.
By Meg Hixon, Siobhan McKissic, Ruthann Mowry, Dana Miller, and RBML Staff
Collection Overview
Title: Gwendolyn Brooks Collection, 1909-2003
Predominant Dates:bulk 1960-2000
ID: 01/01/MSS00086
Primary Creator: Brooks, Gwendolyn (1917-2000)
Extent: 200.0 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 09/19/2013
Subjects: Poets, American - 20th century
Languages: English
Abstract
This collection consists of a variety of materials related to Gwendolyn Brooks, a Black American poet from Chicago, Illinois.
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) was an American poet and educator born in Topeka, Kansas and raised on the South Side of Chicago. In 1950, Brooks was the first Black person to win a Pulitzer Prize in any category, receiving the award in Poetry for Annie Allen (1949). At the core of this book is "The Anniad," an epic poem that details the life of a young woman in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. Brooks was a beloved mentor to many poets and artists from the Black Arts movement, and started the Illinois Poet Laureate Awards to encourage poetry writing amongst young people. During her life, Brooks received numerous accolades for her work, including her appointment as Poet Laureate of Illinois in 1968 and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (now the Poet Laureate of the United States) in 1985.
This record does not contain collection content for the first series of the Gwendolyn Brooks Collection. Series 1, which contains alphabetical correspondence and correspondence files, was separated from the rest of the collection in an attempt to improve load times. Click here to view series 1 (temporarily MS00086a).
Collection Historical Note
Poet Gwendolyn Brooks was born to parents David Anderson and Keziah Wims Brooks on June 7, 1917 in Topeka, Kansas. A few weeks later, her family moved to Chicago where she would live for the rest of her life. Brooks began writing at an early age and was encouraged by her mother saying, "You are going to be the lady Paul Laurence Dunbar." When she was 13, her poem "Eventide" was published in the children's magazine American Childhood [1]. By the time she graduated high school, Brooks had published over one hundred poems in the "Lights and Shadows" poetry column of the Chicago Defender [2]. After high school, Brooks graduated from a two-year program at Wilson Junior College [3]. In 1939, she married Henry Blakely, Jr. whom she met after joining the Chicago NAACP Youth Council. They soon had their first child, Henry III, and later their daughter, Nora.
Early in her career, Brooks was encouraged by poet James Weldon Johnson and Harlem Renaissance writers Langston Hughes and Richard Wright [4]. In her work, Brooks drew inspiration from her life and surroundings in Chicago. Her first book of poetry, A Street in Bronzeville (1945), received praise for its authentic portraits of the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. Her second collection of poems, Annie Allen (1949), chronicles the life of a young Black Bronzeville girl. It was for this book that Brooks won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for poetry, making her the first Black person to win the award in any category [5].
In the 1960s, Brooks work became more overtly political as she became close with activists and writers involved in the Black Arts Movement, a group of artists whose work reflected the cultural side of the growing Black Power movement [6]. She became especially close with Haki Madhubuti, to whom she became both a mentor and a mother figure. Soon Brooks began working exclusively with Black publishers, especially Broadside Press, founded by her close friend Dudley Randall, and Third World Press, founded by Madhubuti. In the 1980s, Brooks also established her own imprint called The David Company.
Throughout her long career, Brooks published more than twenty books of poetry, including The Bean Eaters (1960), Selected Poems (1963), In the Mecca (1968), Riot (1969), Family Pictures (1970), Aloneness (1971), Beckonings (1975), To Disembark (1981), Black Love (1982), The Near-Johannesburg Boy and Other Poems (1986), Blacks (1987), Gottschalk and the Grand Tarantelle (1988), Winnie (1988), and Children Coming Home (1991). She also published one novel, Maud Martha (1953), as well as children's literature such as Bronzeville Boys and Girls (1956) and The Tiger Who Wore White Gloves (1974). Brooks also published two autobiographies, Report from Part One (1972), and Report from Part Two (1995).
In addition to her writing, Brooks taught poetry and creative writing at numerous colleges and universities. In 1990, the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing was founded at Chicago State University, where Brooks served as distinguished professor and writer-in-residence [7]. Brooks influenced generations of writers, not only with her words, but with her actions. For most of the year, she traveled the country to perform her poetry for children of all ages as well as at universities, public libraries, hospitals, and prisons. As she especially encouraged young poets, Brooks sponsored youth poetry awards for over thirty years. Renowned for her generosity, Brooks dedicated her life to promoting the value of poetry and inspiring young writers.
Brooks was the recipient of more than seventy-five honorary doctorates and countless accolades [8]. In 1968, she was appointed Poet Laureate of Illinois, a position which she held until her death in 2000 [9]. In 1985, Brooks was selected for an honorary one-year term as the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress [10]. She received lifetime achievement awards from both the National Endowment for the Arts in 1989 and the National Book Foundation in 1994. Brooks then received the National Endowment for the Humanities' highest honor when she was named the 1994 Jefferson Lecturer. The next year, Brooks received the National Medal of Arts.
Today, Gwendolyn Brooks' legacy persists as one of the most significant poets of the twentieth century, because of both her contribution to American literature and her kindness and generosity, especially toward young poets and authors of color.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Acquisition Source:
Nora Brooks Blakely
Related Materials:
Celebrating Brooks @ 100
Gwendolyn Brooks Supplementary Materials
Finding Aid Revision History:
This finding aid is experiencing ongoing revision, beginning in June 2023.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Correspondence],
[
Series 2: Writings],
[Series 3: Gwendolyn Brooks Personal Files],
[
Series 4: Photographs and Scrapbooks],
[
Series 5: Drawings],
[
Series 6: Calendars],
[
Series 7: Public Engagements],
[
Series 8: Contests and Scholarships],
[
Series 9: Teaching Materials],
[
Series 10: Programs, Broadsides, Posters, and Ephemera],
[
Series 11: David Company Records],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[
Series 14: Gwendolyn Brooks Personal Realia/Artifacts],
[
Series 15: Gwendolyn Brooks Library],
[
Series 16: Sheet Music],
[
Series 17: LPs],
[
Series 18: Newspapers and Magazines],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[
Series 24: Supplementary Material],
[
All]
- Series 3: Gwendolyn Brooks Personal Files
- Box 300
- File 1: “All Letters In Here Are Answered”
- Folder 1.1-1.11: Correspondence
- Folder 1.1
- Item 1: “Corr 1996-1998” note, undated
- Item 2: Bowers, Neal and Nancy holiday card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1996
- Folder 1.2
- Item 1: Christy, Alexandra (Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation) letter to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Includes a draft response, a copy of “Indian Prayer” poem, and an envelope.
- Item 2: Cross, Delores card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1998
- Includes an envelope.
- Folder 1.3
- Item 1: Harper, Michael card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1998
- Includes an envelope.
- Item 2: Jones, Anna holiday card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Folder 1.4
- Item 1: Klappert, Peter personal newsletter, 1997
- Includes a holiday card and an envelope.
- Folder 1.5
- Item 1: Landes, David Landes letter to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Includes a thank you card.
- Item 2: Mattioni, Dante (The Chapel of Four Chaplains) letter to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1998
- Item 3: Gwendolyn Brooks letter to McGraw Hill Companies, 1998
- Includes an envelope.
- Folder 1.6
- Item 1: Orlikoff, Jeanne letter to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Includes an envelope.
- Item 2: Owens, Betty birthday card to Gwendolyn Brooks, undated
- Folder 1.7
- Item 1: Gwendolyn Brooks letter to Peddy, Beverly, undated
- Item 2: Petrakis, Harry Mark letter to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Includes copies of photos of St. Constantine Koraes School (Palos Hills, IL).
- Item 3: Pierce, Edith L. letter to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Includes an envelope.
- Folder 1.8
- Item 1: Scott-Heron, Gil card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Item 2: Gwendolyn Brooks card to Scott-Heron, Gil, 1998
- Item 3: Gwendolyn Brooks letter to Viebahn, Fred, 1998
- Includes a letter from Viebahn, Fred to Kunitz, Stanley and an envelope.
- Folder 1.9
- Item 1: Williams, Kenny card to Gwendolyn Brooks, undated
- Includes a FedEx USA Airbill copy.
- Item 2: Winston, Carol card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1998
- Includes an envelope.
- Item 3: Young, Reggie letter to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1998
- Item 4: Noel, B.E. (Noel Gallery) card to Gwendolyn Brooks, undated
- Folder 1.10
- Item 1: The Permissions Group envelope to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1998
- Includes notes by Gwendolyn Brooks.
- Folder 1.11
- Item 1: Young, Reggie (Wheaton College. English Department) envelope to Gwendolyn Brooks, undated
- Folder 1.12
- Item 1: The Chapel of Four Chaplains “Fact Sheet”, undated
- Item 2: The Chapel of Four Chaplains newsletter (vol. 10, no.1), 1997
- Folder 1.13
- Item 1: “The Chapel of Four Chaplains 32nd Annual Awards Banquet” program, 1998
- File 2: “Articles, Scraps, (etc.)”
- Folder 2.1
- Item 1: Darby, Julia A. thank you card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1990
- Folder 2.2
- Item 1: “Poets and Restriction (for “Writing!” Magazine)” by Gwendolyn Brooks, undated
- Folder 2.3
- Item 1: Jotting, undated
- Folder 2.4
- Item 1: Blank stationery for Campus Inn (Ann Arbor, MI), undated
- Item 2: Blank stationery for The Summit (Hartford, CT), undated
- Folder 2.5
- Item 1: “Black Poets and Orators” program (Noah Webster School), undated
- Folder 2.6
- Item 1: The New York Times Large Type Weekly pages, 1990
- Folder 2.7
- Item 1: Earl grey tea bag, undated
- Item 2: Notes on the National Building Museum, undated
- Item 3: “Articles, Scraps, (etc.)” envelope, undated
- File 3: “Beautiful Poems Written To Me (Other Little Specialties)”
- Folder 3.1
- Item 1: Gwendolyn Brooks letter to “Hoyt”, undated
- Likely Fuller, Hoyt W.
- Item 2: Grand Crossing Station notice to lock box customers, 1998
- Item 3: Millican, Arthenia B. card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1975
- Folder 3.2
- Item 1: Beasley, Wallace poem, 1968
- Folder 3.3
- Item 1: “Missing Hoyt” statement by Gwendolyn Brooks, circa 1980s
- Folder 3.4
- Item 1: North Park CME Church service bulletin, undated
- Folder 3.5
- Item 1: Pulliam, H. poem, 1974
- Folder 3.6
- Item 1: Bradshaw, Edwynne Green, “Big Voice” poem, 1995
- Item 2: “Found” note, undated
- Item 3: “URGENT (Important.)” envelope, undated
- Also reads, “Lovely Little Poem (To Me).”
- Folder 3.7
- Item 1: “Beautiful Poems Written To Me (Other Little Specialties)” envelope, undated
- File 4: “Beryl’s Reminders, Etc.”
- Folder 4.1-4.2: “DONE”
- Folder 4.1
- Item 1: “DONE” note, undated
- Item 2-5: Addresses and notes on public engagements, undated
- Folder 4.2
- Item 1-3: Notes on public engagements, undated
- Folder 4.3-4.8: Unidentified grouping
- Folder 4.3
- Item 1: Gwendolyn Brooks letter to Madhubuti, Haki, 1997
- Item 2: Pegram, Amelia Blossom card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Item 3: Berryman, Jo (California Institute of the Arts), 1996
- Folder 4.4
- Item 1: Blank envelope, undated
- Folder 4.5
- Item 1: The Contemporary Forum contract between Gwendolyn Brooks and the California Institute of the Arts, 1997
- Includes an event reminder.
- Folder 4.6
- Item 1: Business card for Engdahl, Bonnie Thoman, undated
- Folder 4.7
- Item 1: Broadside Press invoice, 1997
- Includes an envelope.
- Folder 4.8
- Item 1: Issue of The Topeka Sentinel (March 29-April 18), 1997
- Folder 4.9
- Item 1: Gwendolyn Brooks, Black Love pamphlet, 1982?
- Includes “Beryl’s Reminders, Etc.” note.
- File 5: “Birthday Committee Addresses”
- Folder 5.1
- Item 1: A Gift for You pamphlet (City of Chicago. Department of Cultural Affairs), 1997
- Five copies.
- Item 2: Eighty Gifts: A Celebration of the 80th Birthday of Gwendolyn Brooks pamphlet, 1997
- Six copies.
- Item 3: “Biographies of Presenters” pamphlet for Eighty Gifts celebration, 1997
- Two copies.
- Item 4: Eighty Gifts: A Celebration of the 80th Birthday of Gwendolyn Brooks pamphlet (color), 1997
- Includes a “Pictures sent (July 16, 1997)” note.
- Item 5: Eighty Gifts: A Celebration of the 80th Birthday of Gwendolyn Brooks pamphlet (color), 1997
- 22 copies.
- Item 6: “IMPORTANT” envelope sent to Blakely, Nora Brooks, 1997
- Folder 5.2
- Item 1: Gwendolyn Brooks card to Madhubuti, Safisha, 1997
- Folder 5.3
- Item 1-2: Blakely, Nora Brooks envelope to Gwendolyn Brooks, undated
- Folder 5.4
- Item 1: Address list from the Contemporary Forum, 1997
- Includes a sticky note.
- Folder 5.5
- Item 1: Addresses, undated
- Folder 5.6
- Item 1: Group photo, 1997
- Item 2: Photo of Preston, Adera Delaney at 29 days old, 1997?
- Item 3: Photo of Preston, Adera Delaney at 34 days old, 1997?
- Folder 5.7-5.8: “Cards (etc.)”
- Folder 5.7
- Item 1: Blakely, Nora Brooks envelope to Gwendolyn Brooks, undated
- Item 2: “Special Letters: ANSWERED. (In re: my 80th birthday)” envelope, undated
- Folder 5.8
- Item 1: High school graduation photo from “Andrea”, undated
- Item 2: “CARDS (etc.) (Answered or No Answer Needed.) Also: BIRTHDAY “PARTY” Lists (given me by NORA.)” envelope, 1997
- Folder 5.9-5.10: Birthday party for Henry Blakely Sr.
- Folder 5.9
- Item 1: Birthday party invitation draft, 1996
- Item 2: Birthday party invitation, 1996
- Folder 5.1
- Folder 5.11-5.13: Birthday cards
- Folder 5.11
- Item 1-2: Creston High School (Grand Rapids, MI) birthday card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Item 3: “CCP” birthday card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Includes an envelope.
- Folder 5.12
- Item 1: St. John, Eleanor birthday card to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1997
- Includes an envelope and a “PACK AWAY. (No answer)” sticky note.
- Item 2: “Jené” birthday card to Gwendolyn Brooks, undated
- Folder 5.13
- Item 1: Seminole County Library (Fern Park, FL) newsletter (May), 1997
- Folder 5.14
- Item 1: “JUNE 7, 1997 BIRTHDAY COMMITTEE ADDRESSES (with markings on names I’ve thanked for “contributing to the joy of my 80th Birthday”)” envelope, undated
- Box 301
- File 1: “Black Position No. 5 (Combined with Black Review)”
- File 2: “Broadside Press (Contracts)”
- File 3: “Broadside Press (Letters)”
- Box 302
- File 1: “Brooks Papers”
- Box 303
- File 1: “Brooks Papers” (cont.)
- File 2: “Check Through for Collage”
- File 3: “Chicago, 2999”
- File 4: “Chicago State U.”
- Box 304
- File 1: “Chicago State University”
- File 2: “Christmas Cards for 1997”
- File 3: “Closing Papers for Purchase”
- File 4: “Diacritics”
- File 5: “Dr. Joseph Young”
- Box 305
- File 5: “Dr. Joseph Young” (cont.)
- File 6: “England”
- File 7: “Fire and Subsequent Legal Proceedings”
- File 8: “File”
- File 9: “For Third World Press”
- File 10: “Fluffy”
- File 11: “Fourth Annual Poet Laureate Awards”
- File 12: “Guggenheim Applicants”
- Box 306
- Box 307
- Box 308
- Box 309
- Box 310
- Box 311
- Box 312
- Box 313
- Box 314
- Box 315
- Box 316
- Box 317
- Box 318
- Box 319
- Box 320
- Box 321
- Box 322
- Box 323
- Box 324
- Box 325
- Box 326
- Box 327
- Box 328
- Box 329
- Box 330
- Box 331
- Box 332
- Box 333
- Box 334
- Box 335
- Box 336
- Box 337
- Box 338
- Box 339
- Box 340
- Box 341
- Box 342
- Box 343
- Box 344
- Box 345
- Box 346
- Box 347
- Box 348
- Box 349
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Correspondence],
[
Series 2: Writings],
[Series 3: Gwendolyn Brooks Personal Files],
[
Series 4: Photographs and Scrapbooks],
[
Series 5: Drawings],
[
Series 6: Calendars],
[
Series 7: Public Engagements],
[
Series 8: Contests and Scholarships],
[
Series 9: Teaching Materials],
[
Series 10: Programs, Broadsides, Posters, and Ephemera],
[
Series 11: David Company Records],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[
Series 14: Gwendolyn Brooks Personal Realia/Artifacts],
[
Series 15: Gwendolyn Brooks Library],
[
Series 16: Sheet Music],
[
Series 17: LPs],
[
Series 18: Newspapers and Magazines],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[[information restricted]],
[
Series 24: Supplementary Material],
[
All]