Oppen (George) Letters, 1930-1982

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Summary

Title:
George Oppen Letters
Dates:
1930-1982
Creators:
DuPlessis, Rachel Blau and Oppen, George
Abstract:
Research files compiled by Rachel Blau DuPlessis concerning American poet George Oppen, comprising photocopies of Oppen's letters (1930-1982), copies of Oppen's FBI file, and miscellaneous correspondence between DuPlessis and others pertaining to those Oppen materials. The results of DuPlessis's research were published in THE SELECTED LETTERS OF GEORGE OPPEN (1990). The addition processed in 1993 consists of letters from George Oppen to Rachel Blau DuPlessis from August 1965 to April 1977.
Extent:
1.4 Linear feet (4 archive boxes)
Language:
Preferred citation:

George Oppen Letters, MSS 0205. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.

Background

Scope and content:

Accession Processed in 1992

Primarily photocopies of the collected letters (1930 to 1982) of Objectivist American poet George Oppen, from which DuPlessis edited and published THE SELCTED LETTERS OF GEORGE OPPEN (Durham and London: Duke University Press, 1990). Also included is a censored photocopy of Oppen's FBI file (1941 to 1966) acquired in 1988 through the Freedom of Information Act. Occasional research notes dot the collection, and some of DuPlessis's inquiries regarding letters and the responses from correspondents are also included.

Arranged in two series:1) CORRESPONDENCE and 2) FBI MATERIALS

Accession Processed in 1993

43 typed letters, 1 autograph letter, 1 telegram, and 1 invitation that George Oppen sent to Rachel Blau DuPlessis between August 1965 and April 1977. Researchers wishing to quote from letters in this series are required to ask for permission from Rachel Blau DuPlessis.

Arranged in one series: 1) LETTERS FROM G. OPPEN TO R. BLAU DUPLESSIS

Biographical / historical:

An Oppen family friend for more than twenty years, Rachel Blau DuPlessis is Professor of English at Temple University. She is also both a poet and literary critic. Among her publications are WRITING BEYOND THE ENDING: NARRATIVE STRATEGIES OF TWENTIETH-CENTURY WOMEN'S WRITING (1985) and H.D.: THE CAREER OF THAT STRUGGLE (1986).

In 1980, George and Mary Oppen gave DuPlessis permission to collect, select and edit George's letters. The collected letters were culled from holdings at numerous institutions and in private hands, including libraries at UC San Diego, Yale, Harvard, AND SUNY-Buffalo.

Acquisition information:
Acquired 1991, 1993.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Special Collections Archives
Date Prepared:
Copyright 2005
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2015-06-19T07:21-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

Copies of Oppen letters in this collection that are identified as being held in the original elsewhere may not be photoduplicated. Researchers wishing to quote from the unpublished Oppen letters in Series 3 are required to ask for permission from Rachel Blau DuPlessis.

Terms of access:

Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.

Copies of Oppen letters in this collection that are identified as being held in the original elsewhere may not be photoduplicated. Researchers wishing to quote from the unpublished Oppen letters processed in 1993 are required to ask for permission from Rachel Blau DuPlessis.

Preferred citation:

George Oppen Letters, MSS 0205. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.

Location of this collection:
9500 Gilman Drive, Dept. 0175
La Jolla, CA 92093-0175, US
Contact:
(858) 534-2533
spcoll@ucsd.edu
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