Series 1
Notebooks,
1980-1994
Physical Description:
28.0 folders + 1 oversized folder
Scope and Contents
This series contains Fisher's class notebooks, and includes notes and drafts of stories and poems that he developed later.
There are some interesting drawings in conte crayon and pastels as well. Occasionally there are journal-style entries on his
day-to-day activities and health. Sedgwick provided descriptions of many of the notebooks.
Arrangement note
Arranged by number with unnumbered notebooks filed at the beginning.
Box 1, Folder 1
Notebooks. Transcriptions [
Gary in Your Pocket?],
undated
Box 1, Folder 2
Notebook. "Kitchie Stuff,"
undated
General note
Tawny is a character in the story.
Box 1, Folder 3
Notebook,
March 15, 1989-April 22, 1993
Box 1, Folder 4
Notebook 1,
January 1989?- January 1992
General note
"Light-blue bound composition book. Year 1989 appears on p. 24. Numbered pages (by printer). First page dated 1/28. Teaching
notes. Story beginning 'On Sundays our mother unleashed energies...' being drafted and redrafted pages 13-21. A dream on p.23.
Pages 27-35, notes and journal from a trip east. Date 1/31/92 appears on p. 35. Blank after p.35."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 5
Notebook 2,
April 30-May 1, 1993
General note
"Mead marbled bound composition book (black and white). First page dated 4/30/93. 8 or 9 pages of hospital journal (that I
don't remember reading elsewhere). Six loose sheets of long manila, written with notes for, and drafts of paragraphs of, a
story about Marshall and a gun. Four long manila pages, loose, of a story called 'Mr. Maddox's Face.'"--EKS
Box 1, Folder 6, Oversize-folder 1
Notebook 3. "Music,"
undated
General note
"Blue, bound composition book. Cover says 'Music.' 4 written pages and many loose manila long pages of music lists."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 7
Notebook 4,
September 12-November 2, 19--
General note
"3-inch x 5-inch red notebook, spiral bound at top, labeled 'ideas...' Random notes, undated, including some little anecdotes,
teaching notes, shopping lists, etc."--EKS
Box 1, Folders 8-9
Notebook 5,
1980-1985
General note
"Peacock blue two-ring looseleaf binder. Cellophane pocket on front says 'Fisher.' Copies and drafts of poems, dated 1980-1985.
Four poems loose."--EKS. Pages removed from binder.
Box 1, Folder 10
Notebook 6. "Ideas,"
1988-January 1991
General note
"White speckled ring-bound notebook, circa 5-inches x 7-inches; front cover says 'ideas.' Random notes, including many notes
for/about stories (e.g. about the idea of 'Red Cream Soda.') Undated till late, but seems to begin during spring 1987 (includes
notes from my class, some things later included in class journal). Little vignettes; graffiti."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 11
Notebook 7,
January 11-April 30, 1992, undated
General note
"Bound notebook, buff, unbleached cover, 6-inches x 7-inches. First date 1/11/92; last date 4/30/92. 13 pages of entries.
Mostly re: illness, living and dying. Notes for a zine."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 12
Notebook 8,
July 3-August 23, 1993, undated
General note
"Unbleached corrugated notebook bound with string, 4-inches x 5-inches. Hospital and related notes, seemingly from 6-7/93."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 13
Notebook [9],
May 18-September 10, 1993
General note
"Unbleached textured string-bound notebook, 5-inches x 7-1/2-inches. Hospital notebook, 5/18/93-9/10/93. A few pen and pencil
drawings (mostly landscapes)."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 14
Notebook [10],
June 30, 1993-January 13, 1994
General note
"Unbleached corrugated notebook bound with string, 8-1/2-inches x 11-inches. Entries dated 6/30/93-10/18/93. Color and b/w
drawings, by Gary and others."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 15
Notebook 11,
January-February 1994
General note
"Folio diary 1994, yellow and green print paper binding, 6-7 entries."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 16
Notebook 12 "Chaucer,"
Fall 1987
General note
"Blue paper binding, course notes, Fall '87 with syllabus and handouts, and loose page of notes with paragraph of story in
blue ink, also notes on medieval and renaissance authors."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 17
Notebook 13 "Shakespeare,"
Fall 1987
General note
"Blue paper binding, 8/27-, Joel Feinman Fall '87 course notes, with syllabus, loose leaves, notes, handouts, [notes in square
brackets may be Gary's miscellaneous commentaries]."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 18
Notebook 14 "Fiction,"
1984-1985
General note
"Fiction: September (24) 1984 Blue spiral bound CAI notebook, half full: notes for and on 'Villains of Necessity' with poem
and story critique, notes for other works: Radioman, Tawny, At Other People's Parties. 9/4/85 notes for Breslin's American
Poetry. Notes for story: Twelve. To do list."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 19
Notebook 15 "Sundquist, etc.,"
undated
General note
"Bound composition notebook, three quarters full, blue paper binding, February (Spring) course notes on ethnic and women's
literature, some drawings and verse, paragraphs for papers on 'Bennito Cerino' and Chaucer and Christine de Pisan."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 20
Notebook 16 [Poetry, etc. by Fisher],
1980-1981
General note
"Turquoise blue spiral notebook, poems and lyrics from 6/24, 1980 clear copies with some revisions, paginated to 33, same
format to p.35; notes on characters, lyrics, notes for fiction, loose leaves from German school work[?]: poem 'Without' 9/14/81,
essay on
Death of a Salesman, essay on Greek drama."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 21
Notebook 17 "English 58" [Shakespeare],
Spring 19--
General note
"Tan spiral UNC notebook, Spring 19--, notes on Shakespeare course; with essays on Othello and Keats, theme of excess in Jane
Eyre, Frankenstein, and Tenant of Wildfell Hall, one page poem, random notes, including song lists."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 22
Notebook 18,
undated
General ntoe
"Red UNC spiral notebook: notes for Bug, Tawny; 'Going to California Sale' notice, record lists, poem starts, notes and paper
draft on
To the Lighthouse; paper on O'Connor's 'Revelation;' poem 'Outside'—long narrative poem with dialogue. Typescript of Tawny's radio story, and
'Prayer.'"--EKS
Box 1, Folder 23
Notebook 19 "English 35P,"
Spring 1983
General note
"William Harmon, Tan UNC spiral notebook, Poetics class notes with literature terms, and loose leaves of course notes. Loose
leaf notes: prostitutes, quote from John Berger…handouts, draft of paper on Dano-Norwegan."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 24
Notebook 20 "Shakespeare / Richmond,"
Fall 1988
General note
"Green pebble paper bound notebook, AF-AM1B course notes, notes for story based on racialized
Midsummernight's Dream; a memory, 2-5 Nellie (sophomore); list of students' papers and grades. Loose half sheet yellow, course notes, [brackets
for story notes]; notes for African American Literature for teaching; more TA notes."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 25
Notebook [21] "Sedgwick,"
Spring 1987
General note
"Blue bound composition book, notes from gay/lesbian studies course."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 26
Notebook [22] "Notes,
Dykes to Watch Out For,"
[1989]-1990
General note
"Bound blue composition book.
Dykes to Watch Out For strips pasted onto many pages; 3 loose strips. First date is 10/10 (89?); last date is 4/10/90. Journal and writing draft
entries including 'Coupons;' lecture notes; a poem."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 27
Notebook 23 "Breslin,"
Fall 1985
General note
"Tan UC spiral-bound notebook. First date 8/28/85. Class notes from Breslin class (20th C. American poetry?). 8 pp. loose
notes on class. A couple of journal-like entries, a draft letter, toward end of notebook."--EKS
Box 1, Folder 28
Notebook 24 "Modernism (203),"
Spring 1985
General note
"Tan spiral-bound 'made especially for the asuc store' notebook. First date 1/22/85. Class notes from Breslin 'Modernism'
course (Spring 85). Many loose pages on back of green forms; 3 pads of green forms with writing on backs of forms; other loose
pages. Some poems and ephemera in notebook and (especially) on loose pp."--EKS
Series 2
Journals / Diaries,
1977-1993
Physical Description:
18.0 folders
Scope and Contents
This series documents Fisher's activities and thoughts as an African-American gay man. The journals include everything from
ticket stubs for events he attended, to copies of the sex ads he placed in gay magazines and newspapers. It also includes
drawings, some notes on poems, and stories. Ephemera from Journals I-XI was separated and appears in Box 4 / Folders 1-2.
Sedgwick provided descriptions of many of the journals. The series contains some correspondence.
Arrangement note
Arranged chronologically by journal number. Unnumbered journals and drawing tablets appear after the initial chronological
sequence.
Box 1, Folder 29
Journal I,
September 3, 1977-December 31, 1978
General note
"Orange spiral bound Euro format, Gary Fisher in plastic tape type in grey on cover; pages numbered through 79; written Germany
and Virginia, USA. Stapled in letter, TV Guide notes, other memorabilia."--EKS
Box 2, Folder 1
Journal II,
January-December 1979
General note
"4-inch x 6-inch yellow box, brocade bound diary with Gary's calling card on opening endsheet. 1/1/79, pages numbered to 267.
Ends with New Year's resolutions for 1980; loose leaf of invite to Junior Senior prom, taped in; song lists; stapled in ticket
stub, tipped in Oscar list; tipped in TV Guide pictures; page 107 taped over, 'You'll never know.'"--EKS
Box 2, Folder 2
Journal III,
January 1, 1980-January 14, 1981
General note
"Pages numbered to 210; black bound 'blank book,' with spine missing; in Phoenix; BeeGees lyrics paper clipped in; note taped
in; cartoons taped in; drawings; 4/13/80 journal supplement, paper clipped in; page 133 song lyric; pages 146-147 poetry;
football team pictures tipped in; page 157 taped in letter in response to personals ad; page 161 taped in note;
Elephant Man program tipped in; pages 188-190 poetry; Dan Fogleberg lyrics tipped in; page 197 greeting card; end phrases and notes and
song lists on unnumbered pages."--EKS
Box 2, Folder 3
Journal IV,
January 16-November 13, 1981
General note
"Black bound 'blank book' pages numbered to 167, unnumbered continue. UNC. Marven. ; [page] 29 Valentines card; [pages] 40--
letters to self; [page] 47 annotated poem; [page] 93 tipped in parent's business card; [page] 96 theater ticket; [page] 113
Christmas card; [page] 116 birthday cards; [page] 128 letter from Leslie; [page] 162 draft note clipped in; titled work in
unnumbered pages at end."--EKS
Box 2, Folder 4
Journal V,
November 15, 1981-October 4, 1983
General note
"Black bound 'blank book' unnumbered pages, some passages highlighted; loose leaves; letter to Jack xerox, notes; small square
cut sheets tipped in, poems; xerox of letter to Ray; 3 letters from Ray; invitation to Donna's college graduation; Rex Reed
article; poem; draft of letters clipped in; poems; letter from Johnny; photo; pages with post-its; letter to Charlie; letter
to Charlie; record lists; letter from Jerry; xerox letter to Anita; letters from Anita; record list."--EKS
Box 2, Folder 5
Journal VI,
October 5, 1983-November 8, 1984
General note
"'Searching' brown 'blank book;' letter from Leslie; opens with poems dated '82; notes from Susy; poems and sketches clipped
in; more poems; notes about Bug; going to California; draft letter to Bill clipped in; Ritchie Bennet memorial service; letter
from Mom, Dad, Luchina and Crystal and draft of poem clipped in; news clipping and two fortunes taped in; best buys 1983,
records clipped in; Oscar nominations clipping taped in; note taped in ATT; birthday card from co-workers; pictures tipped
in; more notes for Villains of Necessity; draft of letter (?) and page from story (?) at end tipped in."--EKS
Box 2, Folder 6
Journal VII,
November 9, 1984-July 21, 1986
General note
"Black 'blank book' unnumbered; drawings; Franky goes to Hollywood ticket; ad tipped in; best buys '84; ballot stub; newspaper
clipping; Ballet de Troc. Program; poem on 'while writing term papers' 4/20/82; letter to Mr. Blackmail personals; newsclippings,
card from Don; symphony ticket; top 40; notes taped in; poem/lyric tipped in; three IDs taped in; four green pages journal
supplement tipped in; address taped in; letter to mother on parchment 12/27/85; favorite records '85; personal ad response;
'Dear Mr. Hunk' two pages yellow ruled; stop AIDS project flyers; NCAA and other clippings; apt. hunting; hashbrown and top
ten lists; Lily Tomlin concert, New York Matsuda; notes on cut sheets;
Merchant of Venice program; Mother at Duke Med Center; ticket to new York."--EKS
Box 2, Folder 7
Journal VIII,
July 24, 1986-December 11, 1989
General note
"Black bound; opens with pastel drawing; record list; wine label; note tipped in; story notes; Midsummer Mozart program; yellow
ruled sheet of journal 1/14/87; clippings; birthday card; Paul Simon tickets; cartoons; sex ad; dick survey on back of xerox;
personal ads; program with note on it; note from Eric Sundquist; invitation to Eve's party; letter to Marvin; election flyer;
phone number; letter to Jan; Faulkner stamp; wine labels; personal ads; card; Anita Baker ticket; cartoons (Calvin & Hobbes);
card from Scott Hamm; printout of 10/31/87 journal entry; letter to Gary, response to ad; letter Pete 3/26/88; picture of
NC writing teacher; Leontyne Price program, clipping, and ticket; David Schiff program 5/88 with journal notes; Fag Club flyer
with notes on back; responses to personals ads; 7/6 & 9/88 extra journal entries, printouts; letter to Gary; Midnight Run
ticket; post-it; bus. card; letter from Leslie 4/17/88; taped shut envelope; letters for ads yellow sheets; ends with Calvin
and Hobbes and list of movies and opinions."--EKS
Box 2, Folder 8
Journal IX,
March 19, 1989-December 17, 1990
General note
"White bound book; 3 pages of yellow pad, letter to STH; phone number on paper tipped in; draft of letter to 'Dear Northern
Italian Man'; hospital bracelet; Field of Dreams review; personals ad; Soul Survivor flyer; personals ad; letter to Marvin;
ticket to Urinal; note taped in, vignette; the Slave's Creed; clipping and top 40 list; assignation note; calendar pages;
Prince tix."--EKS
Box 2, Folder 9
Journal X,
December 31, 1990-April 25, 1993
General note
"Blue and black with cloth in photo collage cover papers; 2 columns, loose sheets tan and yellow; New Years Resolutions '91;
won contest !; clipping; clipping; bus. card and loose cut sheet note."--EKS
Box 2, Folder 10
Journal XI,
March 10, 1990-March 23, 1991
General note
"Page cut out at beginning, undated pages, black bound with Moorish tile paper covers; first dated Fri 3/10/90, 7/23/90, 7/20/90,
7/31/90, 8/22, 29; 9/2/90; 3/23/91; rest blank."--EKS
Box 4, Folders 1-2
Ephemera from Journals I-XI (arranged in by journal number). "Includes important stuff--letters, drafts, journal material,"
1978-1990
Box 2, Folder 11
Journal [unnumbered],
September 21, 1989-February 6, [1990?]
Box 2, Folder 12
Small notebook,
1991, undated
Box 2, Folder 13
Utility sketchbook,
1991, undated
Box 2, Folder 14
Journal Drawings,
undated
Box 4, Folder 3
Sketch pad with pastel drawings,
1993, undated
Series 3
Poems, Short Fiction, and Other Writing,
1973-1994
Physical Description:
56.0 folders
Scope and Contents
This series contains drafts and final copy of short fiction and poems written by Fisher. Of interest are the various drafts
of "Red Cream Soda," "Tawny," "The Villains of Necessity" and "Walt" which were written and re-written over several years.
The earliest items in this series are a few stories from the 1970s though most of the writing is dated after 1980. The series
contains some correspondence and Polaroid photographs.
Arrangement note
Arranged into two sections: Fiction and Other Writing. Folders within the first section are arranged alphabetically. The second
section is largely arranged in original order with some additions of miscellaneous writings including the "final batch" of
unsorted writings sent by Fisher's executor to Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick.
Box 2, Folder 19
"Be-ing Dead,"
1991, 1993
Box 2, Folder 20
"CornerStore,"
1991, 1993
Box 2, Folder 24
"Games" [also titled "Games and Polity" with character Tawny],
1993, undated
Box 2, Folder 25
"Ice Cream Talk,"
1991, 1993
Box 2, Folder 26
Letters,
1984-1987
General note
Letters from Fisher to NEH Seminar participants, Keith Thomas, Thomas, Scott, Student Aid Office at University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, House of Representatives, and Marvin.
Box 2, Folder 28
"Making Little Thieves,"
1994
Box 2, Folder 31
"Mr. Madsen's Face,"
1993
Box 3, Folder 3
"Pot Liquor,"
1993, undated
Box 3, Folder 5
"Red Cream Soda,"
1987-1994
Box 3, Folder 9
"Several Lies About Mom,"
1993
Box 3, Folder 12
"Telephone Man,"
1993, undated
Box 3, Folders 16-17
"Villains of Necessity [several drafts],"
1987-1993
Box 4, Folders 4-6
"Final batch" [unsorted writings, letters, Polaroid photographs],
1989-1994
General note
Includes cover letter from Doug Sebesta, Fisher's executor, to Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Fisher's literary executor, 4/3/1994.
Box 4 / Folder 6 includes Polaroid pictures showing some nudity and sexual content.
Box 3, Folder 20
"Hospital Journal,"
1993
See also:
Box 4 / Folder 11. Correspondence to Eve Sedgwick, hospital poems, etc.
Box 4, Folder 7
Miscellaneous "She could do things,"
undated
Box 3, Folder 21
"Miscellaneous" [collage, journal transcriptions],
undated
See also:
Box 3 / Folders 36 and 45; and Box 4 / Folder 9.
Box 3, Folder 22
"In Progress," "Sonnet 5: A Necessary Failure," "The Best Book,"
1986, undated
Box 3, Folder 23
"Miscellaneous Notes," "By Force or By Freud," "Pope's Female Hero," medical bill,
1988, undated
Box 3, Folder 24
Loose items: fiction, outlines, etc.,
1981, undated
Box 3, Folder 25
"Bits," [includes some drafts of Tawny and Bug],
undated
Box 3, Folder 26
"Occasional," [includes Kitchie story, "Dear Mom" letter, Mr. Gates story],
1981-1986, undated
Box 3, Folder 27
"Nonsense, Waste and By-Products,"
undated
Box 3, Folder 28
"Sedgwick" [photocopies of materials about AIDS],
1987
Box 3, Folder 29
"Sex Letters," and a Resolution regarding kissing,
1986-1991
Box 3, Folder 30
"a Cat Poem," "c Cat Poem,"
1992
Box 3, Folder 31
"Hate Poem for Jim and Others,"
undated
Box 3, Folder 34
"Old Stuff" includes: "Odd Ventures" (1981), "7th" (1973), "8th" "What You Can't See Can't Hurt You" "Ross" (1974), "The Gap
9th" (1975/1976), "Mania" (1980), "The Bank Robbers,"
1973-1981
Series 4
Gary In Your Pocket Files,
1977-1997
Physical Description:
14.0 folders
Scope and Contents
This series contains material related to the publication of the book
Gary in Your Pocket edited by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick. It includes transcripts of journal and notebook entries as well as correspondence with publishers,
promotional material and reviews.
Arrangement note
Arranged alphabetically by title.
Box 3, Folder 35
Journal transcriptions,
1977-1993
Box 3, Folder 36
Journal Transcriptions and poems,
undated
See also:
Box 3 / Folders 21 and 45; and Box 4 / Folder 9.
Box 3, Folders 37-41
Originals and photocopies [for
Gary In Your Pocket?]
1980-1994
Box 3, Folder 42
Photocopies of a photograph of Gary and his sister as children, and of "Floating Penises" drawing series,
undated
Box 3, Folder 43
Publishing contract with Duke University for
Gary In Your Pocket,
1996
Box 3, Folder 44
Reviews and critical response,
1994-1997
Box 3, Folder 45
"Sedgewick Journal '87--Gary Fisher,"
1987
See also:
Box 3 / Folders 21 and 36; and Box 4 / Folder 9.
Box 3, Folder 46
Selected poems by several poets,
undated
Box 3, Folder 47
Stories,
1987-1992
General note
Express mail envelope with print-outs of several stories by Fisher: Arabesque (1991), Red Cream Soda, After the Box (1991),
Mo-Day (1992), Cornerstore (1991), Tawny (1987). All were published in
Gary in Your Pocket.
Box 4, Folder 9
Stories and poems,
1985, 1992, undated
See also:
Box 3 / Folders 21, 36, and 45.
Series 5
Correspondence,
1982-1994
Physical Description:
4.0 folders
+ 1 oversized folder
Scope and Contents
The series contains correspondence between Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and Gary Fisher, a few of Fisher's letters to some family
members, and copies of some Fisher letters to Donna Ward-Kiddo. It also includes letters between Sedgwick and Karen Kelly
regarding a conference talk. Additional correspondence may be found within Series 2, 3, and 4.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.
Box 4, Folder 10
"Letters" from Gary Fisher, and miscellaneous writing,
1985, 1993, undated
General note
Letters addressed to: "Mom," "Luchina," and "Pat." Also includes notes and miscellaneous writing.
Box 4, Folder 11
Between Gary Fisher and Eve Sedgwick,
1987-1994, undated
See also:
Box 3 / Folder 20 Hospital journal.
General note
Includes: hospital poems, May 1993; notes, undated; memorial leaflet for Fisher, 1994.
Box 3, Folder 48, Oversize-folder 2
Karen Kelly, Dia Center for the Arts, to Eve Sedgwick, regarding Sedgwick's participation in the conference "Constructing
Masculinity,"
April 1994
General note
Includes: program booklet, poster, Sedgwick's talk "Gosh, Boy George You Must Be Awfully Secure in Your Masculinity!", and
a 3-1/2-inch computer disk.
Box 3, Folder 49
Donna Ward-Kiddo to Eve Sedgwick, enclosing photocopies of letters from Fisher,
1982-1994
Series 6
Printed Materials,
1995
Physical Description:
1.0 folder
Scope and Contents
The series contains one periodical issue in which Fisher's "Red Cream Soda" is published.
Box 3, Folder 50
Evergreen Chronicles,
Summer/Fall 1995