F. O. Matthiessen - Legacy

Legacy

Matthiessen's contribution to the critical celebration of 19th-century American literature is considered formative and enduring. Along with several other scholars, he is regarded as a contributor to the creation of American studies as a recognized academic discipline. His stature and legacy as a member of the Harvard community has been memorialized in several ways by the university. He was the first Senior Tutor at Eliot House, one of Harvard College's undergraduate residential houses. More than sixty years after his death, his suite at Eliot House remains preserved as the F. O. Matthiessen Room, housing personal manuscripts and 1700 volumes of his library available for scholarly research by permission. In 2009 Harvard established an endowed chair in LGBT studies called the F. O. Matthiessen Visiting Professorship of Gender and Sexuality. Believing the post to be "the first professorship of its kind in the country," Harvard President Drew G. Faust called it “an important milestone.” It is funded by a $1.5 million gift from the members and supporters of the Harvard Gay & Lesbian Caucus. On October 3, 2012 the university announced that Henry D. Abelove would be the first scholar to hold the Matthiessen Chair. Abelove completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard in 1966 and earned advanced degrees at Wesleyan and Yale Universities. He is the Wilbur Fisk Osborne Professor of English, Emeritus at Wesleyan. Several generations after Matthiessen's passing, this visiting professorship reaffirms the university's appreciation for his continuing legacy as a storied scholar and teacher.