James George Kanka materials
Content Description
Collection consists of correspondence received by Kanka from political and military figures in various countries. Kanka sent copies of Czech-language books he authored to these individuals and received their responses of thanks, which he then compiled. Notable responses received by Kanka include letters from Anton Cermak, Faik Komitza, T.J. Carney, Carter H. Harrison Jr., A.A. Bickford, Henrik Kauffmann, Samuel Alphonsus Cardinal Stritch, Francisco Franco, Malvina C. Thompson, Dwight Eisenhower, George S. Patton, Douglas MacArthur, Adlai Stevenson, Richard J. Daley, Evelyn Lincoln, Herbert Hoover, and Allen W. Dulles. Also included are letters from the secretaries of several African and European kings, as well as from the private secretary to Mahatma Gandhi. In addition to correspondence, the collection also includes three essays by B.V. Lastuvka, as well as pages taken from Daily Narod.
Dates
- Creation: 1932 - 1963
Creator
- Kanka, James George (Person)
Biographical / Historical
James George Kanka (also known as Vaclav Kanka, and sometimes Vaclav Kankovi or Vaclav Kanka-Pruhonicky) was an author and a reporter for the Chicago Czech-language newspaper Daily Narod headquartered at 1637 South Allport Street in Chicago. He was born in 1896, probably in Bohemia or Moravia, and probably moved to Chicago some time in the early 1920s to work for Sears, Roebuck and Co. Kanka worked for Sears from 1923-1932, at which time he likely began working for Daily Narod. His book "Memoirs of my Life" (Vzpominky z meho zivota) was first published in 1938 by the Czech Benedictine Press (publisher of Daily Narod), and Kanka began sending copies to well-known political, religious, and military figures. After receiving numerous responses, Kanka reissued "Memoirs of my Life" in 1943 as "A Czech Book in All Countries of the World: Memoirs of my Life", and continued sending them to notable individuals.
Extent
0.5 Linear Feet (1 Hollinger box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
James George (Vaclav) Kansa was an author and a reporter for the Chicago Czech-language newspaper Daily Narod. He was born in 1896, probably in Bohemia or Moravia, and moved to Chicago in the Early 1920s.
Collection consists of correspondence received by Kanka from political and military figures in various countries. Kanka sent copies of Czech-language books he authored to these individuals and received their responses of thanks, which he then compiled. Notable responses received by Kanka include letters from Anton Cermak, Faik Komitza, T. J. Carney, Carter H. Harrison Jr., A. A. Bickford, Henrik Kauffmann, Samuel Alphonsus Cardinal Stritch, Malvina C. Thompson, Dwight Eisenhower, George S. Patton, Douglas MacArthur, Adlai Stevenson, Richard J. Daley, Evelyn Lincoln, Herbert Hoover, and Allen W. Dulles. Also included are letters from the secretaries of several African and European kings, as well as from the private secretary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Arrangement
Chronological for correspondence; original order for all else.
1. Correspondence, 1932-1963
2. Other materials
Cultural context
- Cermak, Anton Joseph 1873-1933
- Franco, Francisco, 1892-1975
- Hoover, Herbert, 1974-1964
- Kanka, Vaclav, 1896-
- Stevenson, Adlai E. (Adlai Ewing), 1900-1965
Topical
- Bohemian Benedictine Press
- Dulles, Allen Welsh, 1893-1969
- Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
- Harrison, Carter H. (Carter Henry), 1860-1953
- King, Ernest Joseph, 1878-1956
- MacArthur, Douglas, 1880-1964
- Patton, George S. (George Smith), 1885-1945
- Stritch, Cardinal (Samuel Alphonsus), 1887-1958
- Thompson, Malvina, 1893-1953
- Title
- James George Kanka Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Joseph, Benn
- Date
- 2007-03-01
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Archives and Special Collections Repository
Benedictine University
5700 College Rd.
Lisle IL 60532 United States
