Finding Aid for the Amiri Baraka Papers LSC.0491
Finding aid prepared by Tine Brouwer; re-processed by Doug Johnson, October, 2016; machine-readable finding aid created by
Caroline Cubé
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 5 July 2017.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Business Number: 310-825-4988
Fax Number: 310-206-1864
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Amiri Baraka papers
Creator:
Baraka, Amiri
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.0491
Physical Description:
1.6 Linear Feet
(4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1952-1966
Abstract: Amiri Baraka (1934-2014) was the founder and editor of the literary journals
Yugen and
Kulchur. An outspoken public intellectual, he was the author of poetry, plays, novels, and essays. The collection consists of poetry
manuscripts and correspondence submitted to Baraka while editor of
Yugen. Some material relates to
Kulchur.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English and French.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Amiri Baraka Papers (Collection 491). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
Processing Information
Processed by Tine Brouwer; re-processed by Doug Johnson, October, 2016. Re-processed primarily to eliminate some ambiguities
that were the result of unusual formatting. The collection name was also changed (from Imamu Amiri Baraka) to make it consistent
with the Library of Congress subject heading.
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interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides
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UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
Amiri Baraka was born Everett LeRoi Jones on October 7, 1934 in Newark, New Jersey. He attended Rutgers University and graduated
from Howard University. After some graduate study in New York City, he joined the U.S. Air Force. Upon his discharge he returned
to New York and took up writing poetry in earnest. To distribute the work of other poets as well, he and his wife, Hettie
Cohen, founded Totem Press and the literary journal
Yugen. With the poet Diana di Prima, he also founded the journal
Kulchur. Always politically active, throughout the 1960s, he became more radical and embraced Black nationalism. Later, he distanced
himself from Black nationalism to adopt a more globalistic Communism. For the rest of his life, he would be known as much
for his controversial political views as for his poetry. Baraka died on January 9, 2014 in the city of his birth.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of correspondence as well as poetry manuscripts submitted to Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones), editor of
Yugen. Some material relates to
Kulchur. Correspondents include Jonas Mekas, John Rechy, Diane Wakoski, and Philip Whalen.
Organization and Arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically by correspondent and manuscript author.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Beat generation -- Poetry.
Manuscripts for publication
Periodical editors -- United States -- Archives.
African American poets -- Archives.
African American dramatists -- Archives.
African American authors -- Archives.
Baraka, Amiri, 1934-2014--Archives.
Correspondence and Manuscripts
box 1
A
1959
Scope and Content
Includes letter and poem by Alan Ansen.
box 1
Abrams, Sam
1960-1966
Scope and Content
Six poems; one letter; annotated typescript draft and published copy of
Barbara (Ferry Press, 1966).
box 1
Allen, Donald
1960-1964
Scope and Content
Eight letters, review of
The Dharma Bums by James Schuyler.
box 1
Bergé, Carol
1962-1966
Scope and Content
Two letters; eighteen poems.
box 1
Berrigan, Ted
undated
Scope and Content
One letter enclosing poems by Larry Swingle.
box 1
Blackburn, Paul
1959
Scope and Content
Chain letter.
box 1
Blaser, Robin
undated
Scope and Content
Two poems.
box 1
Booth, Luella
undated
Scope and Content
Fourteen poems; one-act play;
Love Is Bright Round My Shoulder (Toronto: J.H. Bell & Son).
box 1
Bremser, Ray
1958-1965
Scope and Content
Eight letters; approximately 115 poems.
box 1
Briggs, Harold
undated
Scope and Content
Three poems.
box 1
Brodey, Jim
1963-1966
Scope and Content
Eleven poems; record review; two letters.
box 1
C
1960-1964
Scope and Content
Includes post card from Kirby Congdon.
box 1
Caplan, Ron
undated
Scope and Content
Two poems.
box 1
Carroll, Paul
1959
Scope and Content
Two letters.
box 1
Creeley, Robert
undated
Scope and Content
One letter.
box 1
Crews, Judson C
undated
Scope and Content
Two poems.
box 1
Dawson, Fielding
1958-1962
Scope and Content
Nine drawings; three letters; typed manuscripts.
box 1
Di Prima, Diane
1959-1966
Scope and Content
Four letters; thirteen poems.
box 1
Dorn, Edward
1960-1964
Scope and Content
Approximately sixty letters; four poems; annotated manuscript for
The Newly Fallen.
box 2
Edson, Russell
1963
Scope and Content
One letter.
box 2
Eigner, Larry
1960-1965
Scope and Content
Ten letters; nine poems.
box 2
F
1960-1964
Scope and Content
Includes "Poetry and Politics" by Larry Fagin; letter and poem from Vincent Ferrini.
box 2
Fallon, Tom
1964
Scope and Content
Letter; prose manuscripts.
box 2
Finstein Max
1960-1964
Scope and Content
Three letters; statement about LeRoi Jones' 1961 arrest on obscenity charges.
box 2
Fles, John
1959-1960
Scope and Content
Five letters; eight poems; manuscripts; book review.
box 2
G
1958-1966
Scope and Content
Includes post card from E.V. Griffith.
box 2
Gallatin, David
1963
Scope and Content
Two poems; one letter.
box 2
Gallup, Dick
1962-1963
Scope and Content
Nine poems.
box 2
Guillén, Nicolás
undated
Scope and Content
Includes poem by Guillen; two poems by Silvano Lora; flyers.
box 2
H
circa 1961
Scope and Content
Includes essay by Bobb Hamilton.
box 2
Hollo, Anselm
1960-1963
Scope and Content
Nine poems; two letters.
box 2
Irby, Kenneth
1962-1966
Scope and Content
Three letters; six poems.
box 2
J
circa 1957
Scope and Content
Includes collage material from Ray Johnson.
box 2
Jonas, Stephen
1953-1963
Scope and Content
Approximately six letters and eighty-five poems.
box 2
Kaplan, Allan
undated
Scope and Content
Fifteen poems.
box 2
Katzman, Allen
1966
Scope and Content
One letter; eight poems.
box 2
Kelly, Robert
1966
Scope and Content
Post card; seven poems.
box 2
Kgositsile, K. William
undated
Scope and Content
Seven poems.
box 3
Loewinsohn, Ron
1957-1963
Scope and Content
Uncut galley proofs; twenty-nine letters; approximately twenty-five poems.
box 3
M
1959-1964
Scope and Content
Includes two poems by Christopher Maclaine; one poem by Clarence Major.
box 3
Malanga, Gerard
1966
Scope and Content
One letter; six poems.
box 3
Marshall, Edward
1957-1961
Scope and Content
Two letters; seventeen poems.
box 3
Mekas, Jonas
undated
Scope and Content
One letter; two poems; clippings.
box 3
Meltzer, David
1959-1964
Scope and Content
Six letters; post card; four poems.
box 3
Metcalf, Paul C
1962-1964
Scope and Content
Three letters; two poems.
box 3
Moraff, Barbara
1958-1962
Scope and Content
Approximately eight letters and fifty-six poems.
box 3
Olson, Charles
1965
Scope and Content
One letter; assorted writings.
box 3
Oppenheimer, Joel
1964
Scope and Content
One letter; six poems.
box 3
Owens, Rochelle
1960
Scope and Content
Two letters; nineteen poems.
box 4
Padgett, Ron
1964
Scope and Content
Twenty-one poems; four letters.
box 4
Perrault, John
1964
Scope and Content
Five poems; one letter.
box 4
Planz, Allen
undated
Scope and Content
Ten poems; one letter.
box 4
Polite, Allen
undated
Scope and Content
One manuscript.
box 4
Randall, Margaret
1966
Scope and Content
One letter and three poems.
box 4
Rechy, John
1962
Scope and Content
Three letters.
box 4
Rice, William J
undated
Scope and Content
Five copies of printed, unbound manuscript "Poems."
box 4
Robbins, Tom
undated
Scope and Content
Three poems.
box 4
Rumaker, Michael
1961-1965
Scope and Content
Six letters; two poems
box 4
S
1960-1963
Scope and Content
Includes letter from Michael Shayer; letters and poems from George Stanley.
box 4
Snyder, Gary
1958-1960
Scope and Content
Three letters; broadside; four poems, including an annotated manuscript of "The Berry Feast."
box 4
Sorrentino, Gilbert
1960-1966
Scope and Content
Book review; three poems; three letters; short story.
box 4
Spellman, A.B
1958
Scope and Content
Three letters.
box 4
Thomas, Lorenzo (aka Lorenzo Toumes?)
1964-1965
Scope and Content
Two letters; four poems.
box 4
Towle, Tony
1966
Scope and Content
One letter; three poems.
box 4
Tzara, Tristan
undated
Scope and Content
One poem [in French].
box 4
W
1959-1963
Scope and Content
Includes letters from Douglas Woolf.
box 4
Wakoski, Diane
1962
Scope and Content
Three letters; nineteen poems.
box 4
Whalen, Philip
1952-1964
Scope and Content
Twenty-two letters; eleven poems; prose manuscript.
box 4
Wieners, John
1957-1966
Scope and Content
Two letters; thirteen poems.
box 4
Williams, William Carlos
1958
Scope and Content
One letter.
box 4
Yorck, R. L
undated
Scope and Content
One letter; two poems.