
box folder

Columbia University (AKB) 1970-1971  50 items.

 14 227

Correspondence with Publishers 1938-1946  30 items.

 14 228

Veterans Administration 1946-1948  40 items.

 14 229

Washington State University and Yale 1951-1957  60 items.

 14 230

Yale: 
box folder

Association of Yale Alumni 1969-1975  50 items.

 14 231

Correspondence 1974-1975  15 items.

 14 232

Graduate School 1946-1948  60 items.

 14 233

Job Hunting: 
box folder

English Department, Washington State University and Job Applications 1961-1968  140 items.

 14 234-236

General Applications 1959-1964  75 items.

 14 237-238

Yale and Job Hunting 1949-1951 1959  150 items.

 15 239-241
box folder

Memorabilia 1938-1956  50 items.

 15 242

Newspaper Clippings 1949  7 items.

 15 243

Photographs 1934 1942 undated  3 items.

 15 244

Programs 1965-1975  50 items.

 15 245

John P. Sebree: 
box folder

College Yearbook and Church Directory 1907 1970  3 items.

 15 246

Correspondence 1902-1975  120 items.

 15 247-249

Medical Records 1971-1975  130 items.

 15 250-251

Memorials 1939-1975  7 items.

 15 252

Will and Declaration of Trust 1970  2 items.

 15 253
box folder

Short Stories undated  7 items.

 15 254

Speeches 1961-1967  17 items.

 15 255

Summer Theatre 1966-1969  50 items.

 15 256

Tekoa High School Reunion: 
box folder

Correspondence 1953-1954  75 items.

 15 257

News of Old Friends 1954  1 item.

 15 258

University of Washington: 
box folder

Clippings on Communist Investigations 1949  25 items.

 15 259

Survey of Scholarship at UW 1946  1 item.

 15 260

Washington State University: 
box folder

American Studies 1964-1973  35 items.

 15 261

Correspondence New York City Sabatical 1970-1971  30 items.

 15 262

English Department 1966-1976  237 items.

 16 263-266

Faculty Evaluations 1972-1976  25 items.

 16 267

Forms, Salary and Rank Information 1958-1975  40 items.

 16 268

French 525 1974  10 items.

 16 269

Graduate Examination Handbook 1972  1 item.

 16 270

Lectures - Civil Religion and Prophetic Faith 1976  7 items.

 16 271

Promotion and Tenure Statements 1965-1969  25 items.

 16 272

Senate Review 1974-1975  6 items.

 16 273

Student Strike and R.I.S. 1969-1970  45 items.

 16 274
box folder

Notecards for Dissertation undated  4500 items.

 17 275

Return to Top »