Judson Boyce Allen Papers
Judson Boyce Allen was a Professor of English at Wake Forest University (1962-1969), Marquette University (1969-1982), and the University of Florida (1982-1985). His special interests were Medieval literature and Chaucer. His papers consist of personal and professional correspondence; photographs; his literary productions; publications of others in the field of Medieval literature; and materials regarding several professional organizations.
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Summary Information
- Repository
- Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
- Title
- Judson Boyce Allen Papers
- Date
- 1941-1985 (inclusive)
- Extent
- 25.4 linear feet / 18 record cartons, 1 oversize folder
- ID
- MS234
Biographical and Historical Note
Judson Boyce Allen was the son of Clifton Judson Allen, a Baptist minister, and Hattie Bell (McCracken) Allen, a writer. He was born March 15, 1932, in Louisville, Kentucky, and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He received degrees from Baylor University (1953), Vanderbilt (1954), and Johns Hopkins University (1963). As part of his doctoral work, he studied at Regents Park College, Oxford University, and returned to Oxford in various capacities across his career. Allen served as a professor of English, specializing in medieval works, at three institutions: Wake Forest University (1962-1969), Marquette University (1969-1982), and the University of Florida (1982-1985).
Boyce was the author or co-author of three books about Chaucer and medieval literatures. He was the recipient of National Endowment for the Humanities fellowships as well as a Guggenheim Fellowship for Humanities, US & Canada in the category of medieval literature in 1984.
Allen was married to Jacqueline. He died in Gainsville, Florida, on July 23, 1985.
Sources:
- Various articles. The Chaucer Review, vol. 21, no. 2, Pennsylvania State University Press, 1986 fall.
- "Judson Boyce Allen." John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, accessed 2017 July 13.
Collection Overview
This collection documents the life and work of Judson Boyce Allen. Materials include personal and professional correspondence, literary writings, photographs, publications of others in the field of medieval literature. Materials relate to Allen's teaching activities at Marquette University, University of Florida, and Wake Forest University; professional organization work; and interest in medieval literature, including Chaucer; other materials demonstrate movement in Baptist interests, including work related to the Baptist Education Study Task (a study in the future of Southern Baptist colleges), Baptist World Alliance, Baptist World Congress 1975 in Stockholm, Sweden, and WFU's Ecumenical Institute. Correspondents include his father Clifton J. Allen, Ben C. Fisher, Albert McClellan, and University president Harold Tribble.
This collection is processed at a high level; as such, the listing does not list every folder in the collection. Email archives@wfu.edu for more information about this collection.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged into 27 series, organized by format - Pictorial Materials or Printed Materials, for example - or subject matter in the series, for example Correspondence, Personal, or Subject files. These reflect the arrangement of the collection either by Allen himself or by the archives staff who handled the collection upon its receipt.
Administrative Information
- Publication Information
- Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, 2011
- Revision Description
- Olivia Field, with assistance from Stephanie Bennett, October 2017
- Access Restrictions
- Collection is open for researchers.
- Copyright Notice
- The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume 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 for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
- Preferred Citation
- Judson Boyce Allen Papers (MS234), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.