The Ruth Lee Kennedy papers contain biographical materials, some items from her youth and early years as a teacher of Spanish literature and language and portraits and photographs of Kennedy and her family. There are extensive files of correspondence received by Professor Kennedy related to her professional activities among Spanish literature scholars in the United States and Europe as well as from other academicians. There are a few letters of Professor Kennedy's. Correspondents include, but are not limited to: Maria Araujo-Fernandez, Jamie Asensio, J. B. Avalle-Arce, Hannah E. Bergman, Alice H. Bushee, John Brooks, Courtney Bruerton, James A. Castaneda, Jill Ker Conway, J. P. Wickersham Crawford, William J. Entwistle, William L. Fichter, Robert A. Folchi, Otis H. Green, Guillermo Guastavino, John Hull, Lloyd Kasten, L. Klaiber, Irving A. Leonard, George E. McSpadden, G. Marañón, Thomas C. Mendenhall, Sylvanus Griswold Morley, Joaquina Navarro, Emilio Navarro Sanz, Tomas Navarro Tomas, Jack H. Parker, Manuel Penedo Rey, Agapito Rey, Miguel Romera Navarro, Nina Scott, Lesley B. Simpson, Gerald Wade, Bruce W. Wardropper, Margaret Wilson and Maria Eugenia Zornoga de Marques. The correspondence is arranged by date.

The papers also include lecture and research notes. Professor Kennedy's notes are usually written in pencil in very small handwritten letters on small pieces of paper and assembled in small bundles-the back of an envelope, half sheets of letter sized paper or other small sheets. Often the content of a given group of papers is unclear; an anonymous individual has very helpfully identified many of the bundles of papers with precise notes as to the content of a particular bundle. The lecture and research notes are arranged in very broad subject topics that in no way limit the contents of the file.

The papers are arranged in the following series:

• I. General Biographical
• II. Photographs
• III. Correspondence
• IV. Publications