Preliminary Inventory of the Roma Stewart Goodwin Blackburn Papers, 1942-1985 and undated

Collection Overview

Primarily correspondence between Roma Blackburn and literary personages, including former students of her husband, William Maxwell Blackburn, professor at Duke University. Also includes poem by Rose Styron, clippings about the poet Elizabeth Bishop, and a program from Bishop's memorial service. One volume, Heart and Home: A Memoir, was written by Mrs. Blackburn. Correspondence includes: letters and postcards from Elizabeth Bishop discussing travels, intellectual life, and literary interests; letters from William Styron discussing fund-raising in memory of Professor William Blackburn for the Duke University Capital Campaign for the Arts and Sciences; letters from Alice Methfessel, close friend of Elizabeth Bishop; and letters from Professor Blackburn's former students Sean Devereaux, Guy Davenport, and Josephine Humphreys Hutcheson. (1964-1984) (46 items) (.2 linear feet)

This addition (218 items, 1942-1985) includes letters to Blackburn from Reynolds Price and Wallace Fowlie and others regarding invitations, travel plans, news, and condolences; material related to the William Blackburn Fund; correspondence from Blackburn's summers in Magog; a story by Max Steele; 23 manuscript pages of Blackburn's autobiography; copies of tributes to William Blackburn from William Styron and Max Steele as well as statistics on the number of students he taught; and photographs (61 black-and-white prints, 4 color prints, 1 color slide, and 2 black-and-white negatives) of Tennessee Williams, Fred Chappell, William Styron, Sean Devereaux, Wallace Fowlie, and William Blackburn as well as other family members. An unidentified audio tape is included. (.6 linear feet) (acc#01-0036)

Addition (2012-0038) (0.4 lin. ft., 300 items) includes personal correspondence to Roma Blackburn from family members and others, clippings and photographs of William Blackburn, and a recording of William Styron reading from Lie Down in Darkness. Also included are writings and notes by William Blackburn mostly relating to his W.B. Yeats research.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Roma Stewart Goodwin Blackburn Papers, 1942-1985 and undated
Creator: Blackburn, Roma Stewart Goodwin
Extent: 1.2 Linear Feet , 564 Items
Repository: David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University
Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Language: English.

Administrative Information

Collections are on the move for the renovation of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Contact Rubenstein Library staff before visiting. Read More »

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

However, some of the additions to this collection are not immediately accessible, because they require further processing before use.

In addition, patrons must sign the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.

Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library.

Contents of the Collection

Browse List of Series

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Accession March 1, 1982

Correspondence, 1978-1984

"Brenley," Magog, Canada, and Durham, NC

Box 1

Accession April 30, 1984

Addresses and writings, ca. 1967

Box 1

Clippings, 1978-1983

Box 1

Heart and Home: A Memoir

Box 1

Accession 2001-0036

Some of the materials in this collection are not immediately accessible, because they require further processing before use. Technical Services staff need to reformat newspaper clippings; make use copy of audio cassette tape; resleeve photographs. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Unidentified audio cassette tape

Box 1

Photographs

Includes 61 black and white photos, 5 color photos, 1 color slide, 2 black and white negatives. Photo subjects include Tennessee Williams, Fred Chappell, William Styron, Sean Devereaux, Wallace Fowlie, and William Blackburn (head shots and candid shots), and other unidentified authors and family members.

(2 folders)

Box 1

Letters received, 1973-1981

Includes regular correspondence and catching up letters, invitations and travel plans, academic news, and condolence letters.

(1 folder)

Box 1

Letters received, 1973-1981

Includes regular correspondence and catching up letters, invitations and travel plans, academic news, and condolence letters.

(3 folders)

Box 2

Letters received, 1973-1985

Includes correspondence from Roma Blackburn's summers in Magog, a memorial article about William Blackburn, and information about a biography being written. Frequent correspondents include Reynolds Price and Wallace Fowlie.

(2 folders)

Box 2

Materials on the Blackburn Campaign (for scholarships) 1962-1984

Box 2

Roma Blackburn's autobiography, p. 196-219

Box 2

Testimonials and teaching - William Blackburn

Box 2

Letters from Wallace Fowlie to Roma Blackburn, 1973-1981

Box 2

Story by Max Steele, mailed to Roma Blackburn 1980

Box 2