The Paul and Dora Rath Endowed Collection for the Continuing Study of Traditional American Music - Jazz, Blues, and Gospel, was established in 1998 by Charles W. Rath (’58) in honor of his parents, who gave him the “freedom to pursue many loves…among them jazz, blues, and gospel music.”

Paul Rath ran the family business, Rath Business Forms, while Dora Rath was a full-time mother to Charlie and his sister, Carol.

Charlie, retired executive vice president of marketing for Wendy’s International, and his wife, Susie, have three children. A co-founder of the American School of Double Bass, and founder of the Firehouse Jazz Society, Charlie also served as president and trustee of the Jazz Arts Group.

The Rath Endowment continues to support the Hesburgh Libraries’ growing collection of recordings and books on American music, including recent additions in holdings related to early musical theater. This vast compilation provides solid representative collections of great American artists. Significant reference and bibliographic records have also been assembled, strengthened with the addition of music journals and specialized doctoral dissertations relevant to American music. These resources are critical to the education and growth of Notre Dame’s talented musical scholars and performers, and across liberal arts disciplines.