KEROUAC, JACK, 1922-1969.
John Sampas collection of Jack Kerouac material, circa 1900-2005
John Sampas collection of Jack Kerouac material, circa 1900-2005
Emory University
Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library
Atlanta, GA 30322
404-727-6887
rose.library@emory.edu
Permanent link: http://pid.emory.edu/ark:/25593/q4krs
Table of Contents
Descriptive Summary
Creator: | Kerouac, Jack, 1922-1969. |
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Title: | John Sampas collection of Jack Kerouac material, circa 1900-2005 |
Call Number: | Manuscript Collection No. 1343 |
Extent: | 2 linear feet (4 boxes) and 1 oversized papers box (OP) |
Abstract: | Material collected by John Sampas relating to Jack Kerouac and including correspondence, photographs, and manuscripts. |
Language: | Materials entirely in English. |
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Access
Special restrictions apply: Use copies have not been made for audiovisual material in this collection. Researchers must contact the Rose Library at least two weeks in advance for access to these items. Collection restrictions, copyright limitations, or technical complications may hinder the Rose Library's ability to provide access to audiovisual material.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.
Related Materials in Other Repositories
Jack Kerouac papers, New York Public Library
Related Materials in This Repository
Jack Kerouac collection and Jack and Stella Sampas Kerouac papers
Source
Purchase, 2015
Citation
[after identification of item(s)], John Sampas collection of Jack Kerouac material, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University.
Processing
Processed by Carrie Hintz, Sarah Quigley, and Laura Starratt, October 1, 2015.
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Collection Description
Biographical Note
Jean-Louis "Jack" Lebris de Kerouac, American Beat poet, essayist, and novelist, was born in 1922 in Lowell, Massachusetts to French Canadian parents, Léo-Alcide Kéroack (1889-1946) and Gabrielle-Ange Lévesque (1895-1973). He had a brother, Gerard F. (1917-1926) and a sister, Caroline (Kerouac) Blake (1919-1964). He earned a football scholarship to Columbia University but left in 1941 after a career ending injury. He lived on Manhattan's Upper West Side with his first wife, Edie Parker who introduced him to Allen Ginsberg, Lucien Carr, and William Burroughs. He joined the United States Merchant Marine in 1942 and the United States Navy in 1943, though he was quickly given an honorable discharge for psychological reasons.
Kerouac is credited with coining the term "Beat Generation" and is considered one of the pioneers of the movement. He earned his reputation after the publication of On the Road in 1957 and was hailed as a major American writer. The success of On the Road brought unwanted attention to the author, and future works never achieved the same acclaim. In March 1958, Kerouac moved to Northport, New York, to care for his mother, Gabrielle, and in 1966 married Stavroula "Stella" Sampatacacus, the sister of his childhood friend, Sebastian Sampas. Much of the Sampatacacus family shortened their last name to Sampas. Kerouac died in St. Petersburg, Florida, on October 21, 1969 from an internal hemorrhage. When Gabrielle died five years later, Stella inherited the rights to Kerouac's literary estate and handled legal and financial matters relating to his work for the rest of her life. Stella Sampas Kerouac died on February 10, 1990.
Scope and Content Note
The collection consists of correspondence, manuscripts, and photographs created by or relating to Jack Kerouac, and collected by his brother in law John Sampas. Correspondence files include original correspondence, as well as occasional writings or drawings by or relating to correspondents such as William Burroughs, Neal Cassady, Ann Charters, Robert Creeley, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, and Philip Whalen, as well as various members of the Kerouac and Sampas families. Correspondence to Ann Charters primarily documents the writing and preparation of her writings about Kerouac. The collection is particularly rich in photographs, including a number from Kerouac's early years, family pictures, and photographs of friends and family members in Kerouac's circle. Also notable is a partial manuscript for San Francisco Blues and an unproduced play entitled The Beat Generation.
Arrangement Note
Arranged by record type.
Selected Search Terms
Personal Names
- Burroughs, William S., 1914-1997.
- Cassady, Neal.
- Charters, Ann.
- Creeley, Robert, 1926-2005.
- Ferlinghetti, Lawrence.
- Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997.
- Kerouac, Stella Sampas, 1918-1990.
- Sampas, John.
- Snyder, Gary, 1930-
- Whalen, Philip.
Topical Terms
- American literature--20th century.
- American poetry--20th century.
- Authors, American--20th century.
- Beat generation.
- Bohemianism--United States.
- Counterculture--United States.
- Pets, American.
Form/Genre Terms
Container List
Correspondence | ||
Box | Folder | Content |
---|---|---|
1 | 1 | General and unidentified, 1946-1962 |
1 | 2 | Burroughs, William S., 1953 |
1 | 3 | Charters, Ann, circa 1978-2007 |
1 | 4 | Charters, Ann, circa 1978-2007 |
1 | 5 | Charters, Ann, circa 1978-2007 |
1 | 6 | Cassady, Carolyn, 1952-1999 |
1 | 7 | Cassady, Neal, 1948-1952 |
1 | 8 | Coolidge, Clark, 1997 |
1 | 9 | Coppola, Francis Ford |
1 | 10 | Condo, George, 1993-2000 |
1 | 11 | Creeley, Robert, 1960-2005 |
1 | 12 | Ferlinghetti, Lawrence, 1973-1992 |
1 | 13 | Gifford, Barry, 1973-1977 |
2 | 1 | Ginsberg, Allen, 1948-1994 |
2 | 2 | Kerouac, Gabrielle, 1950-1972 |
2 | 3 | Kerouac, Janet, 1962-1967 |
2 | 4 | Kerouac, Stella |
2 | 5 | Parker, Edie, 1948 |
2 | 6 | Sampas, John |
2 | 7 | Sampas, Sebastian, undated |
2 | 8 | Sampas, Sebastian, military journal |
2 | 9 | Snyder, Gary, 1956-1959 |
2 | 10 | Stanford, David, 1993 |
2 | 11 | Sterling Lord, 2000 |
2 | 12 | Welch, Lew, 1959-1960 |
2 | 13 | Whalen, Philip, 1956-2002 |
Biographical and personal files | ||
2 | 14 | Cancelled checks, 1958 |
2 | 15 | Clippings |
2 | 16 | Contract--Pull My Daisy, 1961 |
2 | 17 | Family documents |
2 | 18 | Handkerchief |
2 | 19 | Legal and financial documents |
2 | 20 | Notebook |
2 | 21 | Notes and lists |
2 | 22 | Passports and birth bertificate |
OP1 | 3 | Print of a drawing of Kerouac |
Subject files | ||
2 | 23 | On the Road, 1953-1958, 1972 |
2 | 24 | Dharma Bums, 1958 |
2 | 25 | Other Writings, 1950-1962 |
Photographs | ||
3 | 1 | Ackerman |
3 | 2 | Adamakis, Amanda (“Manda”), mother’s stepmother |
3 | 3 | Ansen, Alan |
3 | 4 | Beckwith, Jacques |
3 | 5 | Beinart, Eunice |
3 | 6 | Carney, Mary D. |
3 | 7 | Clements, Marshall |
3 | 8 | Coffey, Margaret |
3 | 9 | Corso, Gregory, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, and Philip Whalen, undated |
3 | 10 | Cru, Henri |
3 | 11 | Cudworth, James |
3 | 12 | Depp, Johnny, color snapshots, 1991 |
3 | 13 | Desolation Peak |
3 | 14 | Franco, Bea |
3 | 15 | Ginsberg, Alan, Ron Johnson, John Sampas, and Bob Welch, color snapshots, 1988 and 1992 |
3 | 16 | Giroux, Robert, 1950 |
3 | 17 | Kerouac ancestors (unidentified), tintype, undated |
3 | 18 | Kerouac family album, 1933, 1939, and undated |
3 | 19 | Kerouac, Caroline, paternal aunt, 1921 |
3 | 20 | Kerouac, Caroline "Nin", sister |
3 | 21 | Kerouac, Gabrielle, mother |
3 | 22 | Kerouac, Gerard |
OP1 | 1 | Kerouac, Jack |
3 | 23 | Kerouac, Jack, [1920’s-1933] |
3 | 24 | Kerouac, Jack, [1934-1940] |
3 | 25 | Kerouac, Jack, professional shots taken by various photographers, including Arni, Jerry Bauer, Fred W. McDarrah, Cora Ward, and Stanley Twardowicz, 1944-1967 and undated |
3 | 26 | Kerouac, Jack, snapshots, 1944-1968 and undated |
3 | 27 | Kerouac, Jack with various family members including parents and sister, 1944-1945 and undated |
3 | 27 | Kerouac, Jack with various family members including parents and sister, 1944-1945 and undated |
3 | 28 | Kerouac, Jack with various other people, including Henry Cru, Maggie Chase, Mike Sampas and unidentified, snapshots, 1951-1968 and undated |
3 | 29 | Kerouac, Jack and Stella Sampas Kerouac, snapshots, 1966-1968 |
3 | 30 | Kerouac, Jack and John Sampas, Sanders Avenue, Lowell, Massachusetts, snapshot, 1967 |
3 | 31 | Kerouac, Jack posing with his cats, snapshots, 1968 |
3 | 32 | Kerouac, Jack--artwork reproductions |
4 | 1 | Kerouac's cats |
4 | 2 | Kerouac's desk, 1969 |
4 | 3 | Kerouac's grave |
4 | 4 | Kerouac, Jack—sports (football and baseball) |
4 | 5 | Kerouac, Leo, father |
4 | 6 | Lee, Alene |
4 | 7 | LeVesque, Louis, maternal grandfather, 1893 and undated |
4 | 8 | Lowell, Massachusetts |
4 | 9 | Martin, Loretta, mother’s stepsister |
4 | 10 | Orlovsky, Peter |
4 | 11 | Paquette, John |
4 | 12 | Salvas, Roland |
4 | 13 | Sampas, John |
4 | 14 | Sampas, Stella |
4 | 15 | Sampas, Sebastian |
4 | 16 | Sampas family |
4 | 17 | Sampas family |
OP1 | 2 | Sampas family panoramic |
4 | 18 | Unidentified individuals |
4 | 19 | Unidentified [“Jack’s List”], slides, 1994 |
4 | 20 | Vanity of Duluoz manuscript (photograph) |
4 | 21 | Welch, Lew, 1960 |
4 | 22 | [Whalen, Philip?] with monks from Daitoku-ji, 1963 |
4 | 23 | Wyse, Seymour |
4 | 24 | Yokley, Sarah |
Writings | ||
4 | 25 | Beat Generation script |
4 | 26 | Doctor Sax--French translation |
4 | 27 | Portfolio of poems |
4 | 28 | San Francisco Blues manuscript |
4 | 29 | Writings, undated |
Audiovisual material | ||
4 | 30 | Compact disc |