Charles Reznikoff Papers, 1912-1976 (MSS 9)

Extent: 9.7 Linear feet (26 archives boxes, 1 oversize folder)

Papers of Charles Reznikoff (1894-1976), American poet, writer, and chronicler of Judaism and the American Jewish experience. He worked both as an editor and contributing author on The Menorah Journal and Family Chronicle, and was in close association with such noted writers as Ezra Pound, George Oppen, and William Carlos Williams. The correspondence, which provides documentation of the literary community of 40s, 50s, and 60s America, as well as providing insights into Reznikoff's personal life, includes letters from Robert Creeley, David Ignatow, Denise Levertov, George Oppen, John Perlman, William Carlos Williams, and Louis Zukofsky.

Charles Reznikoff's long and productive life began 31 August 1894 in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Nathan Reznikoff and Sarah Yetta Wolvovsky Reznikoff, were Russian Jews who had recently immigrated to the United States. Reznikoff's family moved throughout the city, and the anti-Semitism which Charles often encountered had a lasting effect on his work. When he was twelve Reznikoff's family moved to a section of Brooklyn that was isolated from the Jewish community; Reznikoff once described it as a place where "the hatred for Israel smoldered." He later wrote that he would have to rush home from high school in order to avoid the taunts of children leaving their grade school.

Despite his self-consciousness and feelings of insecurity, Reznikoff was an excellent student. He finished grammar school three years ahead of the rest of his class and graduated from Boys High School in Brooklyn in 1909 at the age of fifteen. By the time he was sixteen Reznikoff was already certain that he wanted to become a writer. He studied journalism at the University of Missouri, but soon found that journalists' priorities were different than his -- they were more interested in news than in writing, while it was the writing itself that Reznikoff cared about.

Reznikoff left the University of Missouri after one year and returned to New York. He first worked at his parents' hat manufacturing business. Then in 1912 he entered New York University's Law School. In 1915 he graduated second in his class, and the next year at the age of twenty two was admitted to the Bar of the State of New York. Although his training as a lawyer proved to be a long lasting influence on his poetry, Reznikoff actually practiced for a very brief period. He once said "I wanted to use whatever mental energy I had for my writing."

Reznikoff's first book of poetry, Rhythms, was published in 1918. It was a small volume that he printed on a press he had installed in the basement of his parents' home. After 1918 he held a number of jobs in order to support himself, but from this time on found ways to devote the majority of his time to writing. In 1919 he privately printed Rhythms II; then in 1920 Samuel Roth published Poems the first of his works to be published commercially. During the 1920's Reznikoff's reputation slowly grew, and he was able to publish some of his work in magazines; he also wrote four plays during that decade.

In 1930 Reznikoff married Marie Syrkin, who later became a distinguished professor at Brandeis University. Although his work still failed to make a commercial impact, Reznikoff continued to gain attention in the 1930's. Along with Louis Zukofsky, George Oppen, and Carl Rakosi, he became known as one of the principal proponents of the Objectivist group of poets. The poets formed the Objectivist Press, with whom Reznikoff published three of his works.

During the late thirties Reznikoff worked as a screen writer in Hollywood. When he returned from the West Coast he again took up his life of freelance writing. Marie Reznikoff has written that she and Charles grew estranged during the forties; when she was hired by the English department at Brandeis University, her husband stayed in Manhattan, and the Reznikoffs usually spent only holidays and weekends together. Charles supported himself by working on a number of projects, many of which dealt with the place of the Jewish community in America.

Reznikoff did not publish any poetry from 1941 through 1959, when Inscriptions: 1944-1956 appeared. Three years later, New Directions published By the Waters of Manhattan: Selected Verse, and in 1965 New Directions published Testimony, which, along with Holocaust, has been called one of Reznikoff's two major works. Marie Syrkin retired in 1966, and the Reznikoffs moved into a luxurious Manhattan apartment. Reznikoff continued to write through these years; the final work to be published during his lifetime was Holocaust. He died on 22 January 1976 after suffering a heart attack the previous day.

Selected Bibliography:

Rhythms (1918), Poems (1920), Uriel Acosta: A Play and a Fourth Group of Verse (1921), Chatterton, the Black Death, and Meriwether Lewis: Three Plays (1922), Coral, and Captive Israel: Two Plays (1923), Nine Plays, Five Groups of Verse (1927), By the Waters of Manhattan (1930), Jerusalem the Golden, Testimony, In Memoriam: 1933 (1934), Early History of a Sewing Machine Operator, Separate Way (1936), Going To and Fro and Walking Up and Down (1941), The Lionhearted (1944), The Jews of Charleston (1950), Inscriptions: 1944-1956 (1959), By the Waters of Manhattan: Selected Verse (1962), Family Chronicle (1963), Testimony: The United States 1885-1890: Recitative (1965), Testimony: The Unites States (1891-1900): Recitative (1968), By the Well of Living and Seeing and The Fifth Book of the Maccabees (1969), By the Well of Living and Seeing: New & Selected Poems, 1918-1973 (1974), Holocaust (1975), Poems 1918-1936: Volume I of the Complete Poems of Charles Reznikoff (1976), Poems 1937-1975: Volume II of the Complete Poems of Charles Reznikoff, The Manner "Music" (1977).

Papers of Charles Reznikoff (1894-1976), American poet, writer, and chronicler of Judaism and the American Jewish experience. He worked both as an editor and contributing author on The Menorah Journal and Family Chronicle, and was in close association with such noted writers as Ezra Pound, George Oppen, and William Carlos Williams. The correspondence, which provides documentation of the literary community of 40s, 50s, and 60s America, as well as providing insights into Reznikoff's personal life, includes letters from Robert Creeley, David Ignatow, Denise Levertov, George Oppen, John Perlman, William Carlos Williams, and Louis Zukofsky.

Also included are the various exchanges between Reznikoff and his numerous publishers. The bulk of the collection consists of Reznikoff's writings, ranging from original source materials up to finished typescripts, and includes thousands of pages of revisions. Most of the materials in the collection date from the 1940's to the early 1970's. The 1989 addition to the Reznikoff papers consists primarily of letters written by Reznikoff to his wife Marie Syrkin between 1928 and 1939. Also included are Reznikoff's letter of will to his wife dated 1961; letters of condolence to Marie following the poet's death in 1976; and several miscellaneous correspondences. In addition, Reznikoff's personal copies (with annotations) of eight of his published works have been included. The 1991 addition to the Reznikoff papers contains personal letters from Reznikoff to Marie Syrkin written in 1930 before their marriage; financial records which detail Reznikoff's activities between 1947 and 1976; and miscellaneous memorabilia.

Accession Processed in 1977

Arranged in six series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) WRITINGS, 3) REVIEWS, 4) PERSONAL ARTIFACTS, 5) MATERIALS RELATING TO REZNIKOFF'S PARENTS, and 6) WRITINGS BY OTHERS.

Accession Processed in 1990

Arranged in two series: 7) CORRESPONDENCE, and 8) AUTHOR'S COLLECTION.

Accession Processed in 1991

Arranged in four series: 9) CORRESPONDENCE, 10) CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS, 11) FINANCIAL RECORDS, and 12) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS.

Container List

Accession Processed in 1977

CORRESPONDENCE

Scope and Content of Series

Series 1) CORRESPONDENCE: Letters from such celebrated literary figures as Robert Creeley, David Ignatow, Denise Levertov, George Oppen, John Perlman, William Carlos Williams, and Louis Zukofsky. Also included are the various exchanges between Reznikoff and his numerous publishers. These are revealing of the untiring energy with which Reznikoff pursued the publication of his works -- in both Europe and America -- and include a surprising amount of rejection letters! The correspondence section is in alphabetical order, with each particular correspondent assigned one file.

Box 1 Folder 1
Academy of American Poets. 7 ALs, 22 TLs, 4 D; 8 Rc
Box 1 Folder 2
American Jewish History Center. 10 TLs, 8 D; 8 Rc
Box 1 Folder 3
American Poetry Review. 1 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 1 Folder 4
Anonymous. 8 ALs; 2 Rc
Box 1 Folder 5
Auster, Paul. 2 ALs, 1 TLs, 1 D; 2 Rc
Box 1 Folder 6
Axelrod, Susan. 1 ALs, 7 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 1 Folder 7
A (misc.) 1 ALs, 7 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 1 Folder 8
Barnes, Djuna. 1 TLs, 1 D
Berg, Stephen

See Box 18, Folder 3.

Box 1 Folder 9
Berkson, Bill. 3 ALs, 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 1 Folder 10
Buck, Fred (Bezoar Magazine). 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 1 Folder 11
Business. 1 AL, 4 TLs; 7 Rc
Box 1 Folder 12
Business (cont.) 33 D
Box 1 Folder 13
B (misc.) 4 ALs, 1 TLs; 5 Rc
Box 1 Folder 14
Caplan, Ron. 3 TLs, 1 D; 1 Rc
Box 1 Folder 15
Carruth, Hayden. 1 ALs, 3 TLs, 1 D; 6 Rc
Box 1 Folder 16
Chapman, Abraham. 3 TLs, 1 D; 2 Rc
Box 1 Folder 17
Clark, Tom. 1 Rc
Box 1 Folder 18
Commentary Magazine. 1 ALs, 8 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 1 Folder 19
Cook, Albert. 5 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 1 Folder 20
Cooney, Seamus. 4 ALs, 14 TLs, 4 D; 14 Rc
Box 1 Folder 21
Corman, Cid. 4 TLs, 2 PP; 1 Rc; see also 19.1/2/3
Creeley, Robert

See Box 19, Folders 1-3.

Box 1 Folder 22
Crozier, Andrew. 4 ALs, 8 TLs, 4 D; 15 Rc
Box 1 Folder 23
Cuddihy, Michael. 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 1 Folder 24
C (misc.) 6 ALs, 6 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 1 Folder 25-27
Degnan, June Oppen. 13 ALs, 3 TL, 50 TLs, 32 D, 1 AR, 36 Rc
Box 1 Folder 28
Deemer, Bill. 1 ALs, 1 TLs; 2 MS; 1 Rc
Box 2 Folder 1
Dembo, L.S. 3 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 2
D (misc.) 1 ALs, 1 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 3
Enslin, Theodore. 2 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 2 Folder 4
Enters, Angna. 1 TLs, 3 D; 1 Rc
Erlich, J. W

See Academy of American Poets.

Box 2 Folder 5
Evanier, David. 8 TLs, 1 D; 7 Rc
Box 2 Folder 6
E (misc.) 1 ALs, 1 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 7
Fagin, Larry. 1 ALs
Box 2 Folder 8
Falk, Marcia. 1 ALs, 3 TLs, 2 D; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 9
Faucherau, Serge. 3 ALs, 1 TL; 3 Rc
Box 2 Folder 10
Finley, Ian Hamilton. 1 ALs; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 11
F (misc.) 2 ALs, 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 12
Gitin, David and Marcia. 2 ALs
Box 2 Folder 13
Gotham Book Mart. 12 TLs, 13 D; 3 Rc
Box 2 Folder 14
Guedalla, Roger. 5 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 2 Folder 15
G (misc.) 7 ALs, 5 TLs; 9 Rc
Box 2 Folder 16
Halper, Albers and Lorna. 4 ALs, 2 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 2 Folder 17
Halpern, Daniel. 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 18
Harper's Magazine. 4 TLs; 7 Rc

Correspondence concerning Joseph Auslander's plagiarism of CR's "Rashi."

Box 2 Folder 19
Hays, H. R. 1 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 20
Heilman, Robert. 5 TLs, 3 Rc
Box 2 Folder 21
Hindus, Milton. 11 TLs; 2 MS; 7 Rc

Correspondence includes unpublished articles by CR on Ezra Pound and Louis Zukofsky.

Box 2 Folder 22
Hoffman, Stanton. 5 TLs; 2 E; 3 Rc
Box 2 Folder 23
Hoberger, Eric. 2 TLs, 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 24
H (misc.) 5 ALs, 16 TLs; 1 MS; 8 Rc
Box 2 Folder 25
Ignatow, David. 1 ALs, 6 TLs; 1 MS; 1 AR, 3 Rc
Box 2 Folder 26
Ishilf, Joseph. 1 ALs
Box 2 Folder 27
I (misc.) 1 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 2 Folder 28
Jewish Frontier. 1 ALs, 3 TLs, 1 D; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 29
Jewish Magazines. 2 ALs, 7 TLs, 1 D; 6 Rc
Box 2 Folder 30
Jewish Organizations. 2 ALs, 56 TLs, 11 D; 25 Rc
Box 2 Folder 31
J (misc.) 1 ALs, 3 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 32
Katz, Steve. 1 TLs, 1 D; 4 Rc
Box 2 Folder 33
Kesslar, Milton. 2 ALs, 1 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 2 Folder 34
Kherdian, David. 1 ALs, 1 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 2 Folder 35
Kosakoff, Reuven. 2 ALs
Box 2 Folder 36
K (misc.) 1 ALs, 13 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 2 Folder 37
Laughlin, James. 3 ALs, 6 TLs, 2 D; 5 Rc
Box 2 Folder 38
Levendosky, Charles. 2 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 3 Folder 1
Levertov, Denise. 2 ALs
Box 3 Folder 2
Libraries. 99 D
Box 3 Folder 3
Lopate, Phillip. 2 TLs; 1 MS; 1 Rc
Box 3 Folder 4
Lowenfels, Walter. 3 TLs; 1 MS; 1 Rc
Box 3 Folder 5
Luce, Gay. 1 TLs
Box 3 Folder 6
L (misc.) 5 ALs, 10 TLs, 3 D; 10 Rc
Box 3 Folder 7
Magazines (misc.) 5 ALs, 10 TLs, 3 D; 10 Rc
Box 3 Folder 8
Malanga, Gerard. 5 TLs, 1 D; 4 Rc
Box 3 Folder 9
Marshall, James. 6 TLs; 4 Rc
Box 3 Folder 10
Martin, John (Black Sparrow Press). 33 TLs, 11 D
Box 3 Folder 11
Martin, John. 1 AR, 25 Rc
Box 3 Folder 12
Meltzer, David. 4 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 3 Folder 13
Menorah Journal by Marie Syrkin. 6 TLsc; 16 Rc; 1 ALs
Box 3 Folder 14
Midstream. 7 TLs, 1 D; 1 MS; 3 Rc
Box 3 Folder 15
Montgomery, Stuart and Deirdre (Fulcrum Press). 7 TLs, 5 D; 1 AR, 6 Rc
Box 3 Folder 16
Museum of Modern Art (Lita Hornick). 2 TLs, 1 D
Box 3 Folder 17
M (misc.) 1 ALs, 7 TLs; 7 Rc
Box 3 Folder 18
National Institute of Arts and Letters. 5 TLs, 3 D, 3 Rc
Box 3 Folder 19
National Poetry Festival, Allendale, Mich. 1 ALs, 7 TLs, 4 D; 7 Rc
Box 3 Folder 20-21
New Directions. 2 ALs, 26 TLs, 34 D; 1 AR, 16 Rc
Box 3 Folder 22
New York University Law School. 2 TLs
Box 4 Folder 1
Niedecker, Lorine. 2 TLs; 2 MS
Box 4 Folder 2
N (misc.) 3 ALs, 6 TLs, 2 D; 5 Rc
Box 4 Folder 3
Objectivist Press. 1 D
Box 4 Folder 4
Oppen, George and Mary. 7 ALs, 3 TL, 10 TLs, 4 D; 4 Rc
Box 4 Folder 5
O (misc.) 2 ALs, 1 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 4 Folder 6
Padgett, Ron. 5 ALs, 5 TLs, 3 D; 5 Rc
Box 4 Folder 7
Perlman, John. 2 TLs; 1 MS; 1 Rc
Box 4 Folder 8
Pickard, Tom. 1 ALs
Box 4 Folder 9
Poetry Conference, Readings. 1 ALs, 1 TL, 9 TLs, 4 D; 3 Rc
Box 4 Folder 10
Publishers. 3 ALs, 1 TL, 35 TLs
Box 4 Folder 11
Publishers (cont.) 9 D; 24 Rc
Box 4 Folder 12
P (misc.) 2 ALs, 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 4 Folder 13
Rokosi, Carl. 2 ALs, 3 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 4 Folder 14
Reznikoff, Charles (family papers). 2 D
Box 4 Folder 15-16
Reznikoff, Charles. 5 ALs, 15 TLs, 5 MS

Letters of condolence and tributes sent to Marie Syrkin on CR's death.

Box 4 Folder 17
Riley, Peter. 2 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 4 Folder 18
Rosenblum, Martin J. 4 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 4 Folder 19
Rosenmann, Julius
Box 4 Folder 20
Ross, James. 1 TLs
Box 4 Folder 21
Rudolf, Anthony. 1 ALs, 3 TLs, 3 D; 2 Rc
Box 4 Folder 22
R (misc.) 7 ALs, 15 TLs, 4 D; 9 Rc
Box 4 Folder 23
Samperi, Frank. 2 ALs; 1 Rc
Box 4 Folder 24
San Francisco State Poetry Center. 4 TLs, 3 D; 7 Rc
Box 4 Folder 25
Savitt, Lynne. 1 ALs; 1 Rc
Box 4 Folder 26
Schneider, Duane. 5 TLs, 8 D; 4 Rc
Box 4 Folder 27
Seed, John. 6 ALs, 1 TLs, 2 D; 12 MS; 5 Rc
Box 4 Folder 28
Shapiro, Harvey. 1 TLs; 2 Rc
Box 4 Folder 29
Snow, C.P. 1 TLs; 1 Rc

See also 19.1/2/3.

Box 4 Folder 30
Spann, Marcella. 1 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 4 Folder 31
Syrkin, Marie. 11 ALs, 5 D; 2 Rc
Box 4 Folder 32
S (misc.) 9 ALs, 13 TLs, 1 TL; 10 Rc
Box 5 Folder 1
Tarn, Nathaniel. 1 ALs
Box 5 Folder 2
Tobias, Thoma. 1 ALs, 5 TLs; 3 Rc
Box 5 Folder 3
Tucker, Harvey. 1 TLs, 1 Rc
Box 5 Folder 4
T (misc.) 3 TLs, 1 D; 1 Rc
Box 5 Folder 5
U (misc.) 1 TL, 1 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 5 Folder 6
V (misc.) 1 TLs
Box 5 Folder 7
Waldman, Anne. 2 TLs, 1 D; 2 Rc
Warshow, Robert

See Box 18, Folder 18.

Box 5 Folder 8
WBAI Radio. 1 ALs, 5 TLs, 2 D; 2 Rc
Box 5 Folder 9
Weil, James. 5 TLs, 1 D; 5 Rc
Box 5 Folder 10
Weinberger, Eliot. 1 ALs, 5 TLs, 1 D; 4 Rc
Box 5 Folder 11
Williams, Gil. 4 TLs, 4 D; 1 Rc
Box 5 Folder 12
Williams, Jonathan. 1 TL, 1 TLs; 1 Rc
Box 5 Folder 13
Williams, William Carlos. 1 ALs, 1 TLs, 1 D
Box 5 Folder 14
W (misc.) 3 ALs, 8 TLs, 2 D; 1 AR, 7 Rc
Box 5 Folder 15
YMHA. 6 TLs, 2 D; 2 Rc
Box 5 Folder 16
Y (misc.) 1 ALs
Box 5 Folder 17
Zukofsky, Louis and Celia. 3 ALs, 3 D; 1 Rc
Box 5 Folder 18
Zychlinska, Rajzel. 6 ALs, 3 D; 7 MS
Box 5 Folder 19
Z (misc.) 2 TLs, 1 D

WRITINGS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 2) WRITINGS: Arranged in seven subseries: A) Books, B) Idea File, C) Lectures and Readings, D) The Menorah Journal; E) Notes, F) Poetry, and G) Miscellaneous Writings.

A) Books: Original drafts, manuscripts, notes, paste-ups, and reviews, organized according to the title of each book. Arranged alphabetically.

B) Idea File: A collection of short sketches, observations, verse fragments, and "situations," organized alphabetically, with an index.

C) Lectures and Readings: Drafts of public readings of both prose and verse.

D) The Menorah Journal: Eight short stories written for The Menorah Journal, as well as an article on The Menorah Journal written by Reznikoff for Midstream.

E) Notes: Character sketches and other random notes concerning possible subjects for later works. The "Notes on Composition Theory" subset contains notes on some aspects of writing dialogue, the use of rhythm, and the problem of writing history.

F) Poetry: Finished works of poetry, with some corrections, from 1973 - 1975.

G) Miscellaneous Writings: Random unfinished notes for prose and verse from as early as the 1930s. Includes materials concerning Julius Rosenmann, an old man Reznikoff met while walking in New York. Rosenmann provided Reznikoff with much material for writing, along with a $10,000 legacy.

Books

By the Waters of Manhattan

Box 5 Folder 20-22
Corrected proofs - Includes New Directions Volume
Box 6 Folder 1
Script for dramatic reading. Performed by the Sharon Temple Players, Temple Israel; Sharon, Mass

Reviews

Box 6 Folder 2
General
Box 6 Folder 3
1962 - 1963
Box 6 Folder 4
Ca. late 1960s & early 1970s

By the Well of Living and Seeing

Box 6 Folder 5
Ts of early draft, with corrections. Sections titled: A) "Notes for an Autobiography", B) "Notes for a Commonplace Book", C) " Family Chronicle: Notes for an Autobiography"
Box 6 Folder 6-8
Corrected 1968 TS
Box 6 Folder 9-11
Carbon TS with extensive revisions
Box 6 Folder 12
TS and paste-ups with corrections. Note from C.R. to publisher entitled "Printing Guide," concerning type, spacing, paper, etc
Box 6 Folder 13
TS of selected verse with heavy corrections
Box 7 Folder 1
Page paste-ups, version with corrections, 1972 - 1972
Box 7 Folder 2
Omitted materials - Omitted from 1969 and 1974 versions
Box 7 Folder 3
"Notes for an Autobiography" - Prose TS with corrections of material that later appeared in BTWoLAS. Also find paste-ups with corrections of "From a Notebook," material that appeared in BTWoLAS and was published separately in Midstream, Winter 1968
Box 7 Folder 4
Reviews

Holocaust

Box 7 Folder 5
Early draft with corrections
Box 7 Folder 6
Early drafts - Incomplete TS, complete TS marked "second draft" with corrections
Box 7 Folder 7
TS marked "third revision" - Also carbon with corrections and paste-ups
Box 7 Folder 8
TS marked "third revision" and arranged as script for dramatic reading
Box 7 Folder 9
TS marked "fourth revision" - Also carbon of letter sent to John Martin of Black Sparrow Press concerning proofs
Box 8 Folder 1-2
Xeroxed transcripts of Nazi War Trials, the basis for Holocaust
Box 8 Folder 3
Notes and news clippings with an "Introductory Note" by C.R. Also Night Words; a Midrash on the Holocaust by David Ruskies
Box 8 Folder 4
Miscellaneous TS and MS notes. Includes preface to a reading of Holocaust
Box 8 Folder 5
Verse fragments (carbon) and handwritten notes on chapter organization
Box 8 Folder 6
Reviews

Jews of Babylonia

Box 8 Folder 7
Early drafts, 1969 - 1969
Box 8 Folder 8
Completed Portuguese translation by Maximo Siminovich, published in Mundo Israelita, Buenos Aires

Manner Music

Box 8 Folder 9-10
Early drafts
Box 8 Folder 11
Reviews
Box 9 Folder 1-2
Nine Plays - "Uriel Acosta," paste-ups with corrections, 1961

Persons and Places

Box 9 Folder 3
TS with corrections, 1974 - 1974
Box 9 Folder 4
Carbon TS with corrections, 1974 - 1974
Box 9 Folder 5-7
Rejoice Young Man - Original typescript

Testimony: The United States, 1885-1915

Testimony: The United States, 1885-1890

Box 10 Folder 1
TS with preface and corrections
Box 10 Folder 2
Unmarked carbon of final TS
Box 10 Folder 3
Final printing version, corrections
Box 10 Folder 4
Proof sheets, with corrections
Box 10 Folder 5
Carbon of title page with notes on page and separate note on "the right of privacy"
Box 10 Folder 6
Outline of sections and lists of characters
Box 10 Folder 7
Reviews from 60s and early 70s

Testimony: The United States, 1891-1895

Box 10 Folder 8-9
First TS with corrections
Box 11 Folder 1-2
Carbon of first TS, corrections
Box 11 Folder 3
Carbon - Marked "as submitted to New Directions and afterwards revised"
Box 11 Folder 4
Carbon of TS, sent to New Directions, with corrections

Early TS draft, with source materials

Box 11 Folder 5
"South" section
Box 11 Folder 6-7
"West" section
Box 12 Folder 1-2
"North" section
Box 12 Folder 3
Revision of "South" section

Testimony: The United States, 1896-1900

Box 12 Folder 4
First draft - Handwritten outline, with xerox of original source materials
Box 12 Folder 5
Cover, with markings
Box 12 Folder 6-11
Original MS. 1891-1895 and 1896-1900 were originally conceived as separate books, this is the first attempt at merger, with corrections
Box 13 Folder 1-6
Carbon TS
Box 13 Folder 7
Final copy for private printing

Testimony: The United States, 1901-1905

Box 13 Folder 8-11
Source materials from law journals, with notes
Box 14 Folder 1-2
TS with numerous corrections
Box 14 Folder 3-8
Carbon of original TS. First assimilation of materials from 1901-1905 and 1906-1910

Testimony: The United States, 1901-1910

Box 14 Folder 9-14
Original MS with corrections, with some carbon and TS pages
Box 15 Folder 1-7
Carbon of original sent to England for Ferry Press edition (1968) with paste-ups and corrections, pages 1-236
Box 16 Folder 1-3
Carbon of original sent to England for Ferry Press edition (1968) with paste-ups and corrections, pages 238-308
Box 16 Folder 4-16
Carbons and discards, items with corrections

Testimony: The United States, 1911-1915

Box 17 Folder 1
Source materials from law journals
Box 17 Folder 2
TS with corrections and additional law journal notes
Box 17 Folder 3
Early drafts and source materials
Box 17 Folder 4
Copy sent to Stephen Berg of American Poetry Review, letter enclosed

Idea File

Box 17 Folder 5
Idea File - index
Box 17 Folder 6
Idea File - a
Box 17 Folder 7
Idea File - b
Box 17 Folder 8
Idea File - c
Box 17 Folder 9
Idea File - f
Box 17 Folder 10
Idea File - j
Box 17 Folder 11
Idea File - k
Box 17 Folder 12
Idea File - m
Box 17 Folder 13
Idea File - p
Box 17 Folder 14
Idea File - r
Box 17 Folder 15
Idea File - s
Box 17 Folder 16
Idea File - t
Box 17 Folder 17
Idea File - w

Lectures and Readings

American Jewish Historical Society

Box 18 Folder 1
Introduction to lecture titled "The Jews in American and English Poetry", 1965 - 1965
Box 18 Folder 2-5
Xeroxes and paste-ups of poems organized with notes as materials for lecture series
Box 18 Folder 6
"Introductions," file compiled by C.R. including introductions for readings
Box 18 Folder 7
Sparrow Lecture Series - TS of lecture given as part of series and carbon copy of speech for series

The Menorah Journal

Box 18 Folder 8-9
Short stories by C.R. for MJ, including: "Apocrypha," offprint; "In the Country," offprint; "Meetings and Partings, Friends and Strangers," offprint; Murder will Out," TS; "Nudnik," offprint; "Passage after Arms," offprint; "The Snow on the Garage," TS; untitled story on David Franks, TS
Box 18 Folder 10
Article by C.R. on The Menorah Journal for Midstream, and Reviews of The Menorah Journal
Box 18 Folder 11
"Epitaph for a Jewish Magazine: Notes on The Menorah Journal," from Commentary , 1965 - 1965

Notes

Box 18 Folder 12
Notes for a Diary, 1959 - 1959
Box 18 Folder 13
Notes on "Projects to Finish"
Box 18 Folder 14
Notes by C.R. concerning himself, his writings, thoughts, etc
Box 18 Folder 15
Notes and source materials for article on Mayer Sulzherger
Box 18 Folder 16
Notes for prose on Salvador, and Bennetto and Major Noah
Box 18 Folder 17
Notes concerning the Jews of Cleveland - Includes letters sent to Sidney Vincent, a Cleveland Jew
Box 18 Folder 18
Notes and TS of historical prose fragments - Prose fragments on a newspaper reporter for the New York Herald in mid 1850s
Box 18 Folder 19
Notes and prose fragments, 1946 - 1946
Box 18 Folder 20
Notes for article on Karl Shapiro

Notes on Composition Theory

Box 19 Folder 1
Articles from The Nation (1961), with passages underlined with regards to the problem of "writing history," and untitled poem on the difference between writing prose and verse
Box 19 Folder 2
"The Method of Revision," file titled by C.R. with originals and xeroxes of both notes and newspaper clippings; underlined , with notes in margins
Box 19 Folder 3
"The Objectivist Press," notes by C.R
Box 19 Folder 4
"The secret of effective narrative verse," and "as to method"
Box 19 Folder 5
"Studies in the Rhythm of Dialogue"
Box 19 Folder 6
Cut out page from book (title?) with excerpts by C.R. on "writing biography"

Poetry

Collection of Poetry from 1973-1975

Box 19 Folder 7-8
Items with corrections
Box 19 Folder 9
With extensive corrections , including "Incident in Mexico" and "The Good Old Days"
Box 19 Folder 10
Curse, poem with corrections
Box 19 Folder 11
Good Old Days: Recitative, Historical episodes in verse. Edited and sent to Stephen Berg of American Poetry Review, May 1975
Box 19 Folder 12
Recitative, carbon
Box 19 Folder 13
Rhythms III: Walking in New York. Marked "sent to Malanga," for inclusion in Autumn 1975 issue of Transatlantic Review, no. 52

Miscellaneous Writings

Box 19 Folder 14
Character sketches in prose

Charleston Jews

Box 19 Folder 15
Proposal for novel based on life of Frances Marion

Notes on Charleston Jews

Box 19 Folder 16
Notes and prose drafts for early history Charleston Jews, also find New York City Public Library receipts for newspapers from the 1830's, presumably check-out by C.R. as source materials
Box 19 Folder 17
Notes from McCrady, book of history of South Carolina, with notes and prose fragments by C.R. drawn from the text
Box 19 Folder 18
Note on ironical close to Charlestown; 1780

Charlestown: A Historical Novel

Box 19 Folder 19
Typescript

The Palmetto Fly

Box 19 Folder 20
Notes and TS of 2nd version of novel's opening
Box 19 Folder 21
TS with extensive correction
Box 19 Folder 22
Speech, typescript. Titled "The Life and times of Early American Jews, 1645-1800, in Charleston, South Carolina, and in the Beginning of the Congregation Beth Elohim"
Box 19 Folder 23
Current Prose 1954. File titled by C.R. containing notes for a novel on David Franks and Aaron Lopez, theme of American Jewry

Encyclopedia Judaica materials

Box 19 Folder 24
MS of article on Irving Kauffman
Box 19 Folder 25
Collected articles
Box 19 Folder 26
First There is Need - Xerox with corrections; essay published by Black Sparrow Press as Sparrow 52
Box 19 Folder 27
Four Themes for a Novel

File titled by figure from Elizabethan history and murder of Pesach Rubenstein, for more on C.R.'s writings on Rubenstein, see Pesach Rubenstein Materials

Box 19 Folder 28
Imaginative Prose, ca. 1955

File titled by C.R. with: notes and outlines for stories, two poems, and TS for Diaspora; 1st Century B.C.E.

Julius Rosenmann materials

Box 19 Folder 29
In Memoriam: Julius (Judah) Rosenmann (d.1961)
Box 19 Folder 30
Prose concerning Julius Rosemann from diary entry, 1951 - 1951
Box 20 Folder 1
Man of Honour - Thoughts on Louis Marshal
Box 20 Folder 2-3
Manuscript of a Novel Never Completed. A folder labeled by C.R., containing short prose from late 1930s early 1940s and verse fragments from the same period
Box 20 Folder 4
Pesach Rubenstein materials. Notes and rough draft (ca. 1947-50) on the Pesach Rubenstein murder case, including xerox of pamphlet "Thrilling Mysteries of the Pesach Rubenstein Murder" (1876)
Box 20 Folder 5
Story of Old Woman - Based on conversations with Julius Rosenmann, ca. 1951
Box 20 Folder 6
Tales of Benjamin III - TS and notes

REVIEWS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 3) REVIEWS: Reviews of writings by Reznikoff which are not previously listed under their respective titles in the Writings series.

Box 20 Folder 7
Black Sparrow Press editions of C.R.'s work
Box 20 Folder 8
Family Chronicle , 1968
Box 20 Folder 9
Five Groups of Verse , 1927
Box 20 Folder 10
Nine Plays , 1927
Box 20 Folder 11
Poems, 1920
Box 20 Folder 12
Reading in Cleveland, 1969
Box 20 Folder 13
Inscriptions: 1944 - 1956, in Newleader

PERSONAL ARTIFACTS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 4) PERSONAL ARTIFACTS: Mailing lists, address books, Reznikoff's law school notes, photos, and other personal ephemera.

Box 20 Folder 14
Address list
Box 20 Folder 15
Addresses, in composition book
Box 20 Folder 16
Addresses/mailing list for Family Chronicle
Box 20 Folder 17
Books to Read, list suggested by Kenneth Rexroth, and list compiled by C.R
Box 20 Folder 18
Brief biography of C.R
Box 20 Folder 19
Draft card and autographed copy of the U.S. Army's Infantry Drill Regulations
Box 20 Folder 20
Law school notes, 1912 - 1916
Box 20 Folder 21
Men of Achievement Award, 1973 - 1973
Box 20 Folder 22
Photos - George Oppen, Allen Ginsberg and others from the National Poetry Festival, Allendale, Michigan
Box 20 Folder 23
Xeroxes of biographical information on Reznikoff
Box 20 Folder 24
Things to do today - memo pad

MATERIALS RELATING TO REZNIKOFF'S PARENTS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 5) MATERIALS RELATING TO REZNIKOFF'S PARENTS: Writings by Nathan and Sarah Reznikoff, both of whose memoirs were used by Charles as the basis of later writings. The original manuscript of Sarah Reznikoff's autobiography is in an extremely fragile condition, and photocopies on acid-free paper have been made for preservation purposes.

Nathan Reznikoff

Box 20 Folder 25
Letter to N.R., and prose by N.R

Memoirs of Nathan Reznikoff

Box 20 Folder 26
Yiddish version
Box 20 Folder 27
Original binder
Box 21 Folder 1
English translation - Formed basis of "Early History of a Sewing Machine Operator" (1936)

Sarah Reznikoff

Autobiography

Box 21 Folder 2-3
Typescript & copies
Box 21 Folder 4-6
Manuscript
Box 21 Folder 7
Manuscript copy - Part I
Box 22 Folder 1-2
Manuscript copy - Part II-III
Box 22 Folder 3
Memoirs, the basis of "Early History of a Seamstress" -- MS. Bound composition book

WRITINGS BY OTHERS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 6) WRITINGS BY OTHERS: Materials by George Oppen and Marie Syrkin (Reznikoff's wife), as well as reviews of other poets' works.

Box 22 Folder 4
Oppen, George, Discrete Series - TS of Oppen's first book

Enclosed in boards and titled "1930's" on first page. "Zukofsky" is written on title page, with "George Oppen" written over it in C.R.'s handwriting. TS has numerous revisions and different arrangement than published version.

Box 22 Folder 5
Syrkin, Marie, Gleanings - Review
Box 22 Folder 6
Reviews and newsclippings relating to other poets

Accession Processed in 1990

CORRESPONDENCE

Scope and Content of Series

Series 7) CORRESPONDENCE: Two folders of letters written by the poet to his wife, Marie Syrkin, between 1928 and 1939; an informal letter of will dated 1961; several letters written to Marie following Reznikoff's death in 1976; and a few miscellaneous correspondences.

Box 23 Folder 1-2
Letters from Reznikoff to Marie Syrkin - Includes journal entries. AL, TL, typescript carbons, 1928 - 1961

Letters to Marie Syrkin after Reznikoff's death

Box 23 Folder 3
From Black Sparrow Press, (TL), 1976
Box 23 Folder 4
Miscellaneous Correspondence, (TL)
Box 23 Folder 5
Unidentified Correspondence, (TL), 1933 May 16

AUTHOR'S COLLECTION

Scope and Content of Series

Series 8) AUTHOR'S COLLECTION: Annotated copies of the following published works: Five Groups of Verse (1927); Going To And Fro And Walking Up And Down (1941); By The Waters of Manhattan (1962); Testimony: The United States (1885-1890) (1965); "JOB" in Chelsea 24/25 (1968); Testimony: The United States(1891-1900) (1968); By the Well of Living and Seeing and The Fifth Book of the Maccabees (1969); and By the Well of Living and Seeing: New and Selected Poems, 1918-1973 (1974). These items were acquired along with the original collection of Reznikoff's papers, but they were previously shelved in the Archive for New Poetry's "Author Collection."

Box 23 Folder 6
Five Groups of Verse - Annotated copy (hard-bound book), 1927
Box 23 Folder 7
Going To and Fro and Walking Up and Down - Annotated copy (hard-bound book), 1941
Box 24 Folder 1
By the Waters of Manhattan (soft-bound copy) - Copy has some missing sections and pages, 1962
Box 24 Folder 2
Testimony: The United States (1885-1890) (two paperback books) - Copy has missing pages, 1965
Box 24 Folder 3
JOB in Chelsea 24/25 - Annotated copy, 1968
Box 24 Folder 4
Testimony the United States (1891-1900) - Annotated copy (paperback book), 1968
Box 24 Folder 5
By the Well of Living and Seeing and The Fifth Book of the Maccabees - Annotated copies (3 paperback books), 1969
Box 24 Folder 6
By the Well of Living and Seeing: New and Selected Poems - Annotated copy with individual inserted notes (paperback book), 1974

Accession Processed in 1991

CORRESPONDENCE

Scope and Content of Series

Series 9) CORRESPONDENCE: Includes a strikingly personal collection of love letters from Reznikoff to Marie Syrkin, written before their marriage in 1930. The letters are undated.

Box 25 Folder 1
Boni, Charles, 1930
Box 25 Folder 2-3
Syrkin, Marie, 1930
Box 25 Folder 4
Pool, David de Sola, 1953

CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 10) CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS: Various personal documents, including Reznikoff's high school diploma and his law degree.

Oversize MC-037-05
Miscellaneous

FINANCIAL RECORDS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 11) FINANCIAL RECORDS: A record of Reznikoff's activities between 1947 and 1976 can be traced through entries in income and expense journals and notebooks. Reznikoff meticulously noted all his expenses including income derived from poetry readings.

Income and Expense Journals

Box 25 Folder 6
1947 - 1962
Box 25 Folder 7
1948 - 1962
Box 25 Folder 8
1965 - 1974
Box 25 Folder 9
1968 - 1975

Expense Notebooks

Box 26 Folder 1
1975
Box 26 Folder 2
1976

MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 12) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS: Includes a photograph of Reznikoff, two poems by the poet, and Al Lewin memorabilia.

Box 26 Folder 3
Al Lewin memorabilia
Box 26 Folder 4
Photograph of Reznikoff
Box 26 Folder 5
Two poems by Reznikoff ("Sonnet I" and "Day by Day")