Finding Aid to the Jan Kerouac papers BANC MSS 98/153 cz
Marjorie Bryer
The Bancroft Library
2023
The Bancroft Library
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
bancref@library.berkeley.edu
Contributing Institution:
The Bancroft Library
Title: Kerouac (Jan) papers
Identifier/Call Number: BANC MSS 98/153 cz
Physical Description:
10.2 linear feet
(8 cartons, 1 box)
Physical Description:
1.727 GB
Date (inclusive): 1940-1999, bulk 1981-1996
Abstract: The Jan Kerouac papers include correspondence; personalia; Jan Kerouac's writings; Kerouac family history; financial and legal
records related to Jack Kerouac's literary estate and control over that estate; photographs and negatives; and audiovisual
materials.
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information
on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Language of Material:
English
.
Cartons 1-8 are open for research. Box 1 is restricted. Permission of G. Nicosia required for access.
No future additions are expected.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Jan Kerouac papers were purchased by The Bancroft Library in 1997-1998.
There are no alternative forms of this collection.
Janet "Jan" Kerouac (1952-1996) was a writer and the only child of Joan Haverty Kerouac and Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac.
Ms. Kerouac published two novels during her lifetime, Baby Driver (1981) and Trainsong (1988); her third, Parrot Fever, was
published posthumously (2000). In her later years, Ms. Kerouac fought for legal control of her father's literary estate and
archives.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Access to audio-visual materials may be restricted due to technical limitations.
[Identification of item], Jan Kerouac papers, BANC MSS 98/153cz,The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Arranged to the container level
Processed by Marjorie Bryer in 2023.
James T. Jones research materials on the Jack Kerouac family, circa 1993-2000 (BANC MSS 2013/126)
James L. Henry materials pertaining to his collection of Jack Kerouac, 1950-1995 (BANC MSS 98/141z)
The Kerouac legacy an interview with Gerald Nicosia (Bancroft Phonotape 3496 C)
Gerald Nicosia interviews with Jack Foley (Bancroft Phonotape 3505 C)
Christopher Felver portraits of poets, authors, and artists / photographed by Christopher Felver (BANC PIC 2001.068--PIC)
The Jan Kerouac papers include correspondence; personalia; Jan Kerouac's writings; Kerouac family history; financial, and
legal records related to Jack Kerouac's literary estate and control over that estate; photographs and negatives; and audiovisual
materials. Original folder titles were retained. Many folder titles appear to have been annotated by Gerald Nicosia, the
Literary Personal Representative of the Estate of Jan Kerouac.
Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction
of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions,
privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond
that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
For additional information about the University of California, Berkeley Library's permissions policy please see: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/about/permissions-policies
The Jan Kerouac papers digital files were received on 5 audio CDs. The files were scanned for viruses using Malwarebytes.
The CDs were processed using Exact Audio Copy and access copies are available for use. There are seven files.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Kerouac, Jan, 1952-
Kerouac, Jack, 1922-1969
Fathers and daughters.
carton 1
Correspondence approximately 1982-1996
Includes Jan Kerouac's business and personal correspondence with friends, family, boyfriends and husbands, other writers,
fans, editors, publishers, and attorneys. Correspondents include John Lash, Deborah Bower, David Bowers, Jacques Kirouac,
Buddha, Marjorie Van Halteren, Floyd Salas, and Marta Salinas. There are a few cards and postcards from well known writers,
including Ann Waldman, William Burroughs, Ishmael Reed, and Isabel Allende. There are some handwritten notes, mail that Ms.
Kerouac never sent, and a small amount of personalia. The bulk of the correspondence related to her father Jack's literary
estate can be found in cartons four and five.
box 1
carton 1
carton 7
Personalia and Kerouac Family History
Includes a drawing of Jan's ideal home ("Blueprint for Paradise"); a large format copy of an article by Steve Edington, "Keroauc's
Family Journey: From Quebec to Nashua to Lowell" (1999); Jan's wall calendars, with some appointments (1989-1998); and an
SF Weekly article, "The Kerouac Obsession" (1998)
carton 2
Personalia and Writings approximately 1988-1996
Consists of materials related to the Beat Generation Conference at New York University (1994); newspaper clippings and articles
about Ms. Kerouac; materials related to benefits thrown for Ms. Kerouac; a "Kerouac Wears Khakis" poster, artwork, and Ms.
Kerouac's will; certificates of registration for books by Ms. Kerouac and her father; and a collage that Peter Orlovsky made
for Ms. Kerouac. There are drafts of Parrot Fever, a few chapters of Baby Driver and Trainsong, poems, dreams, notes, and
many of Ms. Kerouac's numbered notebooks. There is a manuscript of, and contract for, her mother Joan Haverty's memoir, Nobody's
Wife.
carton 3
carton 3
Kerouac Family History 1992-1996
Includes a genealogy of the Kerouac family created by Irene Germaine, a relative of Jack through his mother Gabrielle Levesque.
This includes a few photographs of Germaine and Ms. Kerouac (1994). There are birth certificates of Kerouac children (copies);
business cards and buttons from L'association des families Kirouac Inc.; an issue of "Le Trésor des Kirouacs," the magazine
of the Kirouac Family Assocation in Quebec; a Joyeuses Fêtes issue from the same organization (1994-1995); and a Weir family
crest.
carton 4
Jack Kerouac's Literary Estate approximately 1969-1996
Consists of correspondence, financial records, legal documents, and newspaper clippings related to Jan Kerouac's battle for
control over her father Jack Kerouac's literary estate. Includes photocopies of Jack Kerouac's letters (some to John Montgomery)
and his will, royalty statements from various presses, contracts, a research paper about Jack at the Horace Mann school, and
lawsuits filed by Jan Kerouac.
carton 5
Jack Kerouac Literary Estate approximately 1983-1996
Consists primarily of legal documents related to Jan Kerouac's battle for control over her father Jack Kerouac's literary
estate. Includes correspondence, contracts, royalty statements, copies of Jan and Gabrielle Kerouac's wills; and photocopies
of Jan Kerouac's letters to, and materials from, Carol Ross Shank.
carton 6
Photographs approximately 1940-1996
Subjects include Jack Kerouac (mid-to-late 1960s); childhood photos of Ms. Kerouac (approximately 1953-1956); a 1995 benefit
for Ms. Kerouac; and vacations in England and Greece, San Francisco and Hollywood (includes a photo with Carolyn Cassady)
(1979-1986). There are multiple copies of a publicity photo of Ms. Kerouac (1994). People in the photographs include Scott
Robinson, John Lash, Joan Haverty, Allen Ginsberg, Henri Cru (who played football with Jack at Horace Mann, 1940), [Mackie]
the parrot, Clifford Larkin, Gerald Nicosia, Tom Brill, Malcolm Conover, and Paul Blake, Jr. (Jack's nephew). Other places
include Eugene, Oregon; Chicago; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Quebec; Puerto Rico (with boyfriend Louie Robles); Baja; Boulder,
Colorado; Mardi Gras (New Orleans); Santa Fe, New Mexico; Florida; Hawaii; WNYC radio; Peru; Southampton; Old Grey; Amsterdam;
Germany; the NYU Beat Conference; and Lowell, Massachusetts. There are proofs of the "Kerouac Wears Khaki" ad campaign; photos
of a trip to Jack Kerouac's house in Florida, the house he was born in, and Ms. Kerouac's house; some scrapbook pages; photos
of Ms. Kerouac by Chirstopher Felver (1982-1984); and some color Xeroxes.
carton 7
carton 8
Audiovisual Material 1969-1996
Approximately 56 compact audiocassettes and seven microcassettes; two VHS tapes; and a box set, The Jack Kerouac Collection,
The box set has four audiocassettes and a booklet signed by Ms. Kerouac (approximately 1989).
One videocassette is an interview with Henri Cru (1990); the other appears to be a copy of Robert Frank's film, "Pull My Daisy."
The compact audiocassettes are labeled or described as follows: Parrot Fever, tapes 1-13; Jan's commentary on late night TV
[recorded while she watched]; Jan Kerouac interviewed by Dianne Jones (1996); Jan Kerouac, WCAP - Lowell (1996); Jan Kerouac
NYU Live (1994); Lee Harris to Jan Kerouac (1995); Music and Message, Lee Harris (1995?); Subterraneans – Jack Kerouac recording
and music (soundtrack); Jan Kerouac NY & Co., WNYC, music (1988); The Shadow #4; and recordings of [commercial albums] by
Leo Kottke, John Fahey and Bob Dylan; Jan on KPFA, with Gerald Nicosia and Jack and Adelle Foley; a tape recorded by Jack
Foley in Corte Madera, California (7/2/94); Jan and Gerald, with Jan reading two versions from her
book, "Train Song"; Dan De Sole interviewing Stella Kerouac (October 1969); Gerald Nicosia interviewing George Montgomery
(1978); and Gerald Nicosia's astrological reading, by Joanna Mitchell. Twenty-one audiotapes are labeled "Jan Tarot" – and
are recordings of Ms. Kerouac talking with astrologer Joanna Mitchell via phone in Eugene, OR. She discusses the phases of
her life, her personal life, and her legal problems. One of the tapes may be blank.
Four of the microcassettes appear to be blank. The other three date from approximately 1995 and include Jan Kerouac singing,
and conversations between her, Gerald Nicosia, and Tom Brill (she sings "Locomotion" and "Just Like My Father"). There is
also a recording of Ms. Kerouac reading Chernobyl Swan (from Parrot Fever). (all approximately 1995)
digital_folder 001-005