Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Papers of Kenneth W. Thompson, Accession #12788, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Biographical/Historical Information

The career of Kenneth Winfred Thompson spans the fields of education, scholarship in foreign relations, and philanthropy. He was born on August 29, 1921 in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of Thor Carlyle and Agnes (Rorbeck) Thompson. His family later moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he attended public schools. He graduated from Augustana College (Rock Island, Illinois) in 1943, earning the degree of A.B. in History. Further academic training was interrupted by service during World War II; Dr. Thompson served in both theaters of combat, earning the rank of Lieutenant. During those years, he met Miss Lucille (Bette) Bergquist, whom he later married. Their family eventually included three sons.

Dr. Thompson's academic training was resumed at the University of Chicago, which awarded him the degree of Masters of Arts in 1948 and the Doctorate in Political Science and International Relations in 1950. He then served briefly on the staff of both the University of Chicago and Northwestern University before being appointed a consultant in international relations by the Rockefeller Foundation in October 1953.

Promotion within the Foundation followed quickly. Dr. Thompson was appointed Assistant Director for the Social Sciences on April 6, 1955, Associate Director two years later, and Director in 1960. Finally, he was elected Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation on October 1, 1961, succeeding Charles W. Cole, who had been appointed U.S. ambassador to Chile.

Dr. Thompson is credited with having reorganized the major programs of the Rockefeller Foundation while serving as Vice President. At the same time, his activity as an author and on the platform was intense. During his years at the Rockefeller Foundation, he wrote or collaborated on eight books, published numerous articles, and was a much sought-for speaker on the subject of diplomacy and international affairs. He delivered the Riverside Memorial Lectures in 1958, the Lilly Endowment Lectures (Duke University) in 1959, the James Stokes Lectures (New York University) in 1962, and the Rockwell Lectures (Rice University) in 1965. All these lecture series were later published.

Dr. Thompson was heavily influenced by and closely associated with the late Reinhold Niebuhr, whose ideas on morality in social relations were echoed by Dr. Thompson and applied to the realm of international relations. At the same time, Dr. Thompson held himself to be a political "realist" and was often at odds with his theoretical opponents, such as Hans J. Morgenthau.

Dr. Thompson has been a member of the Council on Foreign Relations since 1955, and has been on the board of editors or a contributing editor to International Organization and Christianity Crisis since 1956. Although he relinquished the vice-presidency of the Rockefeller Foundation on January 1, 1974, he continues to serve the Foundation as a part-time consultant on international affairs. He is presently Director of Higher Education for International Development for the Council on Higher Education (since 1974) and Commonwealth Professor of Government and Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia (since 1975).

Scope and Content Information

The Kenneth W. Thompson Collection contains few signs of his day-to-day work for the Rockefeller Foundation. It provides a view into the workshop of a busy author and lecturer. The collection contains speeches, clippings, drafts of books, articles and reports, and correspondence relative to speaking engagements and problems of publication. Subjects covered include: international relations, diplomacy, higher education, foreign assistance, and Christian ethics.

Significant correspondents in this collection include John C. Bennet, Joseph E. Black, Raymond B. Fosdick, Stephen D. Kertesz, Arthur S. Link, A. William Loos, Hans J. Morgenthau, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Dean Rusk.

Single signed items by Hannah Arendt, Hubert H. Humphrey, Sir Harold Nicholson, and Arnold J. Toynbee also appear in this collection.

Organization

Following the original filing order, this collection has been arranged in six separate groups:

Group I: Speeches, Lectures, and Symposia (1955-1973) The material in this group consists of a file of speeches and lectures delivered by Dr. Thompson or symposia to which he contributed, and is arranged chronologically by the date of the event. Where a fair copy of his presentation exists, it takes precedence in the file, followed by any surviving drafts in order of composition. Programs of the event and supporting correspondence then follow, arranged chronologically. On many occasions, Dr. Thompson spoke extemporaneously or from notes which have not survived. In those cases, the file for that address consists of correspondence only. Many of these speeches and lectures were later reworked and published. In most cases, a brief note appears in the file for each address in question, giving the details of its appearance in print. Further material dealing with publication will be found in Group II and IV. A cross reference file-card index to this material is filed in Box 25.

Group II: Books (1955-1973) This group contains material related to books written, co-authored, or edited by Dr. Thompson, or to which he contributed. Following the original filing system, the material is arranged alphabetically by the title of each book. The file for each book begins with the most finished version of that book or portion of a book which has survived, whether reprint or typescript, followed by remaining drafts, in order of composition. In a few cases, where the text survives in clearly delineated stages (from draft to typescript to galley and page proof) that order has been followed. Correspondence related to publication then follows, with reviews and notes on distribution by Dr. Thompson concluding the file for each book. This group concludes with a set of published manuscripts also written by Dr. Thompson, together with rejected requests for articles and reviews. For further material, see Group VI.

Group III: Publications--General (1952-1972) The material in this group consists of reports, articles, and conference proceedings written or contributed to by Dr. Thompson, usually as part of a committee. Following the original filing system, the material is first arranged alphabetically by organization. It is then followed by a set of papers relating to Dr. Thompson's activity as a reader of manuscripts for publishers or authors, also arranged alphabetically. For further material, see Group VI.

Group IV: Articles (1952-1973) The material in this group consists of the texts and drafts of articles and reviews written by Dr. Thompson, together with correspondence pertaining to their publication. Following their original filing order, it is arranged alphabetically by journal title.

Group V: Christianity and Crisis (1955-1971) This group consists of material related to Dr. Thompson's activity as contributing editor of the journal Christianity and Crisis, a position he has held since 1956. This journal was founded by the late Reinhold Niebuhr and his colleagues; Mr. Wayne H. Cowan was the editor-in-chief during the years covered in this collection. This file opens with a single folder of correspondence relating to administrative matters, followed by material pertaining to the publication of Dr. Thompson's own articles in that journal. That material is arranged chronologically by date of publication. The file for each article opens with a copy of the article in its most finished form, usually an issue of the journal in which it appeared, followed by whatever drafts that have survived and supporting correspondence.

Group VI: Miscellany This group consists of oversize material, mainly galley-sheets of books written or edited by Dr. Thompson; photographs; and a file-card index (see Box 25) to the original files which was originally maintained by his secretaries.