Richard E. Blackwelder | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 29 January 1909  |
| Died | 17 January 2001 (aged 91) Cape Girardeau |
| Occupation | Biologist |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth MacCoy Blackwelder |
Richard Eliot Blackwelder (January 29, 1909 − January 17, 2001) was an American biologist, professor and author specializing in entomology and taxonomy. After a distinguished professional career, he retired in 1977, and in 1978 he discovered the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, which were to be the focus of his energies for the remainder of his life.[1] Over the next twenty years, Blackwelder amassed a large collection of Tolkien-related books and other materials, which he sorted and indexed. The Blackwelder Collection, donated to Marquette University in 1982, is believed to be the largest single body of secondary sources on Tolkien ever to be developed.[2]
- ^ Elston, Charles B: "Richard E. Blackwelder: Scholar, Collector, Benefactor and Friend", in The Lord of the Rings 1954-2004: Scholarship in Honor of Richard E. Blackwelder
- ^ Marquette University Special Collections and Archives site, retrieved February 15, 2007