The Papers of Benjamin Franklin
The Papers of Benjamin Franklin is a collaborative effort by a team of scholars at Yale University, American Philosophical Society and others who have searched, collected, edited, and published the numerous letters from and to Benjamin Franklin, and other works, especially those involved with the American Revolutionary period and thereafter. The publication of Franklin's papers has been an ongoing production since its first issue in 1959, and is expected to reach nearly fifty volumes, with more than forty volumes completed as of 2022. The costly project was made possible from donations by the American Philosophical Association and Life magazine.
Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) During his entire adult life Franklin saved his correspondence, documents and other writings, which today include some 30,000 extant items.
The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, bookcover of the APS/Yale publication
Benjamin Franklin "A man of letters"
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and community outreach. It was founded by Benjamin Franklin and is considered the first learned society in the United States.
Philosophical Hall, the headquarters of the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia
Library Hall in 2024
Thomas Jefferson Garden adjacent to Library Hall
Franklin Hall at the American Philosophical Hall, named for Benjamin Franklin, the organization's founder