Calvin Burnett papers
name: label: Creator
content: Burnett, Calvin, 1921-2007
topic: label: Occupation
content: Educators -- Massachusetts
label: Occupation
content: Graphic artists -- Massachusetts
label: Occupation
content: Illustrators -- Massachusetts
label: Topic
content: Art -- Study and teaching
label: Topic
content: African American artists
label: Topic
content: African American educators
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The papers were donated to the Archives of American Art by Calvin Burnett in 1990.
creator: label: Creator
content: Burnett, Calvin, 1921-2007
setName: label: See more items in
content: Calvin Burnett papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The papers of African American graphic artist and arts educator Calvin Burnett measure 6.1 linear feet and date from 1920 to 1979, with the bulk of the collection dating from the 1960s to the 1970s. The papers contain biographical material, correspondence, writings, material related to his education and professional activities, personal business records, printed material, a scrapbook, and a small amount of photographs and artwork.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Calvin Burnett (1921-2007) was an African American graphic artist, illustrator, and arts educator. He graduated from the Massachusetts School of Art (also known as MassArt; now the Massachusetts College of Art and Design) in 1942, and earned his MFA from Boston University in 1960. He later received another degree in arts education. Burnett taught at a number of institutions in the Northeast, including the DeCordova Museum and the Massachusetts School of Art, where he was the first African American to be appointed to the faculty, and where he taught for 33 years.

While on the faculty at the Massachusetts School of Art, Burnett was involved with the Black Artists Union, the Committee on Urban Education, and the Committee on Minority Affairs. Among their many functions, these groups advocated for more diverse representation in faculty and more funding for minority and disadvantaged students. 

In 1966, Burnett published the book, Objective Drawing, about perspective. His interest in the subject and the idea for the book grew out of his teaching the perspective course at the Massachusetts School of Art (Oral history interview with Calvin Burnett, 1980 June 13-1981 January 6. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Transcript p.41).
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 6.1 Linear Feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1920-1979
label: Date
content: bulk 1960s-1970s
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.burncalv
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Scrapbooks
label: Type
content: Sketchbooks
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged as nine series.

Series 1: Biographical Material, 1947-1979 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1941-1979 (Box 1; 0.4 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, 1950s-1970s (Boxes 1-2; 0.9 linear feet, OV 7)

Series 4: Education and Professional Activities, 1920-1970s (Boxes 2-5; 2.5 linear feet)

Series 5: Personal Business Records, 1947-1979 (Box 5; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 6: Printed Material, 1938-1979 (Boxes 5-6; 0.5 linear feet, OV 7)

Series 7: Scrapbook, 1937-1951 (Box 6; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 8: Photographs, 1946-1972 (Box 6; 1 folder)

Series 9: Artwork, 1941-1942 (Box 6; 2 folders)
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: This collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Rayna Andrews in 2017 with funding provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Scrapbooks
label: Genre/Form
content: Sketchbooks
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The papers of graphic artist and arts educator Calvin Burnett measure 6.1 linear feet and date from 1920 to 1979, with the bulk of the collection dating from the 1960s to the 1970s. The papers contain biographical material, correspondence, writings, material related to his education and professional activities, personal business records, printed material, a scrapbook, and a small amount of photographs and artwork.

Biographical material consists of resumes, biographical notes/drafts, certificates from volunteer organizations, an interview transcript, and personal calendars.

Correspondence consists of letters and drafts of letters to and from Burnett. Some partial fragments of letters are housed with the undated correspondence.

Writings consist of two subseries and includes both materials related to Burnett's book, Objective Drawing, as well as notes, notecards, poetry, and some class assignments.

Education and professional activities also includes two subseries. Teaching and education files consist of materials related to Burnett's time as both a student and an instructor. These include class notes, assignments, course materials, correspondence, etc. Black Artists Union, committee work, and related materials include materials related to the Black Artists Union (BAU), the Committee on Urban Education (CUE), and the Committee on Minority Affairs, and their work. These items include memos, printed materials, reports, and other documentation.

Personal business records consist of correspondence, financial documents, printed material, and notes related to commercial art jobs, consultations, sales, loans, and exhibitions.

Photographs are of Burnett, other individuals, and works of art. Not all of the works of art appear to be by Burnett.

Artwork includes drawings and three small sketchbooks.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Calvin Burnett conducted by Robert Brown, June 13, 1980-January 6, 1981.