John A. Nist was a professor of English at Eastern Michigan University from 1952-1962. Born in Chicago in 1925, Nist received his degrees from DePaul University and Indiana University and taught courses in linguistic science, creative writing, old English and Medievial writing. He was the faculty advisor to the English Club and was responsible for bringing to campus the Delta chapter of the honor fraternity Lambda Iota Tau. Married to Joan Stidham, the couple had four boys, two of which accompanied them to Brazil in 1959 when Nist was in San Paulo as a Fulbright Lecturer. It was in Brazil that Nist wrote his manuscript I Was Crucified about the Eastern Michigan Alum John Kuslak who survived the Bataan Death March and three years in a Japanese porison camp. The Nist family moved to Alabama where Nist joined the faculty of Auburn University in 1966. He died in 1981 from a heart attack. The John A. Nist papers include clippings, correspondence, and evaluations from his time at Eastern Michigan University as well as recordings of Nist receiting The Raven, Gunga Din along with other sonnets and songs. There is some materials related to Lambda Iota Tau in the collection as well.