J. Burke Knapp papers, 1888-1997

Summary

Creators:

Knapp, J. Burke (Joseph Burke), 1913-2009

Abstract:

Writings, correspondence, memoranda, reports, transcripts of interviews, and memorabilia, relating to activities of the World Bank in funding development programs in Latin American and other developing countries, and to miscellaneous aspects of foreign economic policy of the United States government.

Extent:

9 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box, 1 envelope (3.9 Linear Feet)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], J. Burke Knapp papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

The J. Burke Knapp papers include writings, correspondence, memoranda, reports, transcripts of interviews, and memorabilia related to activities of the World Bank in funding development programs in Latin American and other developing countries, and to miscellaneous aspects of foreign economic policy of the United States government.

Knapp was an economist who was employed by the Federal Reserve, United States Department of State, and the World Bank. The Biographical File includes a memoir Knapp wrote in 1997 which contains a summary of his career, childhood, and family life. The memoir details his experiences as an economic advisor to Ambassador Robert Murphy in Germany at the end of World War II, as an unofficial attendee of the Bretton Woods conference in 1944 and attendee of the organizing conference of the World Bank and IMF in 1946, and as an employee of the World Bank. Many of these subjects are also discussed in the Interviews.

The World Bank File, which comprises the bulk of the collection, includes correspondence and memoranda documenting Knapp's work as vice president of the Department of Operations (a role also referred to as chairman of the Loan Committee) of the World Bank.

The collection includes Photographs of Knapp meeting world leaders Chiang Kai-shek, Kwame Nkrumah, and Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as attached letters from both Kai-shek and Nehru.

Many folders contain explanatory notes, labeled commentary, which Knapp wrote in the early 1990s to describe the contents of files and their relation to the historical period, or to provide an explanation of his work.

Biographical / historical:

Date	Event
1913	Born in Portland, Oregon
1933	AB in Economics, Stanford University
1935	BA, Politics, Philosophy and Economics, Oxford University
1939	MA, Oxford University
1936-1940	Assistant to Managing Director, Brown Harriman & Co., Ltd.
1940-1944	Assistant Chief, International Section, Federal Reserve Board
1944-1945	Adviser on German Economic Affairs, U.S. Department of State and U.S. Military Government in Germany
1945-1948	Special Assistant to the Chairman, Federal Reserve Board
1948-1949	Director, Office of Financial and Development Policy, U.S. Department of State
1949	Assistant Director, Economic Department, World Bank
1950	Economic Advisor, U.S. Delegation to NATO Treaty Council, London, England
1951-1952	U.S. Co-Chairman, Joint Brazilian-United States Economic Development Commission
1952-1955	Director, Department of Operations for the Western Hemisphere, World Bank
1956-1972	Vice President, Operations (Chairman of the Loan Committee), World Bank
1972-1978	Senior Vice President, Operations (Chairman of the Loan Committee), World Bank
1978-1981	Consultant to World Bank on policy matters
1982-1991	Senior International Advisor, Morgan Grenfell & Co.
2009	Death

Acquisition information:

Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 1992.

Physical location:

Hoover Institution Library & Archives

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Economic assistance, American
Economic assistance
Economic development
Banks and banking, International
Economic assistance -- Latin America

Names:

World Bank

Places:

Developing countries

Restrictions:

Box 9 may not be used without permission of the Archivist. The remainder of the collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], J. Burke Knapp papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:

Hoover Institution

Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US

Contact:

(650) 723-3563

hooverarchives@stanford.edu

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