DACS

uawilliamskj Inventory of the Kenny J. Williams Papers, 1971-1995 Processed by: Jessica Wood; machine-readable finding aid created by: Sherrie Bowser University Archives Duke University Durham, N.C., USA

Aleph Number: 003804680

Machine-readable finding aid derived from XML authoring program. Date of source: November 2006Processed by Jessica Wood, November 2006; Finding Aid encoded by Sherrie Bowser, University Archives, Duke University, November 2006 Description is in English Finding aid was prepared using DACS and our local Style Guide Inventory of the Kenny J. Williams Papers, 1971-1995 University Archives Duke University Durham, North Carolina 27708-0185 USA

Descriptive Summary University Archives, Duke University Williams, Kenny Jackson, 1927-2003. Kenny J. Williams Papers, 1971-1995 Material in English 3.0 Linear Feet 2, 000 Items For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog. Kenny Williams was a professor of English at Duke University. Her collection includes memorabilia, correspondence, department memoranda and manuscripts. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Patrons must sign the Acknowledgement of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.

For a period of twenty-five years from the origin of the material, permission in writing from the office of origin and the University Archivist is required for use. After twenty-five years, records that have been processed may be consulted with the permission of the University Archivist.

In off-site storage; 24 hours advance notice is required for use.

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Kenny J. Williams Papers, University Archives, Duke University.

Provenance

The Kenny J. Williams Papers were received by the University Archives as a transfer in 2004.

Processing Information

Processed by Jessica Wood, November 2006

Encoded by Sherrie Bowser, November 2006

Accession A2004-14 is described in this finding aid.

Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and our local Style Guide.

This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.

Biographical Note

Born in Omaha, NE, Kenny Williams grew up in Chicago where her father served as a Baptist pastor. She received a B.A. from Benedict College in 1949, her first M.A. degree from De Paul University in 1950, and her second M.A. and her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1959 and 1961, respectively. After teaching at Tennessee A and I State University, and at Northeastern Illinois State University, she joined the faculty of the Duke English Department in 1977, where she specialized in Midwestern and African-American literature. In 1991 she was nominated by President George H. W. Bush to the advisory counsel of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Among her published works include They Also Spoke: An Essay on Negro Literature in America, 1787-1930, In the City of Men: Another Story of Chicago, Prairie Voices: A Literary History of Chicago from the Frontier to 13 and A Storyteller for a City: Sherwood Anderson's Chicago. At the time of her death in 2003, Williams had been writing on literature of the Civil War era for the Dictionary of Literary Biography series.

Collection Overview

Contains greeting cards, brochures, correspondence, departmental memoranda, course materials, committee minutes, and manuscripts of Williams' article "The Masking of the Novelist" and her book In the City of Men: Another Story of Chicago. Also includes documents relating to the President's Council on Black Affairs, the Nixon Library controversy, and the Phi Beta Kappa selection committees. Minutes, private correspondence and reports of the English Department and the University should be restricted. Receipts, recommendation letters, grade disputes and ephemeral correspondence were discarded for processing. Correspondence was removed from envelopes and foldered.

Subject Headings

These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.

American literature 19th century Study and teaching (Higher). American literature--African American authors--History and criticism theory, etc. Duke University. Dept. of English--Faculty. National Endowment for the Humanities. Williams, Kenny Jackson, 1927-2003. Related Material Department of English Records, 1926 – ongoing. University Archives. Duke University. Nixon Library Controversy Collection, 1981-2001. University Archives. Duke University. Committee Against the Nixon-Duke Library Records, 1981. University Archives. Duke University. Black History at Duke Reference Collection, 1948-2001 and undated University Archives. Duke University. Contents of Collection Container List 2 Boxes 1 "The Masking of the Novelist" Miscellaneous Cards, Memorabilia Miscellaneous Cards, Memorabilia In the City of Men, manuscript Correspondence, Department Memoranda, Memorabilia, 1986 Correspondence, 1975-1983 (RESTRICTED) Correspondence, 1983-1985 Schmid Elementary School Condolences, 1979 2 American Literature to 1865 Afro-American Novel, 1853-1906 1890s - Literary Profile 169s.04 - Spring 1995 Department Documents, 1995 Department Documents, 1985-1986 Department Documents, 1985 Department Memoranda, Correspondence, 1981-1988 Friends of Art Museum Committee Bevan (Provost) Memos Minority Affairs and President's Council Long-Range Planning Committee Course Outlines - Miscellaneous Presidential Council on Black Affairs Advisory Committee on Afro-American Studies Hiring Advisory Committee Memoranda Curriculum Committee, 1986-1987 Afro-American Committee President's Council 267 - Outlines and Problems Nixon Library Nixon Flap University Planning Committee Report, 1980 177 - Rise of the American Novel Letter to Chairman, 1977 Faculty Associates, Admissions Department Documents, 1977-1978 Correspondence, 1977-1980 Department Documents, 1988-1991 Duke Retrenchment, Clippings, 1980 Admissions Decisions Committee Academic Plan Draft, 1987 Directions for Progress - Report to the Board of Trustees, 1980 Phi Beta Kappa Committees and Bylaws Spring Initiation Speaker, 1991