Guide to the the Douglas "Swede" Dennis Collection M1843

Department of Special Collections and University Archives

2016

Green Library

557 Escondido Mall

Stanford 94305-6064

specialcollections@stanford.edu

URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc

Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives

Title: The Douglas "Swede" Dennis Collection

source: Padgett, Abigail

Identifier/Call Number: M1843

Physical Description: 3.5 Linear Feet : 7 manuscript boxes

Date (inclusive): 1988-2009

Physical Location: Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged 36 hours in advance. For more information on paging collections, see the department's website: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/spc.html.

Abstract: Correspondence between Angola inmate Douglas Dennis and others, especially attorney and prison reform advocate Robert Perske.

Access to Collection

Open for research. Audio-visual materials are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.

Publication Rights

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.

Acquisition Information

This collection was purchased by Stanford University, Special Collections in 2011.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Douglas "Swede" Dennis Collection, M1843. Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence between Angola inmate Douglas Dennis and attorney and prison reform advocate Robert Perske from 1993 until Dennis' death in 2009. Douglas B. "Swede" Dennis, who was born in Chicago in 1935, was arrested for vagrancy while hitchhiking in Louisiana in 1957. In an altercation at the Shreveport City Jail he killed his cellmate and was sentenced to the notorious Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Dennis killed another inmate there and received a second life sentence, but escaped and lived as as a fugitive for ten years. Upon his capture he was sent back to Angola, and becamer a reporter for The Angolite, the prison magazine. Towards the end of his life he sought a pardon due to old age and health issues, but was denied. Also included are letters to and from San Diego author Abigail Padgett, who knew Dennis for 18 years, and Arnold Schrank.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Prisons -- Louisiana -- Angola

Prison reform

Perske, Robert

Crane, Richard

Dennis, Douglas

Schrank, Arnold

Padgett, Abigail

Louisiana State Penitentiary

Series 1: Correspondence

box 1, folder 3

Douglas Dennis to Abigail Padgett, 1993

box 1, folder 2

Douglas Dennis to Richard Crane, 1990-2009

box 1, folder 4

Douglas Dennis to Abigail Padgett, 1994

box 1, folder 5

Douglas Dennis to Abigail Padgett, 1995

box 1, folder 6

Douglas Dennis to Abigail Padgett, 1996

box 1, folder 7

Douglas Dennis to Abigail Padgett, 1997

box 1, folder 8

Douglas Dennis to Abigail Padgett, 1998

box 1, folder 9

Douglas Dennis to Abigail Padgett, 1999

box 1, folder 10

Douglas Dennis to Abigail Padgett, 2000

box 2, folder 1

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 1992-1997

box 2, folder 2

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 1998-1999

box 2, folder 3

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2000-2001

box 2, folder 4

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2002

box 2, folder 5

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2003

box 2, folder 6

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2004

box 2, folder 7

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2005

box 3, folder 1

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2006

box 3, folder 2

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2007

box 3, folder 3

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2008

box 3, folder 4

Robert Perske and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2009

box 4, folder 1

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2000

box 4, folder 2

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 3, 2000 - September 21, 2000

box 4, folder 3

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, September 25, 2000 - December 30, 2000

box 4, folder 4

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 3, 2001 - April 8, 2001

box 4, folder 5

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, April 13, 2001- July 24, 2001

box 4, folder 6

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, July 29, 2001 - October 22, 2001

box 4, folder 7

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, October 23, 2001 - December 31, 2001

box 4, folder 8

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, February 24, 2002 - April 27, 2002

box 5, folder 1

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, May 2, 2002 - July 19, 2002

box 5, folder 2

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 2, 2002 - August 22, 2002

box 5, folder 3

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, July 21, 2002 - November 1, 2002

box 5, folder 4

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, November 5, 2002 - December 29, 2002

box 5, folder 5

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 4, 2004 - April 30, 2004

box 5, folder 6

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, May 6, 2004 - December 29, 2004

box 5, folder 7

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 3, 2005 - August 16, 2005

box 6, folder 1

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, February 19, 2003 - May 26, 2003

box 6, folder 2

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 1, 2003 - February 13, 2003

box 6, folder 3

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2003

box 6, folder 4

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, October 30, 2003 - December 31, 2003

box 6, folder 5

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, 2005

box 6, folder 6

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, August 17, 2005 - December 27, 2005

box 6, folder 7

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 5, 2006 - May 23, 2006

box 6, folder 8

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, May 28, 2006 - December 30, 2006

box 7, folder 1

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 1, 2007 - July 21, 2007

box 7, folder 2

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, July 23, 2007 - December 31, 2007

box 7, folder 3

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 2008 - December 2008

box 7, folder 4

Arnold Schrank and Douglas Dennis Correspondence, January 4, 2009 - May 26, 2009

Series 2: Ephemera and Printed Matter

box 1, folder 1

Description of Collection Written by Robert Perske

box 3, folder 9

Miscellaneous Ephemera

box 7, folder 5

Arnold Schrank Ephemera and Photographs

box 3, folder 5

The Angolite 20, no. 1-5 (1995)

box 3, folder 6

The Angolite 20, no. 6 (1995)

box 3, folder 7

The Angolite 21, no. 2-5 (1996)

box 3, folder 8

Saint Louis University Public Law Review XIV, no. 1 (1994) With Article by Douglas Dennis

box 3, folder 10

Miscellaneous Court Documents Regarding Douglas Dennis