BANKS, ENOCH MARVIN, 1877-1911.
Enoch Marvin Banks papers, 1903-1911

Restrictions on Access

Unrestricted access.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

Source

Gift of William Banks, 2009.

Custodial History

Donor is the great nephew of the creator of the papers.

Citation

[after identification of item(s)], Enoch Marvin Banks papers, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University.

Appraisal Note

Acquired by Curator of African American Collections, Randall Burkett, as part of the Rose Library's holdings in African American culture and history.

Processing

Sarah Prince, October 2009.

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Biographical Note

Enoch Marvin Banks (1877-1911), an Emory graduate and Professor of Southern Economics and History, was born in Newnan, Georgia. After briefly teaching at Emory and receiving his PhD from Columbia University, Banks began a professional career that included professorships at the University of Pennsylvania (1903-1906) and the University of Florida (1907-1911). Among his most important published works on the South’s economy was is "A Semi-Centennial View of Secession," published in The Independent in February 1911. The article, which claimed that the South should admit wrongdoing for its past efforts to secede from the Union caused many Confederate societies to quickly call for Banks' resignation from the University of Florida. Banks ultimately complied, writing a letter of resignation to the University, who accepted despite fears that they would be accused of denying free speech. After his resignation, Banks returned to Newnan, where he died only months later.

Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of the papers of Enoch Marvin Banks from 1903-1911. The papers include correspondence, printed material, a single photograph of Banks, a personal scrapbook, and his writings. Although the letters written to and from Banks begin as early as 1903, the bulk of the letters is from 1911, and they concern his article on the error of Southern secession, entitled "A Semi-Centennial View of Secession." In addition, most of the printed material and the contents of his scrapbook also center on his infamous article. Notably, the printed material includes Bank’s response ("Plea for Educational Freedom and a Liberated Intellectual Life") to a widely-read article in Florida’s Time Union that he saw as a gross misinterpretation of his work. The scrapbook is a compilation of articles and newspaper clippings that respond both positively and negatively to Bank’s article. His writings consist of manuscript fragments and the typescript drafts for several of his published essays.

Arrangement Note

Arranged by record type.