A History of the Institute for Advanced Study: 1930-1950

The Institute for Advanced Study commissioned Beatrice M. Stern (1895-1987) in 1955 to write a history of the Institute's first twenty years in conjunction with its 25th anniversary. Stern, who had trained as an economist and worked in governmental and labor organizations including the National Labor Board, had previously researched corporate histories of United Parcel Service and Standard Oil. Stern did extensive archival research and conducted interviews with most Board and Faculty members who had been associated with the Institute's early years who were still living at the time. After many delays, Stern turned in her manuscript, titled A history of the Institute for Advanced Study 1930-1950, in 1964. Reading it, Oppenheimer became concerned that, while it was an accurate portrayal of the conflicts and activities of the Institute's early history, many of those who were involved were still living and it portrayed the Institute in a less than flattering light. After consulting the Board, he declined to publish the manuscript and instead limited it to circulation within the Institute. Despite the intended limited circulation, a number of copies went beyond the Institute campus, including one that was cataloged at the Library of Congress as part of J. Robert Oppenheimer's papers.