Stuart Levine, born in Brooklyn, New York, went to Harvard University and later received his masters and doctorate from Brown University. He came to the University of Kansas in 1958 to work in the English Department, becoming an assistant professor in 1961 and associate professor in 1965.

In 1960, Levine was appointed editor of the new American Studies academic journal, founded by his colleague in the English Department, Edward Grier, with whom he co-founded the American Studies Graduate program at KU in 1964.

Levine was awarded Fulbright Scholarships in the 1960s to teach in Mexico, Argentina, Costa Rica and Jamaica. He took an intensive Spanish course in preparation for one of these trips, taught by Susan Matthews, who would soon become his wife. She translated some of his lectures into Spanish and they collaborated to edit numerous books on Edgar Allen Poe. Susan Levine worked in the Spanish and Portuguese departments and then in the administration office of the University of Kansas Graduate School. After earning her PhD in Spanish in 1980, she became assistant dean of KU's Graduate School.

Stuart Levine’s interests mirrored the interdisciplinary nature of American Studies. He edited the American Studies journal for 30 years, and even after retirement in 1992, published books of fiction and nonfiction, lectured on art history, played French horn in various ensembles for decades, and was an avid cyclist and fisherman.