PUBLIC"-//Washington and Lee University::LeyburnLibrary::Special Collections//TEXT(US::ViLxW::vilxw00002::A Guide to the James GrahamLeyburn Papers)//EN" "vilxw00002.xml"James Graham Leyburn collectionJames Graham Leyburn collection WLU.RG.58Washington and Lee University, University Library Special Collections and ArchivesThis finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-06-22 22:43:12 -0400.Description is inEnglishDescribing Archives: A Content Standard Washington and Lee University, University Library Special Collections and Archives James Graham Leyburn collection Leyburn, James Graham WLU.RG.58 /repositories/5/resources/535 10.5 Linear Feet 1902-1993 English 1 Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

 Conditions Governing Use

The materials from Washington and Lee University Special Collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with the source. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the Head of Special Collections.

 Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], James Graham Leyburn Collection, WLU-RG-0058, Special Collections and Archives, James G. Leyburn Library, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA

 Immediate Source of Acquisition

Series 1 of this collection was given by Dr. Leyburn following his retirement from Washington and Lee University in 1972. Additional materials were donated by Dr. Kenneth Rockwell (Class of 1952). The 1966 lecture audiorecording was a gift of Ward Briggs, Jr.

 Biographical / Historical

James Graham Leyburn was born in Hedgesville, West Virginia, on January 17, 1902. He became a professor of sociology and Dean of the University at Washington and Lee in 1947 and held the post of Dean until 1956 continuing as Professor of Sociology until 1972. In the 1920s and 1930s Dr. Leyburn held professional positions at Hollins College, Princeton University, and Yale University. In 1943 he was engaged by the U. S. Government Foreign Economic Administration's Office of the Lend-Lease Administration to participate in a mission in South Africa.

He earned his A.B. in 1920, A.M. in 1921, LL.D. in 1962 all at Duke University as well as an A.M. at Princeton University in 1922, Ph.D. at Yale University in 1927, and Litt.D. at Washington and Lee University in 1974. He served as a professor of sociology and dean at Washington and Lee University from 1947-1956 and a dean and professor emeritus from 1972-1993. Leyburn wrote several books including The Haitian People, 1941 and The Scotch-Irish, 1962. Scope and Contents

This collection contains many materials relating to the South African mission. Dr. Leyburn saved a number of newspaper articles concerning South Africa which are contained herein. Reports on various industries and other aspects of South Africa are included. Also within this collection are an assortment of Dr. Leyburn's speeches, some of which address South Africa. The remainder of the speeches concern the future of Washington and Lee University.

Among the correspondence in this collection are letters concerning Yale, W&L, and South Africa. There are also letters to his family, including his sister Ellen. A number of reviews of Dr. Leyburn's books, The Haitian People and The Way We Lived, as well as Dr. Leyburn's own reviews of other books are included.

The more telling items of this collection are the numerous student comments that Dr. Leyburn preserved. A voluminous journal of his world travels provides for interesting reading as does the poetry written by John Alexander Graham. Includes one photograph of Leyburn and three other professors (Riegel, Barritt, and Myers).

Appended to this collection are three scrapbooks which provide a record of Dr. Leyburn's activities at W & L and afterward.

There are also Leyburn's musical compositions and diplomas.

There is also an audiorecording of a class lecture given by Leyburn to his Communications 202 class on May 18, 1966. In it, Leyburn talks about rhetoric and southern American writers, specifically women writers. This lecture is available online. Online Access

View this collection online via W&L's Digital Archive

 South Africa Haitians -- Social conditions Haitians -- Economic conditions Universities and colleges -- Faculty Europe Economic history Voyages and travels Photographs Autobiography Correspondence Scrapbooks Diplomas Leyburn, Ellen Douglass Washington and Lee University United States. Foreign Economic Administration Graham, John Alexander Riegel, O. W. (Oscar Wetherhold) Series 1/repositories/5/archival_objects/8426Graham, John AlexanderLeyburn, Ellen Douglass7 Linear Feet1925-1973EnglishScope and Contents

This series contains many materials relating to his South African mission. Dr. Leyburn saved a number of newspaper articles concerning South Africa, which are contained herein. Reports on various industries and other aspects of South Africa are included. Also within this collection is an assortment of Dr. Leyburn's speeches, some of which concern South Africa. The remainder of the speeches concern the future of Washington and Lee University.

Among the correspondence in this collection are letters concerning Yale, Washington and Lee University, and South Africa. There are also letters to his family, including his sister Ellen. A number of reviews of Dr. Leyburn's book, The Haitian People,as well as Dr. Leyburn's own reviews of other books are included.

There are numerous student comments that Dr. Leyburn preserved as well as a voluminous journal of his world travels and the poetry written by John Alexander Graham. Includes one photograph of Leyburn and three other Washington and Lee professors (Riegel, Barritt, and Myers).

Additionally, there are three scrapbooks which provide a record of Dr. Leyburn's activities at Washington and Lee and afterward.

ScrapbooksPhotographsSouth AfricaSpeeches, addresses, etc., AmericanCorrespondenceWashington and Lee UniversityYale UniversityControl folder/repositories/5/archival_objects/2681943English10Scope and Contents

This folder contains a biography of Dr. James G. Leyburn.

Leyburn's articles on Africa, "Native Farm Labor," "Disabilities of the Southern African Native," and "The White Man in New Africa."/repositories/5/archival_objects/269English11Articles on education including "The Education of a Southerner" and "A Plan for an Ideal College."/repositories/5/archival_objects/270English1213Articles on Haiti and the manuscript that was later extended and became THE HAITIAN PEOPLE./repositories/5/archival_objects/271English14Entry written by Dr. Leyburn for FUNK AND WAGNALLS STANDARD REFERENCE ENCYCLOPEDIA entitled "Negroes in the U.S."/repositories/5/archival_objects/272English15Numerous articles by Dr. Leyburn on religion/repositories/5/archival_objects/273English16Article: "The Scotch-Irish: An American Social Force," published by NEW SOCIETY in 1962./repositories/5/archival_objects/274English17Miscellaneous articles on culture including "Notes on American Culture."/repositories/5/archival_objects/275English18Book reviews written by Leyburn between 1961-65 for THE ROANOKE TIMES./repositories/5/archival_objects/276English19110111112113114115Book reviews written by Leyburn between 1944 and 1972 that appeared in periodicals/repositories/5/archival_objects/277English116Dr. Leyburn's correspondence concerning the abolishment of subsidized athletics which occured at Washington & Lee in 1954./repositories/5/archival_objects/278English117118119Clippings from newspapers, the RING-TUM PHI and THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE that deal with the athletic question at W & L./repositories/5/archival_objects/279English120121122University rebuttals to the aforementioned clippings and the introduction of "The Leyburn Plan."/repositories/5/archival_objects/280English223224Material from Dr. Leyburn's tenure as President of the Gamma Chapter of Virginia from 1962 to 1964./repositories/5/archival_objects/281English225226Information about life at Washington and Lee during the 1960s/repositories/5/archival_objects/282English227Honorary degree candidate correspondence during Dr. Leyburn's time as Dean of the Faculty/repositories/5/archival_objects/283English228Various W & L programs of events including the program of the inauguration of President Fred Cole in 1961./repositories/5/archival_objects/284English229Various issues of the student newspaper, THE RING-TUM PHI./repositories/5/archival_objects/285English230Student papers collected by Dr. Leyburn/repositories/5/archival_objects/286English231Correspondence pertaining to Dr. Leyburn's tenure as Editor of SHENANDOAH, the literary magazine published by W & L, in 1959./repositories/5/archival_objects/287English232Dr. Leyburn's diary/repositories/5/archival_objects/2881968English233Materials pertaining to Dr. Leyburn's book The Scotch Irish/repositories/5/archival_objects/289English234236240Correspondence from Terence Hughes concerning the publication of The Scotch Irish/repositories/5/archival_objects/290English235Reviews of The Scotch Irish/repositories/5/archival_objects/291English337338339Materials dealing with a conference on plantations in Puerto Rico in 1957 and the duPont Conference of 1961/repositories/5/archival_objects/292English340341342Honors College material/repositories/5/archival_objects/293English343Material on the history of Lexington, Virginia/repositories/5/archival_objects/294English344Miscellaneous papers and the KING JAMES BIBLE/repositories/5/archival_objects/295English345Dr. Leyburn's class lectures for Anthropology 101 and Sociology 303./repositories/5/archival_objects/296English4Dr. Leyburn's class lectures on the Greek and Latin Classics of Comparative Literature 202./repositories/5/archival_objects/297English5Dr. Leyburn's class lectures for Greek and Latin Classics, Religion and Society and General Sociology./repositories/5/archival_objects/298English6Dr. Leyburn's class lectures on General Sociology, class rolls for 1949-1971, and an autographed copy of Ellen Douglas Leyburn's SATIRIC ALLEGORY: MIRROR OF MAN./repositories/5/archival_objects/299English7Series 2/repositories/5/archival_objects/8427Fishwick, Marshall WilliamSavage, LonLeyburn, James GrahamRockwell, W. J. Kenneth3.5 Linear Feet1987-1993EnglishScope and Contents

This series includes correspondence, proofs, and reviews concerning Leyburn's book The Way We Lived. Correspondents include Kenneth Rockwell, Marshall Fishwick, Rupert Nelson Latture, Michael Barr, and Lon K. Savage. There are also photographs of Leyburn, his music programs, and notices of his death.

PhotographsCorrespondenceComposition (Music)AutobiographyLatture, Rupert NelsonSeries 3, Oversized materials/repositories/5/archival_objects/84281 Files1902-19741919-1927These materials are located in WLU Coll Oversize Drawer 27.English27Scope and Contents

This series consists of James G. Leyburn's diplomas and certificates of distinction.

DiplomasLeyburn, James Graham