The University of Delaware Library

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Special Collections, University of Delaware Library
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University Place Book Shop Papers, 1968-1988; 120 items
Bill French, proprietor of University Place Book Shop in New York City, was the source for work of Afro-American, African, and Caribbean writers before these authors were widely accepted in the mainstream publishing world. The collection includes correspondence, addressed to French, Walter Lowenfels, and others at University Place Book Shop, from a number of such authors.

Finding aid:

University Place Book Shop Papers

1968-1988

Manuscript Collection Number 207

Accessioned: Purchase, 1991.

Extent: 120 items (197 pp.), .2 linear ft.

Contents: Literary correspondence gathered by Bill French of the University Place Book Shop.

Access: The collection is open for research.

Processed: 1991 by Anita A. Wellner.

University Place Book Shop Papers

Ms. 207

A collection of correspondence and several manuscripts gathered by Bill French, who was proprietor of University Place Book Shop (New York), over 25 years. This shop was a source of material written by Afro-American, African, and Caribbean authors. The correspondence includes many of these authors. Also included in this collection is the correspondence of Walter Lowenfels with various black writers as he compiled his various anthologies, which were among the first to give voice to the writers of the Third World.

The correspondence is addressed to a variety of individuals including: Bill French, Walter Goldwater, J. Needman, Ronald Gross, and Walter Lowenfels. The collection also consists of some TL (c) from Goldwater, Lowenfels, and others.

The collection is arranged alphabetically by correspondent’s name. A itemized inventory of the majority of the correspondence will be available. 170 items (197 pp.).

F. 1. Achebe-Atkins. 1970-1974. 6 items (7 pp.)

Achebe, Chinua.
Alexander, Donald W.
Allen, Samuel W.
Atkins, Russell.

F.2. Baraka, Imamu Amiri, 1934-. 1964-1980. 10 items (14 pp.).

F.3. Beckham-Bontemps. 1962-1965, 1973. 6 items (6 pp.).

Beckham, Barry, 1944-
Bontemps, Ama Wendell, 1902-1973.
Goldwater, Walter (to Bontemps).

F.4. Carrington-Cruse. 1969-1977. Includes 7 Ts poems by Sam Cornish. 20 items (22 pp.).

Carrington, Glenn.
Cobb, Charles E.
Cornish, Sam.
Cortez, Jayne.
Cruse, Harold W.

F.5. Dathomne-Dixon. 1969-1985. 10 items (11 pp.).

Dathorne, 0. R.
Davis, Charles T.
Davis, Ossie.
Dee, Ruby.
Dent, Thomas C.
Dixon, Melvin, 1950-

F.6. Eckels-Fulani. 1935, 1970-1984. Includes a printed poem by Ronald Fair. 13 items (15 pp.).

Eckels, Jon.
Emanuel, J. A.
Evans, Mari.
Fair, Ronald L.
Figueroa, Jose-Angel, 1946-
Frazier, E. Franklin.
Fulani, Richard.

F.7. Giovanni-Gunn. 1968-1988. 11 items (11 pp.).

Giovanni, Nikki.
Gunn, Moses.

F.8. Harper-Hunter. 1968-1990. 11 items (11 pp.).

Harper, Michael S., 1938-
Harris, Trudier.
Henderson, David, 1942-
Hercules, Frank.
House, Gloria.
Hunter, Kristin.

F.9. Jackman-Jones. 1955, 1974, 1977. Includes Ts poem by Gayl Jones. 5 items (5 pp.).

Jackman, Harold.
Joans, Ted.
Jones, Gayl.

F.10. Jordan-Lowenfels. 1969-1974, 1980. Includes Ts poem by June Jordan. 11 items (12 pp.).

Jordan, June, 1936-
Kearapetsi.
Knight, Etheridge.
Lamming, George.

F.11. Madgett-Mitchell. 1970-1978. Includes Ts (photocopy) poem by Mberi. 9 items (9 pp.).

Madgett, Naomi Cornelia Long.
Major, Clarence.
Mberi, Antar Sudan Katara.
Mitchell, Joe.

F.12. Nicholas-Plumpp. 1973, 1982. 4 items (5 pp.).

Nicholas, Michael.
Plumpp, Sterling, 1940-

F.13. Randall, Dudley, 1914-. 1969-1973. Includes TL (carbon) from Lowenfels to Dudley. 8 items (11 pp.). A printed broadside titled: "Booker T & W. E. B." was removed for cataloging for Special Collections.

F.14. Raphael-Redmond. 1969-1974. Includes TLS (carbons) from Lowenfels to Raphael and Redmond. 12 items (14 pp.).

Raphael, Lennox.
Redmond, Eugene.

F.l5. Reed, Ishmael, 1938-. 1968-1970. Includes a Ts poem by Ishmael Reed and a letter from Lowenfels to Reed. 9 items (10 pp.).

F.l6. Salkey-Shange. 1968-1974. Includes a Ts poem by Shange. 7 items (13 pp.).

Salkey, Andrew.
Sanchez, Sonia, 1935-
Shange, Ntozake.

F.17. Shockley-Troupe. 1969-1974. 7 items (8 pp.).

Shockley, Ann Allen.
Soyinka, Wole.
Stone, Ronald (aka: Tar Lee Sun and Ysef Rahman).
Thomas, Lorenzo.
Troupe, Quincy.

F.l8. Van Dyke-Young. 1968-1969, 1981. Also includes four miscellaneous items. 11 items (13 pp.).

Van Dyke, Henry.
Welburn, Ron, 1944-
Wright, Jay.
Young, Al, 1939-

A Memorial Tribute to Bill French

New York City Bookshops in the 1930s and 1940s:
The Recollections of Walter Goldwater

Offsite:

The Bill French Center
An information center for the documentation
of bookseller Bill French and the University Place Bookshop,
co-sponsored by The C.L.R. James Institute

All praise to R. Dunaway, Bookseller...

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