Descriptive Entry

The papers of James P. Kramer consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence documenting his career at the USDA from 1957 to 1987. Most of the letters concern the identification of specimens, but reviews of scientific papers and information about professional meetings are also included. A small amount of earlier correspondence, from 1937 to mid-1957, was created by Kramer's predecessors, Paul Wilson Oman and David A. Young, Jr. All records concern research on Homoptera done at the USDA.

Historical Note

James P. Kramer (1928-2011), a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Research Entomologist, received his B.S. from Beloit College (1950), M.S. from the University of Missouri (1952), and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois (1961). In 1957, Kramer joined the staff of the Insect Identification and Parasite Introduction Section, Entomology Research Branch, USDA, located in the United States National Museum. After 1972, the Branch became the Systematic Entomology Laboratory. Kramer remained with the USDA until his retirement in 1987, studying the Homoptera suborder Auchenorrhyncha, with special emphasis on New World leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) and planthoppers (Fulgoridae).