The John Fouts Gardenhire papers are those of a Topeka, Kansas native who was an English professor in California for much of his life, as well as an active University of Kansas alumnus.

The papers of Sherman Parks are those of a Topeka, Kansas lawyer who was the first African American appointment to a Kansas appellate judgeship when appointed to the Kansas State Court of Appeals. Most ofthe papers and photographs in this collection relate to the Kansas Court of Appeals.