Erik Erikson Papers Collection
Arrangement of series within the collection:
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Correspondence and memos
Ephemera
Manuscripts
News Articles
Scope: undated, 1962, 1965, 1970, 1974-75, 1983, 1986, 1994, 1999, spans four manila folders
Background information: Erik Homburger Erikson (15 June 1902 – 12 May 1994) was a Germanborn American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on
psychosocial development of human beings. (via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Erikson) Dr.
Maria Piers (Erikson co-founder, former faculty member, and dean from 1966-1977), decided to
rename the Chicago Institute for Early Childhood Education to “Erikson Institute”, which Erik
Erikson humbly supported.
Accessing the collection: If you would like to visit the archives and peruse the collections,
please contact [email protected]. The archives are located in the staff workroom (room
212) in the Edward Neisser Library at 451 N. LaSalle in Chicago, IL.
The Erikson Institute Archives is composed of a non-circulating repository open to the Erikson
Institute community and interested public and a digital collection of photos hosted by CARLI
Digital Collections. There are rare exceptions to the physical archives non-circulation policy; in
certain instances, borrowing privileges may be granted for the purposes of display or
publication. All policies of the Erikson Institute Archives are subject to change. For more
information, please contact the Archives by emailing [email protected].
Series number: 15.2
Location: Box 18, Folder 7
Series description sheet
Series title: Erik Erikson Papers – Correspondence and memos
Series dates: 1962, 1965, 1974
Quantity: One manila file folder
Arrangement: Chronological
Scope and content note: This series contains personal and professional letters written by Erik
Erikson, including: one from 1962 describing a trip to India he took with his wife Joan; one from
1965 detailing a White House event he attended where Anna Freud was presented with an
award; and a memo from 1974 in support of Erikson Institute and its programs.
Series number: 15.3
Location: Box 18, Folder 8
Series description sheet
Series title: Erik Erikson Papers – Ephemera
Series dates: 1986, undated
Quantity: One manila file folder
Arrangement: Chronological
Scope and content note: This series contains various documents related to Erik Erikson,
including: a 1986 prospectus describing a six-part film series documenting Erik and Joan
Erikson’s lives and work; and the first page of an undated biography of Erikson.
Series number: 15.4
Location: Box 18, Folder 25
Series description sheet
Series title: Erik Erikson papers – Manuscripts
Series dates: 1975
Quantity: One manila file folder
Arrangement: Chronological
Scope and content note: This series contains one item – an educational overview of Erikson’s
work designed for students, titled “Erik H. Erikson: An Analytic Approach”, by Murray M.
Schwartz.
Series number: 15.5
Location: Box 18, Folder 9
Series description sheet
Series title: Erik Erikson papers – News articles
Series dates: 1970, 1983, 1994, 1999
Quantity: One manila file folder
Arrangement: Chronological
Scope and content note: This series contains news articles written about Erik Erikson. Notable
items include: a two-part profile on Erikson in The New Yorker; a Newsweek cover story on his
life and work; The New York Times’ obituary for Erikson; and an article in the Chicago Tribune
relating Erikson’s work on the identity crisis to violence seen in adolescent males.