Guide to the James P. Walsh Papers
MSS-2003-12-01
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
© 2006
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
special.collections@sjsu.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: James P. Walsh Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MSS-2003-12-01
Physical Description:
4 boxes
(2 linear feet)
Date (inclusive): 1950-2006
Abstract: The James P. Walsh papers document the professional work of San José State University Emeritus Professor of History. The collection
consists of chapter drafts, subject files, photographs and draft copies of his
books; San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 and
One and the Same: The History of Continuing Education at San José State University 1857-2007, which document the history of SJSU.
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions
also apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational
purposes.
Preferred Citation
James P. Walsh Papers, MSS-2003-12-01, San José State University Library Special Collections and Archives.
Acquisition Information
Donated to the San José State University Library by James Walsh, 2006 and 2007.
Biographical History
James P. Walsh was born in 1937 in San Francisco, California, the younger of two sons of Irish immigrant parents. His father,
Patrick Walsh managed and maintained a Catholic men's club in San Francisco. His mother, Nellie Murphy Walsh was a homemaker.
During his youth, James Walsh attended Catholic schools in San Francisco, graduating from Sacred Heart High School in 1955.
From there he attended the University of San Francisco, where he received his bachelor's degree in history in 1959, and his
master's degree in history in 1962. He married Ann McKinnon, also a University of San Francisco graduate, in 1962. They have
three children.
In 1960 Walsh accepted a position teaching history in a Marin County high school. While his winters and springs were spent
teaching history to high school students, his summer months were spent teaching military subjects at The Sixth US Army Intelligence
School in Monterey, California, as partial fulfillment of his US Army Reserve obligations. There, he met several members of
the San José State College faculty including Charles Burdick, George Moore, Benjamin Hazard, Bert Brazil, and Fredrick Weed.
The teaching and academic examples provided by these professors encouraged Walsh to pursue a higher degree. In 1964 Walsh
left his teaching position to pursue a Ph.D. in history at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1966, he joined the
history department at San José State College and in 1970 received his doctorate degree from Berkeley.
Walsh's career spanned 35 years at San José State. During that time he served as chair of the history department (1982-1986),
associate dean of the College of Social Sciences (1987-1988), Dean of the College of Social Sciences (1988-1994), and academic
vice president [renamed Provost] (1995). During his career he received three foreign research and teaching appointments and
published eight books. In recognition of his contributions to the historical profession, the California Historical Society
honored Walsh with the J.S. Holliday Award.
San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 is the result of James Walsh's recommendation to University President
Robert L. Caret that the previous university history,
Washington Square, 1857-1979, San José State University, was out of date and that a new history was needed. Since the previous history's publication in 1980, the campus, faculty,
student body, and educational mission of San José State University had changed significantly. In addition, Washington Square's
co-author and Walsh's mentor, Charles Burdick, encouraged him to reassess that work if given the opportunity.
He spent one additional year researching and writing the history of Continuing Education as well as International Studies
SJSU (2005).
Continuing Education Since 1857: San José State University, chronicles the connection between the development of San José State University as a modern institution and the continuing
education programs that existed at the begining of its institutional life.
Walsh's other major works include:
Ethnic militancy; an Irish Catholic prototype,
The Irish: America's Political Class,
The San Francisco Irish and
San Francisco's Hallinan : toughest lawyer in town,
The Irish in the American West,
Legacy of a Native Son. A more complete list of his publications and a retrospective on their meaning are available in
Essays on Good Fortune by Donald Jordan and Timothy J. O'Keefe.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection consists of the research files collected and created by Professor Walsh in the production of his books,
San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 and
One and the same: The History of continuing Education at San José State University 1857-2007. The collection contains manuscripts, research and subject files as well as photographs.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in 3 series. I. Manuscripts; II. Photographs and Ephemera; III. Subject Files.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San José State University -- History -- 20th century
Manuscripts Series I:
2000, 2003, 2006
Physical Description: 12.0 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
The content in this series consists of literary manuscripts in different stages of development.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by date and title. The first draft of
San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 is further broken down into chapter titles.
Box-folder 1/1 - 1/11
San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2003
Box 1, Folder 2
Who Runs the University
2000
Box 1, Folder 6
The Numbers (demographics)
2000
Box 1, Folder 7
Physical Developments
2000
Box 1, Folder 8
Campus and the Community
2000
Box 1, Folder 10
Corrected book draft 1
March 27, 2003
Box 1, Folder 11
Corrected book draft 2
April 17, 2003
Box 1, Folder 12
Continuing Education Since 1857: San José State University/ Book Draft
2006
Photographs and Ephemera Series II:
1950-2000
Physical Description: 20.0 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series is comprised of contact sheets, reprints, slides and ephemera. These items were collected by James Walsh while
conducting research for his book
San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 and visually document the history of San José State University between 1950 and 2000. Included are a variety of photographs
of student life, faculty and administrators from throughout the years, construction projects and political activism on campus.
Notable images of political figures include Stokley Carmichael (Kwame Ture), Governor Ronald Reagan, President Bill Clinton
and commentator William F. Buckley; while visiting SJSU.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Box-folder 2/1 - 2/2
Campus Art and Architecture
Box 2, Folder 1
Buildings and landscapes
circa 1960-2000
Box 2, Folder 2
Construction
circa 1960-2000
Box-folder 2/3 - 2/12
Campus Life
circa 1950s-1980
Box 2, Folder 3
Activities/Miscellaneous
circa 1950s-1970
Box 2, Folder 4
Classroom Lectures
circa 1960s
Box 2, Folder 5
Dinners and Awards
circa 1960s
Box 2, Folder 7
Fraternities and Sororities
circa 1950s
Box 2, Folder 8
Miscellaneous
circa 1965 - 1970s
Box 2, Folder 9
Parties, dances and recreation
circa 1950 - 1970s
Box 2, Folder 10
Political Activism
circa 1970s
Folder 2/11 - 2/12
Politicians
circa 1960s-1992
Box 2, Folder 12
Miscellaneous
circa 1960-1970s
Box 2, Folder 13
Sports
circa 1950 - 1960s
Box 2, Folder 14
Student Residences
circa 1950 - 1970s
Box 2, Folder 15
Students
circa 1965 - 1970s
Box 3, Folder 16
University Administration
circa 1960s-1970s
Box 3, Folder 17
University Faculty
circa 1960s-1985
Box 3, Folder 18
University Lectures
circa 1970s
Box 3, Folder 19
Ephemera
circa 1970s-2000
Box 3, Folder 20
Negatives
circa 1950s-2000
Subject Files Series III:
1973-2005 bulk 1990-2005
Physical Description: 10.0 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
The content in this series is comprised of a variety of materials gathered by Walsh during his research for
Continuing Education Since 1857: San José State University;including brochures, reports, class schedules and interviews concerning the history of continuing education and extended education
programs at San José State University.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Box 4, Folder 1
Certificate Programs
1990, 1996-1999, 2000, 2005
Box 4, Folder 2
Annual Reports (1 of 2)
1973-1974, 1997-2000
Box 4, Folder 3
Annual Reports (2 of 2)
2001-2004
Box 4, Folder 11
History Department 23rd Annual Convocation: Speech, Event Program
May 2017
Box 4, Folder 5
International and Extended Studies
1976, 2005
Box 4, Folder 6
International Travel Programs Pamphlets
1990-1992, 1995, 2005-2006
Box 4, Folder 7
Open University
1988-1990, 1995, 2005
Box 4, Folder 8
Oral History Interviews
2005 April-June
Box 4, Folder 9
Professional Development
1990 1996-1997, 2004-2005
Box 4, Folder 10
Studies in American language
2005