Finding aid for Ko Won papers 3328

Diann Benti, with initial description and processing by Jiin Park in October 2020.
USC Libraries East Asian Library
2022 March
Doheny Memorial Library
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-1825


Contributing Institution: USC Libraries East Asian Library
Title: Ko Won papers
Creator: Ko, Wŏn, 1925-
Identifier/Call Number: 3328
Physical Description: 6.33 Linear Feet 9 boxes and 1 oversize folder
Date (inclusive): 1950-2006
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of Korean-American poet, human rights activist, and professor Ko Sung-Won (1925-2008).
Language of Material: Korean, English.

Conditions Governing Access

Advance notice required for access.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Young Ah Ko, 2018.

Biographical / Historical

Ko Sung-Won (1925-2008), known by the pen name Ko Won, was born and educated in Korea before studying in England and immigrating to the United States in 1964. He received an MFA from the University of Iowa and a PhD in Comparative Literature from New York University. He was an associate professor at Brooklyn College, City University of New York, and later taught at the University of California, Riverside, and the University of La Verne. Ko published his own poetry and translations of poetry in English and Korean.

Preferred Citation

[Box/folder no. or item name], Ko Won papers, Collection no. 3328, Korean Heritage Library, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Processing Information

Initial processing by Jiin Park in October 2020. Work included arrangement, physical re-housing of materials, and the creation of this finding aid. This collection is not fully processed.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the papers of Korean-American poet, human rights activist, and professor Ko Sung-Won (1925-2008). Materials include papers related to the Korean democracy movement that Ko Won participated in, dating from the 1970s and 1980s, with many files relating to Korean poet, dissident, and political prisoner Kim Chi-ha. There are also files related to Ko's involvement and writing for the literary and humanitarian organization PEN American Center/ West. The collection also contains manuscript drafts and published writings by Ko and some correspondence, notes, transcripts, class materials, some files related to book projects, photographs, and a sketchbook.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Korean Heritage Library at eal@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Korean Heritage Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Rights Statement for Archival Description

Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Korean Americans -- Archives
Poets, Korean -- Archival resources
Democracy -- Korea (South) -- Archival resources
Ko, Wŏn, 1925- -- Archives
Kim, Chi-ha, 1941-

 

Files

 

Korean democracy movement files

Scope and Contents

These folders contain papers related to the Korean democracy movement that Ko Won participated in, dating from the 1970s and 1980s. Materials include clippings, correspondence, and fliers. Many of the files relate to Korean poet, dissident, and political prisoner Kim Chi-ha, and there are also papers related to Ko's involvement and writing for the literary and humanitarian organization PEN American Center/West.
고원이 참여, 수집한 민주화 운동 관련 자료들 (김지하 관련 자료 다수)
Box 1

Democracy movement files

Box 2, Folder 1

Essays on the poetry of Kim Chiha [Chi-ha Kim, Kim Chi Ha, 김지하] - 김지하 작품, 영역, 발표 1975-1978

Scope and Contents

Includes essays Ko Won wrote on the poetry of Kim Chi-ha, newspaper clippings of the Catholic Worker on Kim Chi-ha, a copy of Sojourners: A Korean Testimony, The Life and Witness of Kim Chi-ha" (April 1979).
Box 2, Folder 2

The Friends of Kim Chiha in the U.S.A. 재미 김지하의 벗 1971-1982

Scope and Contents

Includes correspondence, drafts and writings of Ko Won, PULP newsletter volume 2, number 2, newspaper clippings, posters, and resolutions regarding Kim Chi-ha's death sentence. There is correspondence between Ko Won and P.E.N.(an association of writers-poets, playwrights, essayists, editors), the United States Congress and Senate, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and others. There is also a note from Kim Chi-ha.
Box 2, Folder 3

한국자유신문, 한국일보 1974-2001

Scope and Contents

Includes newspaper clippings about Kim Chi-ha, democratic movements in Korea, Ko Won's writings, and Korean literature.
Box 2, Folder 4

해외한민보 社說 1975.3.1-1977.12.1

Scope and Contents

Includes newspaper clippings of editorials from 해외한민보(Hae Oe Han Min Bo) that Ko Won wrote about democratic movements in Korea.
Box 2, Folder 5

Kim Chiha - BBC 1978-1979

Scope and Contents

Includes correspondence between Ko Won and the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) regarding Kim Chi-ha, his writings, and the BBC program "Still Small Voices."
Box 2, Folder 6

PEN west 1988-1989

Scope and Contents

Includes brochures and newsletters of the International P.E.N. U.S.A. Center West.
Box 2, Folder 7

PEN Won Ko American Center/West 25년만의 한국방문 1975-1995

Scope and Contents

Includes letters supporting Kim Chiha's friends and newspaper clippings from 한국자유신문. It also contains a letter from The United Movement for Democracy in Korea, Greater New York Chapter (한국민주화연합운동 대뉴욕지구위원회), newsletters from the Friends of Kim Chiha, and the list of members in Korean Human Rights and Mass Communications.
Box 2, Folder 8-25, Box 3

Personal documents

Scope and Contents

Includes Ko Won's personal writings, including letters, notes, transcripts, class materials, class assignments, and some files related to book projects.
고원의 개인적인 글들 (편지, 노트, 성적표, 수업자료, 수업과제물 등)
Box 4, Box 5, Box 7, Folder 14-16

Manuscripts and publications

Scope and Contents

Manuscript drafts and published articles written by Ko Won. 고원이 직접 작성한 수기 원고, 초안, 출판 혹은 게재된 글들
Box 6, Folder 1-13

Events

Box 6, Folder 14-31

Newspaper clippings

Scope and Contents

Newspaper and magazine clippings related to or authored by Ko Won.
고원과 관련한 신문기사나 잡지, 또는 신문, 잡지 등에 고원이 기재한 글 스크랩
Box 7, Folder 1-9

Pamphlets, booklets, etc

Scope and Contents

Pamphlets, brochures, journal issues, etc. for various literary publications, events, lectures, etc.
여러 문학행사, 강연, 이벤트 등의 팜플렛, 브로셔, 자료 등
Box 7, Folder 10-13, Box 9

Photographs

Box 8

Books

Box 9

Awards and recognition

Scope and Contents

This series includes award certificates and notifications to Ko of having won writing contests.
 

Posters and rolled art

Oversize-folder 1

"A Writer for Everyone" California Arts Council poster 2001

Box 9

"The Stage of Life" rolled copy prints

Scope and Contents

Rolled copies of a genre painting, "The Stage of Life," from the Late Yi Dynasty published by the Museum of Keimyung University.
Box 9

Sketchbook

Scope and Contents

Sketchbook labeled "1965 at Iowa" with drawings by Ko Won.