The papers are concerned primarily with Manka's peripheral activities, not with his law practice. The collection has been arranged by subject. File folders with this subject arrangement were maintained by Manka and fall into five categories and form a rough chronology of Manka's activities. Terms and language used are representative of when the collection was created and have not been replicated in this finding aid.

The first group of files is a clipping collection compiled by Manka in the middle and late 1960s on subjects of current interest. Subjects range from censorship and civil rights to Russian trade relations with the United States.

Manka's political activities cover the period of the 1950s-early 1960s, reaching a high point in his bid for the Republican nomination of lieutenant governor in 1958. Files from the 1960 election focus on the Nixon campaign. In 1964 Manka opposed Goldwater for the Republican nomination, and as a consequence became less active in Sedgwick County politics.

The political correspondence includes letters from Kansas Senators Fred Carlson and James Pearson, President Richard Nixon, President Dwight Eisenhower, Representatives Clyde Reed and Fred Schoeppel, and other prominent political figures.

Manka's interests are also reflected in files concerning the issue of church and state and religion in the schools. These files cover a period of 1961-1967. From 1960-1968 Manka served as counsel for Wichita School District and files from this period form another group of files.

Finally, Manka was concerned about current issues and public opinion, and this activity is reflected in the last group of files. Manka's interest in extremist groups, such as the John Birch Society and his membership in the Wichita Council for Civic Responsibility, are all part of this group of files.