WALKER, ALICE, 1944-
Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2014

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:/25593/900jh

Digital Material Available in this Collection

Descriptive Summary

Creator: Walker, Alice, 1944-
Title: Alice Walker papers, circa 1930-2014
Call Number:Manuscript Collection No. 1061
Extent: 138 linear feet (253 boxes), 9 oversized papers boxes and 1 oversized papers folder (OP), 10 bound volumes (BV), 5 oversized bound volumes (OBV), 2 extraoversized papers folders (XOP) 2 framed items (FR), AV Masters: 5.5 linear feet (6 boxes and CLP), and 7.2 GB of born digital materials (3,054 files)
Abstract:Papers of Alice Walker, an African American poet, novelist, and activist, including correspondence, manuscript and typescript writings, writings by other authors, subject files, printed material, publishing files and appearance files, audiovisual materials, photographs, scrapbooks, personal files journals, and born digital materials.
Language:Materials mostly in English.

Administrative Information

Restrictions on Access

Special restrictions apply: Selected correspondence in Series 1; business files (Subseries 4.2); journals (Series 10); legal files (Subseries 12.2), property files (Subseries 12.3), and financial records (Subseries 12.4) are closed until August 1, 2041.

Series 13: Access to processed born digital materials is only available in the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (the Rose Library). Use of the original digital media is restricted. The same restrictions listed above apply to born digital materials.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.

Researchers are not permitted to copy or download any of the digital files from the computer workstation.

Source

Purchase from Glenn Horowitz Bookseller, on behalf of Alice Walker, 2007. Multiple additions were purchased from or donated by Alice Walker from 2007-2019.

Citation

[after identification of item(s)], Alice Walker papers, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University.

Appraisal Note

Acquired by Curator of African American Collections, Randall Burkett, as part of the Rose Library's holdings in African American literature.

Processing

Processed by Elizabeth Russey, Brittney Cooper, Elizabeth Stice, and Brenda Tindal, April 23, 2009.

Born digital materials processed by Dorothy Waugh, March 17, 2014 and Brenna Edwards, November 2018. The born digital materials currently available to researchers are taken from 37 3.5" floppy disks, two compact discs, and a MacBook Air. For more information, see the processing note in the description of Series 13, Born digital materials.

This finding aid may include language that is offensive or harmful. Please refer to the Rose Library's harmful language statement for more information about why such language may appear and ongoing efforts to remediate racist, ableist, sexist, homophobic, euphemistic and other oppressive language. If you are concerned about language used in this finding aid, please contact us at rose.library@emory.edu.

Collection Description

Biographical Note

Alice Walker (1944-), African American poet, novelist, and activist. The youngest of eight children, Walker was born on February 9, 1944, to sharecroppers Willie Lee Walker and Minnie Tallulah Grant Walker in Eatonton, Georgia. Walker graduated valedictorian of her high school class in 1961. She attended Spelman College for two years before transferring to Sarah Lawrence College, graduating in 1965.

Walker married lawyer Mel Leventhal in 1967 and moved to Jackson, Mississippi. She worked for Friends of the Children of Mississippi, an early Head Start program. She also served as the writer-in-residence for Jackson State College and Tougaloo College. In 1968, Walker published her first book of poetry, Once. Shortly thereafter in 1969, she published her first novel, The Third Life of Grange Copelandd, the same year her daughter Rebecca was born. In 1977, Walker divorced Mel Leventhal and moved to California.

Walker has written numerous essays, novels, and collections of poetry. Her novel The Color Purple, published in 1982, won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Walker has also served as a contributing editor of Ms. during the 1980s and founded the Wild Trees Press.

Alice Walker (1944-), African American poet, novelist, and activist. The youngest of eight children, Walker was born on February 9, 1944, to sharecroppers Willie Lee Walker and Minnie Tallulah Grant Walker in Eatonton, Georgia. Walker graduated valedictorian of her high school class in 1961. She attended Spelman College for two years before transferring to Sarah Lawrence College, graduating in 1965.

Walker married lawyer Mel Leventhal in 1967 and moved to Jackson, Mississippi. She worked for Friends of the Children of Mississippi, an early Head Start program. She also served as the writer-in-residence for Jackson State College and Tougaloo College. In 1968, Walker published her first book of poetry, Once. Shortly thereafter in 1969, she published her first novel, The Third Life of Grange Copelandd, the same year her daughter Rebecca was born. In 1977, Walker divorced Mel Leventhal and moved to California.

Walker has written numerous essays, novels, and collections of poetry. Her novel The Color Purple, published in 1982, won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Walker has also served as a contributing editor of Ms. during the 1980s and founded the Wild Trees Press.

Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of the literary and personal papers of Alice Walker from circa 1930-2015. The collection documents the development of Walker's writing career, her interest in political activism, and her personal relationships with friends and family. The collection also contains material about Walker's many interests, including civil rights, Zora Neale Hurston, female genital mutilation, Bessie Head, Cuba, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and women's rights. The papers include correspondence (1958-2014); drafts of poetry, novels, essays, and other writings (1961-2014); writings by other authors; subject files (1968-2012); printed material (1961-2014); publishing files and appearance files (1966-2012); audiovisual materials (1962-2007); photographs (circa 1930s-2012); scrapbooks (1959-1996); personal files (1958-2010); journals; and born digital materials (1987-2013).

Arrangement Note

Organized into thirteen series: (1) Correspondence, (2) Writings by Walker, (3) Subject files, (4) Publishing files, (5) Printed material, (6) Writings by others, (7) Scrapbooks, (8) Photographs, (9) Audiovisual materials, (10) Journals, (11) Memorabilia and artwork, (12) Personal files, and (13) Born digital materials.

Selected Search Terms

Personal Names

Topical Terms

Geographic Names

Form/Genre Terms

Description of Series

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