Guide to the Edward H. Levi Inauguration Records 1967-1968


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Table of Contents

• Descriptive Summary
• Information on Use
• Access
• Citation
• Biographical Note (1)
• Scope Note
• Related Resources
• Subject Headings
• INVENTORY

Descriptive Summary

Information on Use

Access

No restrictions.

Citation

When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Levi, Edward H. Inauguration. Records, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

Biographical Note

Edward H. Levi (1911-2000) received a PhB in English from the University of Chicago in 1932 and a J.D. from its Law School in 1935. He first joined the University of Chicago Law School faculty as Assistant Professor in 1936 and remained on the faculty until his retirement in 1984. Levi became dean of the law school in 1949. In 1962, Levi entered University administration in the newly-created position of Provost. His term as Provost coincided with the Presidency of George Beadle; he is generally agreed to have had a major role in University leadership during those years.

In 1968, Levi succeeded the retiring George Beadle, becoming the first Jewish president of a major American university. As University of Chicago President, Levi became a nationally recognized authority on higher education. He wrote and spoke often on the subject and served on President Nixon's Task Force on Higher Education. He also continued efforts to bring vigor and stability to the University and the surrounding community. Major building projects were begun or continued under President Levi, including Regenstein Library and new laboratories and teaching facilities for medicine and the sciences.

Levi's administration gained national attention for its response to student protests, particularly the February, 1969 student occupation of the administration building in response to the denial of tenure to professor Marlene Dixon. Levi and his administration and staff moved their work offsite for the two-week duration of the protests. Many protesters were then expelled or suspended. The measured nature of Levi's initial response, the reliance on university rules and disciplinary bodies and the severity of the punishments were the subject of widespread comment.

In 1975, Levi left Chicago to become Attorney General of the United States in the new administration of Gerald Ford. Upon leaving the Justice Department in early 1977, Levi completed a Chubb fellowship at Yale and the Phleger Professorship at Stanford University. He then returned to the faculty of the University of Chicago, where he taught, in both the College and the Law School, until his retirement in 1984. In 1986, Levi was named to a two-year term as President of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He remained active in the Academy and many other organizations until the early 1990s.

Levi married Kate Sulzberger in 1946. They had three sons, John, David and Michael. Edward H. Levi died in Chicago on March 7, 2000.

Scope Note

The Edward H. Levi Inauguration Records contain material pertaining to the inauguration of Edward H. Levi, eighth president of the University of Chicago. The collection contains letters of congratulation, correspondence, and publications related to specific events planned for Inauguration Week, November 11-16, 1968. Also included are official letters of greeting from colleges and universities and two scrapbooks containing clippings and additional acknowledgments.

Related Resources

Browse finding aids by topic.

University of Chicago. Office of the President. Levi Administration. Records

Levi, Edward H., Papers

Subject Headings

• Levi, Edward Hirsch, 1911-
• University of Chicago -- History
• University of Chicago -- Presidents
• College presidents -- Inauguration

INVENTORY