Charles Reznikoff Papers
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2005
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Charles Reznikoff Papers
Creator:
Reznikoff, Charles, 1894-1976
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 0009
Physical Description:
9.7 Linear feet
(26 archives boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Date (inclusive): 1912-1976
Abstract: Papers of Charles Reznikoff (1894-1976), American poet, writer, and chronicler of Judaism and the American Jewish experience.
He worked both as an editor and contributing author on
The Menorah Journal and
Family Chronicle, and was in close association with such noted writers as Ezra Pound, George Oppen, and William Carlos Williams. The correspondence,
which provides documentation of the literary community of 40s, 50s, and 60s America, as well as providing insights into Reznikoff's
personal life, includes letters from Robert Creeley, David Ignatow, Denise Levertov, George Oppen, John Perlman, William Carlos
Williams, and Louis Zukofsky.
Languages:
English
.
Scope and Content of Collection
Papers of Charles Reznikoff (1894-1976), American poet, writer, and chronicler of Judaism and the American Jewish experience.
He worked both as an editor and contributing author on
The Menorah Journal and
Family Chronicle, and was in close association with such noted writers as Ezra Pound, George Oppen, and William Carlos Williams. The correspondence,
which provides documentation of the literary community of 40s, 50s, and 60s America, as well as providing insights into Reznikoff's
personal life, includes letters from Robert Creeley, David Ignatow, Denise Levertov, George Oppen, John Perlman, William Carlos
Williams, and Louis Zukofsky.
Also included are the various exchanges between Reznikoff and his numerous publishers. The bulk of the collection consists
of Reznikoff's writings, ranging from original source materials up to finished typescripts, and includes thousands of pages
of revisions. Most of the materials in the collection date from the 1940's to the early 1970's. The 1989 addition to the Reznikoff
papers consists primarily of letters written by Reznikoff to his wife Marie Syrkin between 1928 and 1939. Also included are
Reznikoff's letter of will to his wife dated 1961; letters of condolence to Marie following the poet's death in 1976; and
several miscellaneous correspondences. In addition, Reznikoff's personal copies (with annotations) of eight of his published
works have been included. The 1991 addition to the Reznikoff papers contains personal letters from Reznikoff to Marie Syrkin
written in 1930 before their marriage; financial records which detail Reznikoff's activities between 1947 and 1976; and miscellaneous
memorabilia.
Accession Processed in 1977
Arranged in six series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) WRITINGS, 3) REVIEWS, 4) PERSONAL ARTIFACTS, 5) MATERIALS RELATING TO REZNIKOFF'S
PARENTS, and 6) WRITINGS BY OTHERS.
Accession Processed in 1990
Arranged in two series: 7) CORRESPONDENCE, and 8) AUTHOR'S COLLECTION.
Accession Processed in 1991
Arranged in four series: 9) CORRESPONDENCE, 10) CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS, 11) FINANCIAL RECORDS, and 12) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS.
Biography
Charles Reznikoff's long and productive life began 31 August 1894 in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Nathan Reznikoff and
Sarah Yetta Wolvovsky Reznikoff, were Russian Jews who had recently immigrated to the United States. Reznikoff's family moved
throughout the city, and the anti-Semitism which Charles often encountered had a lasting effect on his work. When he was twelve
Reznikoff's family moved to a section of Brooklyn that was isolated from the Jewish community; Reznikoff once described it
as a place where "the hatred for Israel smoldered." He later wrote that he would have to rush home from high school in order
to avoid the taunts of children leaving their grade school.
Despite his self-consciousness and feelings of insecurity, Reznikoff was an excellent student. He finished grammar school
three years ahead of the rest of his class and graduated from Boys High School in Brooklyn in 1909 at the age of fifteen.
By the time he was sixteen Reznikoff was already certain that he wanted to become a writer. He studied journalism at the University
of Missouri, but soon found that journalists' priorities were different than his -- they were more interested in news than
in writing, while it was the writing itself that Reznikoff cared about.
Reznikoff left the University of Missouri after one year and returned to New York. He first worked at his parents' hat manufacturing
business. Then in 1912 he entered New York University's Law School. In 1915 he graduated second in his class, and the next
year at the age of twenty two was admitted to the Bar of the State of New York. Although his training as a lawyer proved to
be a long lasting influence on his poetry, Reznikoff actually practiced for a very brief period. He once said "I wanted to
use whatever mental energy I had for my writing."
Reznikoff's first book of poetry,
Rhythms, was published in 1918. It was a small volume that he printed on a press he had installed in the basement of his parents'
home. After 1918 he held a number of jobs in order to support himself, but from this time on found ways to devote the majority
of his time to writing. In 1919 he privately printed
Rhythms II; then in 1920 Samuel Roth published Poems the first of his works to be published commercially. During the 1920's Reznikoff's
reputation slowly grew, and he was able to publish some of his work in magazines; he also wrote four plays during that decade.
In 1930 Reznikoff married Marie Syrkin, who later became a distinguished professor at Brandeis University. Although his work
still failed to make a commercial impact, Reznikoff continued to gain attention in the 1930's. Along with Louis Zukofsky,
George Oppen, and Carl Rakosi, he became known as one of the principal proponents of the Objectivist group of poets. The poets
formed the Objectivist Press, with whom Reznikoff published three of his works.
During the late thirties Reznikoff worked as a screen writer in Hollywood. When he returned from the West Coast he again
took up his life of freelance writing. Marie Reznikoff has written that she and Charles grew estranged during the forties;
when she was hired by the English department at Brandeis University, her husband stayed in Manhattan, and the Reznikoffs usually
spent only holidays and weekends together. Charles supported himself by working on a number of projects, many of which dealt
with the place of the Jewish community in America.
Reznikoff did not publish any poetry from 1941 through 1959, when
Inscriptions: 1944-1956 appeared. Three years later, New Directions published
By the Waters of Manhattan: Selected Verse, and in 1965 New Directions published
Testimony, which, along with
Holocaust, has been called one of Reznikoff's two major works. Marie Syrkin retired in 1966, and the Reznikoffs moved into a luxurious
Manhattan apartment. Reznikoff continued to write through these years; the final work to be published during his lifetime
was
Holocaust. He died on 22 January 1976 after suffering a heart attack the previous day.
Selected Bibliography:
Rhythms (1918),
Poems (1920),
Uriel Acosta: A Play and a Fourth Group of Verse (1921),
Chatterton, the Black Death, and Meriwether Lewis: Three Plays (1922),
Coral, and Captive Israel: Two Plays (1923),
Nine Plays, Five Groups of Verse (1927),
By the Waters of Manhattan (1930),
Jerusalem the Golden, Testimony, In Memoriam: 1933 (1934),
Early History of a Sewing Machine Operator, Separate Way (1936),
Going To and Fro and Walking Up and Down (1941),
The Lionhearted (1944),
The Jews of Charleston (1950),
Inscriptions: 1944-1956 (1959),
By the Waters of Manhattan: Selected Verse (1962),
Family Chronicle (1963),
Testimony: The United States 1885-1890: Recitative (1965),
Testimony: The Unites States (1891-1900): Recitative (1968),
By the Well of Living and Seeing and The Fifth Book of the Maccabees (1969),
By the Well of Living and Seeing: New & Selected Poems, 1918-1973 (1974),
Holocaust (1975),
Poems 1918-1936: Volume I of the Complete Poems of Charles Reznikoff (1976),
Poems 1937-1975: Volume II of the Complete Poems of Charles Reznikoff,
The Manner "Music" (1977).
Preferred Citation
Charles Reznikoff Papers, MSS 9. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Acquisition Information
Acquired 1977, 1989, 1990.
Publication Rights
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
American poetry -- 20th century
Diaries -- 20th century
Williams, William Carlos, 1883-1963 -- Correspondence
Martin, John, 1947- -- Correspondence
Lowenfels, Walter, 1897-1976 -- Correspondence
Zukofsky, Louis, 1904-1978 -- Correspondence
Oppen, George -- Correspondence
Padgett, Ron, 1942- -- Correspondence
Niedecker, Lorine -- Correspondence
Barnes, Djuna -- Correspondence
Reznikoff, Charles, 1894-1976 -- Archives
Creeley, Robert, 1926-2005 -- Correspondence
Rakosi, Carl, 1903-2004 -- Correspondence
Dembo, L. S. -- Correspondence
Degnan, June Oppen, 1918-2001 -- Correspondence
Hindus, Milton -- Correspondence
Fauchereau, Serge -- Correspondence
Laughlin, James, 1914-1997 -- Correspondence
Ignatow, David, 1914-1997 -- Correspondence
Accession Processed in 1977
CORRESPONDENCE
Scope and Content of Series
Series 1) CORRESPONDENCE: Letters from such celebrated literary figures as Robert Creeley, David Ignatow, Denise Levertov,
George Oppen, John Perlman, William Carlos Williams, and Louis Zukofsky. Also included are the various exchanges between Reznikoff
and his numerous publishers. These are revealing of the untiring energy with which Reznikoff pursued the publication of his
works -- in both Europe and America -- and include a surprising amount of rejection letters! The correspondence section is
in alphabetical order, with each particular correspondent assigned one file.
Box 1, Folder 1
Academy of American Poets. 7 ALs, 22 TLs, 4 D; 8 Rc
Box 1, Folder 2
American Jewish History Center. 10 TLs, 8 D; 8 Rc
Box 1, Folder 3
American Poetry Review. 1 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 1, Folder 5
Auster, Paul. 2 ALs, 1 TLs, 1 D; 2 Rc
Box 1, Folder 6
Axelrod, Susan. 1 ALs, 7 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 1, Folder 7
A (misc.) 1 ALs, 7 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 1, Folder 8
Barnes, Djuna. 1 TLs, 1 D
Berg, Stephen
General note
See Box 18, Folder 3.
Box 1, Folder 9
Berkson, Bill. 3 ALs, 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 1, Folder 10
Buck, Fred (
Bezoar Magazine). 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 1, Folder 11
Business. 1 AL, 4 TLs; 7 Rc
Box 1, Folder 13
B (misc.) 4 ALs, 1 TLs; 5 Rc
Box 1, Folder 14
Caplan, Ron. 3 TLs, 1 D; 1 Rc
Box 1, Folder 15
Carruth, Hayden. 1 ALs, 3 TLs, 1 D; 6 Rc
Box 1, Folder 16
Chapman, Abraham. 3 TLs, 1 D; 2 Rc
Box 1, Folder 18
Commentary Magazine. 1 ALs, 8 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 1, Folder 19
Cook, Albert. 5 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 1, Folder 20
Cooney, Seamus. 4 ALs, 14 TLs, 4 D; 14 Rc
Box 1, Folder 21
Corman, Cid. 4 TLs, 2 PP; 1 Rc; see also 19.1/2/3
Creeley, Robert
General note
See Box 19, Folders 1-3.
Box 1, Folder 22
Crozier, Andrew. 4 ALs, 8 TLs, 4 D; 15 Rc
Box 1, Folder 23
Cuddihy, Michael. 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 1, Folder 24
C (misc.) 6 ALs, 6 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 1, Folder 25-27
Degnan, June Oppen. 13 ALs, 3 TL, 50 TLs, 32 D, 1 AR, 36 Rc
Box 1, Folder 28
Deemer, Bill. 1 ALs, 1 TLs; 2 MS; 1 Rc
Box 2, Folder 2
D (misc.) 1 ALs, 1 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 3
Enslin, Theodore. 2 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 2, Folder 4
Enters, Angna. 1 TLs, 3 D; 1 Rc
Erlich, J. W
General note
See Academy of American Poets.
Box 2, Folder 5
Evanier, David. 8 TLs, 1 D; 7 Rc
Box 2, Folder 6
E (misc.) 1 ALs, 1 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 8
Falk, Marcia. 1 ALs, 3 TLs, 2 D; 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 9
Faucherau, Serge. 3 ALs, 1 TL; 3 Rc
Box 2, Folder 10
Finley, Ian Hamilton. 1 ALs; 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 11
F (misc.) 2 ALs, 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 12
Gitin, David and Marcia. 2 ALs
Box 2, Folder 13
Gotham Book Mart. 12 TLs, 13 D; 3 Rc
Box 2, Folder 14
Guedalla, Roger. 5 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 2, Folder 15
G (misc.) 7 ALs, 5 TLs; 9 Rc
Box 2, Folder 16
Halper, Albers and Lorna. 4 ALs, 2 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 2, Folder 17
Halpern, Daniel. 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 18
Harper's Magazine. 4 TLs; 7 Rc
General note
Correspondence concerning Joseph Auslander's plagiarism of CR's "Rashi."
Box 2, Folder 20
Heilman, Robert. 5 TLs, 3 Rc
Box 2, Folder 21
Hindus, Milton. 11 TLs; 2 MS; 7 Rc
General note
Correspondence includes unpublished articles by CR on Ezra Pound and Louis Zukofsky.
Box 2, Folder 22
Hoffman, Stanton. 5 TLs; 2 E; 3 Rc
Box 2, Folder 23
Hoberger, Eric. 2 TLs, 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 24
H (misc.) 5 ALs, 16 TLs; 1 MS; 8 Rc
Box 2, Folder 25
Ignatow, David. 1 ALs, 6 TLs; 1 MS; 1 AR, 3 Rc
Box 2, Folder 28
Jewish Frontier. 1 ALs, 3 TLs, 1 D; 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 29
Jewish Magazines. 2 ALs, 7 TLs, 1 D; 6 Rc
Box 2, Folder 30
Jewish Organizations. 2 ALs, 56 TLs, 11 D; 25 Rc
Box 2, Folder 31
J (misc.) 1 ALs, 3 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 32
Katz, Steve. 1 TLs, 1 D; 4 Rc
Box 2, Folder 33
Kesslar, Milton. 2 ALs, 1 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 2, Folder 34
Kherdian, David. 1 ALs, 1 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 2, Folder 36
K (misc.) 1 ALs, 13 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2, Folder 37
Laughlin, James. 3 ALs, 6 TLs, 2 D; 5 Rc
Box 2, Folder 38
Levendosky, Charles. 2 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 3, Folder 3
Lopate, Phillip. 2 TLs; 1 MS; 1 Rc
Box 3, Folder 4
Lowenfels, Walter. 3 TLs; 1 MS; 1 Rc
Box 3, Folder 6
L (misc.) 5 ALs, 10 TLs, 3 D; 10 Rc
Box 3, Folder 7
Magazines (misc.) 5 ALs, 10 TLs, 3 D; 10 Rc
Box 3, Folder 8
Malanga, Gerard. 5 TLs, 1 D; 4 Rc
Box 3, Folder 9
Marshall, James. 6 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 3, Folder 10
Martin, John (Black Sparrow Press). 33 TLs, 11 D
Box 3, Folder 11
Martin, John. 1 AR, 25 Rc
Box 3, Folder 12
Meltzer, David. 4 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 3, Folder 13
Menorah Journal by Marie Syrkin. 6 TLsc; 16 Rc; 1 ALs
Box 3, Folder 14
Midstream. 7 TLs, 1 D; 1 MS; 3 Rc
Box 3, Folder 15
Montgomery, Stuart and Deirdre (Fulcrum Press). 7 TLs, 5 D; 1 AR, 6 Rc
Box 3, Folder 16
Museum of Modern Art (Lita Hornick). 2 TLs, 1 D
Box 3, Folder 17
M (misc.) 1 ALs, 7 TLs; 7 Rc
Box 3, Folder 18
National Institute of Arts and Letters. 5 TLs, 3 D, 3 Rc
Box 3, Folder 19
National Poetry Festival, Allendale, Mich. 1 ALs, 7 TLs, 4 D; 7 Rc
Box 3, Folder 20-21
New Directions. 2 ALs, 26 TLs, 34 D; 1 AR, 16 Rc
Box 3, Folder 22
New York University Law School. 2 TLs
Box 4, Folder 1
Niedecker, Lorine. 2 TLs; 2 MS
Box 4, Folder 2
N (misc.) 3 ALs, 6 TLs, 2 D; 5 Rc
Box 4, Folder 4
Oppen, George and Mary. 7 ALs, 3 TL, 10 TLs, 4 D; 4 Rc
Box 4, Folder 5
O (misc.) 2 ALs, 1 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 4, Folder 6
Padgett, Ron. 5 ALs, 5 TLs, 3 D; 5 Rc
Box 4, Folder 7
Perlman, John. 2 TLs; 1 MS; 1 Rc
Box 4, Folder 9
Poetry Conference, Readings. 1 ALs, 1 TL, 9 TLs, 4 D; 3 Rc
Box 4, Folder 10
Publishers. 3 ALs, 1 TL, 35 TLs
Box 4, Folder 11
Publishers (cont.) 9 D; 24 Rc
Box 4, Folder 12
P (misc.) 2 ALs, 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 4, Folder 13
Rokosi, Carl. 2 ALs, 3 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 4, Folder 14
Reznikoff, Charles (family papers). 2 D
Box 4, Folder 15-16
Reznikoff, Charles. 5 ALs, 15 TLs, 5 MS
General note
Letters of condolence and tributes sent to Marie Syrkin on CR's death.
Box 4, Folder 17
Riley, Peter. 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 4, Folder 18
Rosenblum, Martin J. 4 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 4, Folder 21
Rudolf, Anthony. 1 ALs, 3 TLs, 3 D; 2 Rc
Box 4, Folder 22
R (misc.) 7 ALs, 15 TLs, 4 D; 9 Rc
Box 4, Folder 23
Samperi, Frank. 2 ALs; 1 Rc
Box 4, Folder 24
San Francisco State Poetry Center. 4 TLs, 3 D; 7 Rc
Box 4, Folder 25
Savitt, Lynne. 1 ALs; 1 Rc
Box 4, Folder 26
Schneider, Duane. 5 TLs, 8 D; 4 Rc
Box 4, Folder 27
Seed, John. 6 ALs, 1 TLs, 2 D; 12 MS; 5 Rc
Box 4, Folder 28
Shapiro, Harvey. 1 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 4, Folder 29
Snow, C.P. 1 TLs; 1 Rc
General note
See also 19.1/2/3.
Box 4, Folder 30
Spann, Marcella. 1 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 4, Folder 31
Syrkin, Marie. 11 ALs, 5 D; 2 Rc
Box 4, Folder 32
S (misc.) 9 ALs, 13 TLs, 1 TL; 10 Rc
Box 5, Folder 2
Tobias, Thoma. 1 ALs, 5 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 5, Folder 3
Tucker, Harvey. 1 TLs, 1 Rc
Box 5, Folder 4
T (misc.) 3 TLs, 1 D; 1 Rc
Box 5, Folder 5
U (misc.) 1 TL, 1 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 5, Folder 7
Waldman, Anne. 2 TLs, 1 D; 2 Rc
Warshow, Robert
General note
See Box 18, Folder 18.
Box 5, Folder 8
WBAI Radio. 1 ALs, 5 TLs, 2 D; 2 Rc
Box 5, Folder 9
Weil, James. 5 TLs, 1 D; 5 Rc
Box 5, Folder 10
Weinberger, Eliot. 1 ALs, 5 TLs, 1 D; 4 Rc
Box 5, Folder 11
Williams, Gil. 4 TLs, 4 D; 1 Rc
Box 5, Folder 12
Williams, Jonathan. 1 TL, 1 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 5, Folder 13
Williams, William Carlos. 1 ALs, 1 TLs, 1 D
Box 5, Folder 14
W (misc.) 3 ALs, 8 TLs, 2 D; 1 AR, 7 Rc
Box 5, Folder 17
Zukofsky, Louis and Celia. 3 ALs, 3 D; 1 Rc
Box 5, Folder 18
Zychlinska, Rajzel. 6 ALs, 3 D; 7 MS
WRITINGS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 2) WRITINGS: Arranged in seven subseries: A) Books, B) Idea File, C) Lectures and Readings, D) The Menorah Journal;
E) Notes, F) Poetry, and G) Miscellaneous Writings.
A) Books: Original drafts, manuscripts, notes, paste-ups, and reviews, organized according to the title of each book. Arranged
alphabetically.
B) Idea File: A collection of short sketches, observations, verse fragments, and "situations," organized alphabetically, with
an index.
C) Lectures and Readings: Drafts of public readings of both prose and verse.
D) The Menorah Journal: Eight short stories written for
The Menorah Journal, as well as an article on
The Menorah Journal written by Reznikoff for
Midstream.
E) Notes: Character sketches and other random notes concerning possible subjects for later works. The "Notes on Composition
Theory" subset contains notes on some aspects of writing dialogue, the use of rhythm, and the problem of writing history.
F) Poetry: Finished works of poetry, with some corrections, from 1973 - 1975.
G) Miscellaneous Writings: Random unfinished notes for prose and verse from as early as the 1930s. Includes materials concerning
Julius Rosenmann, an old man Reznikoff met while walking in New York. Rosenmann provided Reznikoff with much material for
writing, along with a $10,000 legacy.
By the Waters of Manhattan
Box 5, Folder 20-22
Corrected proofs - Includes New Directions Volume
Box 6, Folder 1
Script for dramatic reading. Performed by the Sharon Temple Players, Temple Israel; Sharon, Mass
Box 6, Folder 4
Ca. late 1960s & early 1970s
By the Well of Living and Seeing
Box 6, Folder 5
Ts of early draft, with corrections. Sections titled: A) "Notes for an Autobiography", B) "Notes for a Commonplace Book",
C) " Family Chronicle: Notes for an Autobiography"
Box 6, Folder 9-11
Carbon TS with extensive revisions
Box 6, Folder 12
TS and paste-ups with corrections. Note from C.R. to publisher entitled "Printing Guide," concerning type, spacing, paper,
etc
Box 6, Folder 13
TS of selected verse with heavy corrections
Box 7, Folder 1
Page paste-ups, version with corrections
1972 - 1972
Box 7, Folder 2
Omitted materials - Omitted from 1969 and 1974 versions
Box 7, Folder 3
"Notes for an Autobiography" - Prose TS with corrections of material that later appeared in
BTWoLAS. Also find paste-ups with corrections of "From a Notebook," material that appeared in
BTWoLAS and was published separately in
Midstream, Winter 1968
Box 7, Folder 5
Early draft with corrections
Box 7, Folder 6
Early drafts - Incomplete TS, complete TS marked "second draft" with corrections
Box 7, Folder 7
TS marked "third revision" - Also carbon with corrections and paste-ups
Box 7, Folder 8
TS marked "third revision" and arranged as script for dramatic reading
Box 7, Folder 9
TS marked "fourth revision" - Also carbon of letter sent to John Martin of Black Sparrow Press concerning proofs
Box 8, Folder 1-2
Xeroxed transcripts of Nazi War Trials, the basis for Holocaust
Box 8, Folder 3
Notes and news clippings with an "Introductory Note" by C.R. Also
Night Words; a Midrash on the Holocaust by David Ruskies
Box 8, Folder 4
Miscellaneous TS and MS notes. Includes preface to a reading of Holocaust
Box 8, Folder 5
Verse fragments (carbon) and handwritten notes on chapter organization
Box 8, Folder 8
Completed Portuguese translation by Maximo Siminovich, published in
Mundo Israelita, Buenos Aires
Box 9, Folder 1-2
Nine Plays - "Uriel Acosta," paste-ups with corrections
1961
Box 9, Folder 3
TS with corrections
1974 - 1974
Box 9, Folder 4
Carbon TS with corrections
1974 - 1974
Box 9, Folder 5-7
Rejoice Young Man - Original typescript
Testimony: The United States, 1885-1915
Testimony: The United States, 1885-1890
Box 10, Folder 1
TS with preface and corrections
Box 10, Folder 2
Unmarked carbon of final TS
Box 10, Folder 3
Final printing version, corrections
Box 10, Folder 4
Proof sheets, with corrections
Box 10, Folder 5
Carbon of title page with notes on page and separate note on "the right of privacy"
Box 10, Folder 6
Outline of sections and lists of characters
Box 10, Folder 7
Reviews from 60s and early 70s
Testimony: The United States, 1891-1895
Box 10, Folder 8-9
First TS with corrections
Box 11, Folder 1-2
Carbon of first TS, corrections
Box 11, Folder 3
Carbon - Marked "as submitted to New Directions and afterwards revised"
Box 11, Folder 4
Carbon of TS, sent to New Directions, with corrections
Early TS draft, with source materials
Box 12, Folder 3
Revision of "South" section
Testimony: The United States, 1896-1900
Box 12, Folder 4
First draft - Handwritten outline, with xerox of original source materials
Box 12, Folder 6-11
Original MS. 1891-1895 and 1896-1900 were originally conceived as separate books, this is the first attempt at merger, with
corrections
Box 13, Folder 7
Final copy for private printing
Testimony: The United States, 1901-1905
Box 13, Folder 8-11
Source materials from law journals, with notes
Box 14, Folder 1-2
TS with numerous corrections
Box 14, Folder 3-8
Carbon of original TS. First assimilation of materials from 1901-1905 and 1906-1910
Testimony: The United States, 1901-1910
Box 14, Folder 9-14
Original MS with corrections, with some carbon and TS pages
Box 15, Folder 1-7
Carbon of original sent to England for Ferry Press edition (1968) with paste-ups and corrections, pages 1-236
Box 16, Folder 1-3
Carbon of original sent to England for Ferry Press edition (1968) with paste-ups and corrections, pages 238-308
Box 16, Folder 4-16
Carbons and discards, items with corrections
Testimony: The United States, 1911-1915
Box 17, Folder 1
Source materials from law journals
Box 17, Folder 2
TS with corrections and additional law journal notes
Box 17, Folder 3
Early drafts and source materials
Box 17, Folder 4
Copy sent to Stephen Berg of
American Poetry Review, letter enclosed
American Jewish Historical Society
Box 18, Folder 1
Introduction to lecture titled "The Jews in American and English Poetry"
1965 - 1965
Box 18, Folder 2-5
Xeroxes and paste-ups of poems organized with notes as materials for lecture series
Box 18, Folder 6
"Introductions," file compiled by C.R. including introductions for readings
Box 18, Folder 7
Sparrow Lecture Series - TS of lecture given as part of series and carbon copy of speech for series
Box 18, Folder 8-9
Short stories by C.R. for
MJ, including: "Apocrypha," offprint; "In the Country," offprint; "Meetings and Partings, Friends and Strangers," offprint;
Murder will Out," TS; "Nudnik," offprint; "Passage after Arms," offprint; "The Snow on the Garage," TS; untitled story on
David Franks, TS
Box 18, Folder 10
Article by C.R. on
The Menorah Journal for
Midstream, and Reviews of
The Menorah Journal
Box 18, Folder 11
"Epitaph for a Jewish Magazine: Notes on
The Menorah Journal," from
Commentary
1965 - 1965
Box 18, Folder 12
Notes for a Diary
1959 - 1959
Box 18, Folder 13
Notes on "Projects to Finish"
Box 18, Folder 14
Notes by C.R. concerning himself, his writings, thoughts, etc
Box 18, Folder 15
Notes and source materials for article on Mayer Sulzherger
Box 18, Folder 16
Notes for prose on Salvador, and Bennetto and Major Noah
Box 18, Folder 17
Notes concerning the Jews of Cleveland - Includes letters sent to Sidney Vincent, a Cleveland Jew
Box 18, Folder 18
Notes and TS of historical prose fragments - Prose fragments on a newspaper reporter for the
New York Herald in mid 1850s
Box 18, Folder 19
Notes and prose fragments
1946 - 1946
Box 18, Folder 20
Notes for article on Karl Shapiro
Notes on Composition Theory
Box 19, Folder 1
Articles from
The Nation (1961), with passages underlined with regards to the problem of "writing history," and untitled poem on the difference between
writing prose and verse
Box 19, Folder 2
"The Method of Revision," file titled by C.R. with originals and xeroxes of both notes and newspaper clippings; underlined
, with notes in margins
Box 19, Folder 3
"The Objectivist Press," notes by C.R
Box 19, Folder 4
"The secret of effective narrative verse," and "as to method"
Box 19, Folder 5
"Studies in the Rhythm of Dialogue"
Box 19, Folder 6
Cut out page from book (title?) with excerpts by C.R. on "writing biography"
Collection of Poetry from 1973-1975
Box 19, Folder 9
With extensive corrections , including "Incident in Mexico" and "The Good Old Days"
Box 19, Folder 10
Curse, poem with corrections
Box 19, Folder 11
Good Old Days: Recitative, Historical episodes in verse. Edited and sent to Stephen Berg of
American Poetry Review, May 1975
Box 19, Folder 13
Rhythms III: Walking in New York. Marked "sent to Malanga," for inclusion in Autumn 1975 issue of
Transatlantic Review, no. 52
Box 19, Folder 14
Character sketches in prose
Box 19, Folder 15
Proposal for novel based on life of Frances Marion
Box 19, Folder 16
Notes and prose drafts for early history Charleston Jews, also find New York City Public Library receipts for newspapers from
the 1830's, presumably check-out by C.R. as source materials
Box 19, Folder 17
Notes from
McCrady, book of history of South Carolina, with notes and prose fragments by C.R. drawn from the text
Box 19, Folder 18
Note on ironical close to
Charlestown; 1780
Charlestown: A Historical Novel
Box 19, Folder 20
Notes and TS of 2nd version of novel's opening
Box 19, Folder 21
TS with extensive correction
Box 19, Folder 22
Speech, typescript. Titled "The Life and times of Early American Jews, 1645-1800, in Charleston, South Carolina, and in the
Beginning of the Congregation Beth Elohim"
Box 19, Folder 23
Current Prose 1954. File titled by C.R. containing notes for a novel on David Franks and Aaron Lopez, theme of American Jewry
Encyclopedia Judaica materials
Box 19, Folder 24
MS of article on Irving Kauffman
Box 19, Folder 26
First There is Need - Xerox with corrections; essay published by Black Sparrow Press as
Sparrow 52
Box 19, Folder 27
Four Themes for a Novel
General note
File titled by figure from Elizabethan history and murder of Pesach Rubenstein, for more on C.R.'s writings on Rubenstein,
see Pesach Rubenstein Materials
Box 19, Folder 28
Imaginative Prose
ca. 1955
General note
File titled by C.R. with: notes and outlines for stories, two poems, and TS for Diaspora; 1st Century B.C.E.
Julius Rosenmann materials
Box 19, Folder 29
In Memoriam: Julius (Judah) Rosenmann (d.1961)
Box 19, Folder 30
Prose concerning Julius Rosemann from diary entry
1951 - 1951
Box 20, Folder 1
Man of Honour - Thoughts on Louis Marshal
Box 20, Folder 2-3
Manuscript of a Novel Never Completed. A folder labeled by C.R., containing short prose from late 1930s early 1940s and verse
fragments from the same period
Box 20, Folder 4
Pesach Rubenstein materials. Notes and rough draft (ca. 1947-50) on the Pesach Rubenstein murder case, including xerox of
pamphlet "Thrilling Mysteries of the Pesach Rubenstein Murder" (1876)
Box 20, Folder 5
Story of Old Woman - Based on conversations with Julius Rosenmann
ca. 1951
Box 20, Folder 6
Tales of Benjamin III - TS and notes
REVIEWS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 3) REVIEWS: Reviews of writings by Reznikoff which are not previously listed under their respective titles in the Writings
series.
Box 20, Folder 7
Black Sparrow Press editions of C.R.'s work
Box 20, Folder 9
Five Groups of Verse
1927
Box 20, Folder 12
Reading in Cleveland
1969
Box 20, Folder 13
Inscriptions: 1944 - 1956, in
Newleader
PERSONAL ARTIFACTS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 4) PERSONAL ARTIFACTS: Mailing lists, address books, Reznikoff's law school notes, photos, and other personal ephemera.
Box 20, Folder 15
Addresses, in composition book
Box 20, Folder 16
Addresses/mailing list for
Family Chronicle
Box 20, Folder 17
Books to Read, list suggested by Kenneth Rexroth, and list compiled by C.R
Box 20, Folder 19
Draft card and autographed copy of the U.S. Army's
Infantry Drill Regulations
Box 20, Folder 20
Law school notes
1912 - 1916
Box 20, Folder 21
Men of Achievement Award
1973 - 1973
Box 20, Folder 22
Photos - George Oppen, Allen Ginsberg and others from the National Poetry Festival, Allendale, Michigan
Box 20, Folder 23
Xeroxes of biographical information on Reznikoff
Box 20, Folder 24
Things to do today - memo pad
MATERIALS RELATING TO REZNIKOFF'S PARENTS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 5) MATERIALS RELATING TO REZNIKOFF'S PARENTS: Writings by Nathan and Sarah Reznikoff, both of whose memoirs were used
by Charles as the basis of later writings. The original manuscript of Sarah Reznikoff's autobiography is in an extremely fragile
condition, and photocopies on acid-free paper have been made for preservation purposes.
Box 20, Folder 25
Letter to N.R., and prose by N.R
Memoirs of Nathan Reznikoff
Box 21, Folder 1
English translation - Formed basis of "Early History of a Sewing Machine Operator" (1936)
Box 22, Folder 1-2
Manuscript copy - Part II-III
Box 22, Folder 3
Memoirs, the basis of "Early History of a Seamstress" -- MS. Bound composition book
WRITINGS BY OTHERS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 6) WRITINGS BY OTHERS: Materials by George Oppen and Marie Syrkin (Reznikoff's wife), as well as reviews of other poets'
works.
Box 22, Folder 4
Oppen, George,
Discrete Series - TS of Oppen's first book
General note
Enclosed in boards and titled "1930's" on first page. "Zukofsky" is written on title page, with "George Oppen" written over
it in C.R.'s handwriting. TS has numerous revisions and different arrangement than published version.
Box 22, Folder 5
Syrkin, Marie,
Gleanings - Review
Box 22, Folder 6
Reviews and newsclippings relating to other poets
Accession Processed in 1990
CORRESPONDENCE
Scope and Content of Series
Series 7) CORRESPONDENCE: Two folders of letters written by the poet to his wife, Marie Syrkin, between 1928 and 1939; an
informal letter of will dated 1961; several letters written to Marie following Reznikoff's death in 1976; and a few miscellaneous
correspondences.
Box 23, Folder 1-2
Letters from Reznikoff to Marie Syrkin - Includes journal entries. AL, TL, typescript carbons
1928 - 1961
Letters to Marie Syrkin after Reznikoff's death
Box 23, Folder 3
From Black Sparrow Press, (TL)
1976
Box 23, Folder 4
Miscellaneous Correspondence, (TL)
Box 23, Folder 5
Unidentified Correspondence, (TL)
1933 May 16
AUTHOR'S COLLECTION
Scope and Content of Series
Series 8) AUTHOR'S COLLECTION: Annotated copies of the following published works:
Five Groups of Verse (1927);
Going To And Fro And Walking Up And Down (1941);
By The Waters of Manhattan (1962);
Testimony: The United States (1885-1890) (1965);
"JOB" in Chelsea 24/25 (1968);
Testimony: The United States(1891-1900) (1968);
By the Well of Living and Seeing and The Fifth Book of the Maccabees (1969); and
By the Well of Living and Seeing: New and Selected Poems, 1918-1973 (1974). These items were acquired along with the original collection of Reznikoff's papers, but they were previously shelved
in the Archive for New Poetry's "Author Collection."
Box 23, Folder 6
Five Groups of Verse - Annotated copy (hard-bound book)
1927
Box 23, Folder 7
Going To and Fro and Walking Up and Down - Annotated copy (hard-bound book)
1941
Box 24, Folder 1
By the Waters of Manhattan (soft-bound copy) - Copy has some missing sections and pages
1962
Box 24, Folder 2
Testimony: The United States (1885-1890) (two paperback books) - Copy has missing pages
1965
Box 24, Folder 3
JOB in Chelsea 24/25 - Annotated copy
1968
Box 24, Folder 4
Testimony the United States (1891-1900) - Annotated copy (paperback book)
1968
Box 24, Folder 5
By the Well of Living and Seeing and The Fifth Book of the Maccabees - Annotated copies (3 paperback books)
1969
Box 24, Folder 6
By the Well of Living and Seeing: New and Selected Poems - Annotated copy with individual inserted notes (paperback book)
1974
Accession Processed in 1991
CORRESPONDENCE
Scope and Content of Series
Series 9) CORRESPONDENCE: Includes a strikingly personal collection of love letters from Reznikoff to Marie Syrkin, written
before their marriage in 1930. The letters are undated.
CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 10) CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS: Various personal documents, including Reznikoff's high school diploma and his law degree.
Oversize MC-037, Folder 05
FINANCIAL RECORDS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 11) FINANCIAL RECORDS: A record of Reznikoff's activities between 1947 and 1976 can be traced through entries in income
and expense journals and notebooks. Reznikoff meticulously noted all his expenses including income derived from poetry readings.
Income and Expense Journals
MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 12) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS: Includes a photograph of Reznikoff, two poems by the poet, and Al Lewin memorabilia.
Box 26, Folder 5
Two poems by Reznikoff ("Sonnet I" and "Day by Day")
