Spanning 1924 to 1974, the Leonard Brown Papers encompasses writings and memorabilia of the Syracuse University professor of English and literary critical theorist. Arriving at Syracuse in the mid-twenties, Brown led students in the exploration of the implications of Freudian theory and Marxist philosophy as applied to literary criticism. In the mid-thirties Brown was dismissed from the University for introducing dialiectical materialism to his class; however, when the local newspapers reported Brown's discharge, he was re-instated the next day. In a tribute to Brown, Malcolm Cowley wrote:

There are many surviving tokens of what he might have done; there are fine short stories, essays, anthologies, critical commentaries. Indeed, they cover so much ground that they are like the ruins of some ancient city as photographed from the air. They are, however, the ruins of a city that was never built.

That was Leonard's tragedy, and there is no use hiding it, but there is another side of his career that was a brilliant success. He was among the best teachers of writing that this country has known...every writer of the past thirty years who attended Syracuse -- there are many -- and hundreds who were simply interested in writing without wishing to turn professional, owe a personal debt to Leonard Brown.