Sub-Series 1: Published Manuscripts, 1929-1973
Scope and Contents
This collection contains Lewis’ poetry and essay manuscripts, correspondence, articles, publications, photographs, videos, personal documents and ephemera. The content of this collection concerns the labor and racial problems of southeast Missouri, as well as the political conflicts in the United States during the 1930s through the 1950s. The dated correspondence is arranged chronologically. The undated correspondence is arranged alphabetically by Lewis’ correspondent. The personal documents include financial, educational, and health records. The photographs of Lewis, his home and friends date from the 1920s to the 1980s. Also included are the DVD and VHS copies of an interview with Lewis from 1981. Lewis’ manuscripts are arranged in three groups: manuscripts published in a compilation, manuscripts that were published individually, and unpublished manuscripts. The compilation manuscripts are arranged by the publication date of the compilation, and then by the order the poems appear within that compilation. These are followed by manuscripts of poems and essays published in periodicals or other collections arranged by publication date. The unpublished manuscripts are arranged alphabetically. The publications authored by Lewis are arranged by date; these are followed by publications with similar themes as Lewis’ own writings. The newspaper clippings are arranged by various subjects on labor, southeast Missouri, and politics.
Dates
- Creation: 1929-1973
Conditions Governing Access
There are DVD and VHS formats within this collection.
There can be no photocopying or extensive quoting of copied material from SUNY Buffalo or the Newberry Library without permission from those institutions.
Extent
From the Collection: 8.5 Linear Feet
From the Collection: 1 map folders
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Consists of the typewritten and handwritten manuscripts of Lewis’ published works. The content of his work concerns the labor, civil rights, and communist issues of the 1930s to the 1950s. Manuscripts are arranged according to the order in which they appeared in the four collections of Lewis’ work. These are followed by manuscripts arranged by publication dates in periodicals such as New Masses and Hinterland. Some of these manuscripts are included in this subseries solely on Lewis’ assertions that they appeared in print. Lewis continued to edit and redraft published poems. Those drafts are included with the drafts of the originals.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository
One University Plaza, MS 4600
Cape Girardeau Missouri 63701 United States
5736512245
semoarchives@semo.edu