Gwendolyn Brooks Collection, 1909-2003 | Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Title: Gwendolyn Brooks Collection, 1909-2003

Predominant Dates:bulk 1960-2000

ID: 01/01/MSS00086

Primary Creator: Brooks, Gwendolyn (1917-2000)

Extent: 200.0 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 09/19/2013

Subjects: Poets, American - 20th century

Languages: English

Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) was an American poet and educator born in Topeka, Kansas and raised on the South Side of Chicago. In 1950, Brooks was the first Black person to win a Pulitzer Prize in any category, receiving the award in Poetry for Annie Allen (1949). At the core of this book is "The Anniad," an epic poem that details the life of a young woman in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. Brooks was a beloved mentor to many poets and artists from the Black Arts movement, and started the Illinois Poet Laureate Awards to encourage poetry writing amongst young people. During her life, Brooks received numerous accolades for her work, including her appointment as Poet Laureate of Illinois in 1968 and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (now the Poet Laureate of the United States) in 1985.

This record does not contain collection content for the first series of the Gwendolyn Brooks Collection. Series 1, which contains alphabetical correspondence and correspondence files, was separated from the rest of the collection in an attempt to improve load times. Click here to view series 1 (temporarily MS00086a).

Poet Gwendolyn Brooks was born to parents David Anderson and Keziah Wims Brooks on June 7, 1917 in Topeka, Kansas. A few weeks later, her family moved to Chicago where she would live for the rest of her life. Brooks began writing at an early age and was encouraged by her mother saying, "You are going to be the lady Paul Laurence Dunbar." When she was 13, her poem "Eventide" was published in the children's magazine American Childhood [1]. By the time she graduated high school, Brooks had published over one hundred poems in the "Lights and Shadows" poetry column of the Chicago Defender [2]. After high school, Brooks graduated from a two-year program at Wilson Junior College [3]. In 1939, she married Henry Blakely, Jr. whom she met after joining the Chicago NAACP Youth Council. They soon had their first child, Henry III, and later their daughter, Nora.

Early in her career, Brooks was encouraged by poet James Weldon Johnson and Harlem Renaissance writers Langston Hughes and Richard Wright [4]. In her work, Brooks drew inspiration from her life and surroundings in Chicago. Her first book of poetry, A Street in Bronzeville (1945), received praise for its authentic portraits of the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. Her second collection of poems, Annie Allen (1949), chronicles the life of a young Black Bronzeville girl. It was for this book that Brooks won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for poetry, making her the first Black person to win the award in any category [5].

In the 1960s, Brooks work became more overtly political as she became close with activists and writers involved in the Black Arts Movement, a group of artists whose work reflected the cultural side of the growing Black Power movement [6]. She became especially close with Haki Madhubuti, to whom she became both a mentor and a mother figure. Soon Brooks began working exclusively with Black publishers, especially Broadside Press, founded by her close friend Dudley Randall, and Third World Press, founded by Madhubuti. In the 1980s, Brooks also established her own imprint called The David Company.

Throughout her long career, Brooks published more than twenty books of poetry, including The Bean Eaters (1960), Selected Poems (1963), In the Mecca (1968), Riot (1969), Family Pictures (1970), Aloneness (1971), Beckonings (1975), To Disembark (1981), Black Love (1982), The Near-Johannesburg Boy and Other Poems (1986), Blacks (1987), Gottschalk and the Grand Tarantelle (1988), Winnie (1988), and Children Coming Home (1991). She also published one novel, Maud Martha (1953), as well as children's literature such as Bronzeville Boys and Girls (1956) and The Tiger Who Wore White Gloves (1974). Brooks also published two autobiographies, Report from Part One (1972), and Report from Part Two (1995).

In addition to her writing, Brooks taught poetry and creative writing at numerous colleges and universities. In 1990, the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing was founded at Chicago State University, where Brooks served as distinguished professor and writer-in-residence [7]. Brooks influenced generations of writers, not only with her words, but with her actions. For most of the year, she traveled the country to perform her poetry for children of all ages as well as at universities, public libraries, hospitals, and prisons. As she especially encouraged young poets, Brooks sponsored youth poetry awards for over thirty years. Renowned for her generosity, Brooks dedicated her life to promoting the value of poetry and inspiring young writers.

Brooks was the recipient of more than seventy-five honorary doctorates and countless accolades [8]. In 1968, she was appointed Poet Laureate of Illinois, a position which she held until her death in 2000 [9]. In 1985, Brooks was selected for an honorary one-year term as the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress [10]. She received lifetime achievement awards from both the National Endowment for the Arts in 1989 and the National Book Foundation in 1994. Brooks then received the National Endowment for the Humanities' highest honor when she was named the 1994 Jefferson Lecturer. The next year, Brooks received the National Medal of Arts.

Today, Gwendolyn Brooks' legacy persists as one of the most significant poets of the twentieth century, because of both her contribution to American literature and her kindness and generosity, especially toward young poets and authors of color.

Poets, American - 20th century

Repository: Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Acquisition Source: Nora Brooks Blakely

Related Materials:

Celebrating Brooks @ 100

Gwendolyn Brooks Supplementary Materials

Finding Aid Revision History: This finding aid is experiencing ongoing revision, beginning in June 2023.

Box and Folder Listing

Series 8: Contests and Scholarships

Sub-series 1: Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Box 452

Folder 1: “1970 ‘Poet Laureate’ Notes”, 1970

Folder 2: Tiggs, Yolanda letter to Gwendolyn Brooks, 1970

Folder 3: “Poet Laureate Awards 1971 & 1972”

Item 1: Poet Laureate Awards speech transcript, 1971

Item 2: Poem by Black, Barbara, “My God – Savior or Enemy?”, 1971

Item 3: List of Poet Laureate Award winners and a copy of a poem by Williams, Willie, “A Will”, 1972

Item 4: “Poet Laureate Awards 1971 & 1972” envelope, undated

File 4: "1972"

Folder 4.1: Submissions, 1972

Folder 5 includes notes by Gwendolyn Brooks.

Folder 4.2: Names, addresses, and phone numbers, submission draft of packet, and news clipping, 1972

Includes an invoice for Harlo Printing Company (1974).

Folder 4.3: Notes and receipt, 1972, 1974

Includes invoice for Harlo Printing Company (1974).

File 5: “Poet Laureate 1973 material (“Winning” 20 poems)”

Folder 5.1-5.2: Submissions, 1973

Folder 5.3: Packet, 1973

Includes a Fourth Annual Poet Laureate Awards 1973 booklet.

Folder 5.4: Notes with names, addresses and phone numbers and packet draft, 1973

Includes a partial annotated draft for the Fourth Annual Poet Laureate Awards 1973 booklet and an address list for finalists.

Folder 5.5: Correspondence

Item 1: Bieze, Linda card, 1973

Item 2: Connole, Marguerite (Madison Public Schools), 1973

Item 3: Dennis, Marilyn, 1973

Item 4: Goodkind, Allan (Murray F. Tulley High School), 1973

Item 5: Guzeman, Tracy envelope, 1973

Item 6: Kuzmyn, Steven, 1973

Folder 5.6: “Poet Laureate 1973 material (“Winning” 20 poems)” envelope, undated

Folder 6: 4th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards, 1973

Includes publication and draft of speech.

Folder 7-8: 5th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards, 1974

Folder 7: Submissions, 1974

Folder 8: List of Poet Laureate Award winners, packet, notes, and envelope, 1974

File 9: "Poet Laureate Awards 1975"

Folder 9.1: Submissions, 1975

Folder 9.2: Correspondence, 1975

Includes correspondence to Denny, Jack from Ray, Tom and thank you cards from school children.

Folder 9.3: News clipping and note, 1975

Folder 9.4: “6th Poet Laureate 1975 Awards” envelope, 1975

Folder 9.5: Submissions and “Poet Laureate Awards 1975” envelope, 1975

Box 453

File 1: "Seventh Annual Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1976"

Folder 1.1: Submissions, 1976

Folder 1.2: Packets and winners list, 1976

Folder 1.3: Correspondence, 1976

Includes correspondence by Norris, Hoke.

Folder 1.4: Packet, 1976

File 2: Eighth Poet Laureate Awards June 7, 1977"

Folder 2.1: Submissions, 1977

Folder 2.2: Correspondence, 1977

Item 1-2: Bruckner, D. J. R., 1977

Item 3: Franklin, Mary Ann, 1977

Folder 2.3: Notes on winners, 1977

Folder 2.4: News clipping, 1977

Folder 2.5: “1977” envelope, 1977

File 3: "9th Annual Poet Laureate Awards 1978"

Folder 3.1: Submissions, 1978

Folder 3.2: Notes and “1978” envelope, 1978

File 4: "No. 10"

Folder 4.1: Submissions and printed booklet, 1978

Folder 4.2: Correspondence, 1978

Item 1: Andoniadis, Lisa, 1979

Item 2: Breneman, Kim, 1978

Include postcard and poems.

Item 3: Tessler, Sherry, 1978

Item 4: Williams, Thelma J., 1979

Folder 4.3: Packets, 1978

Folder 4.4-4.7: Chicago History enclosures, 1978

Folder 4.8: Chicago History and enclosures, 1978

Folder 4.9: Notes, announcements, speech, and envelope, 1978

Envelope removed to oversized.

Folder 5: 10th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards, publications, 1978

Box 454

File 1: "1980 Eleventh Poet Laureate Awards"

Folder 1.1-1.2: Submissions, 1980

Folder 2: 11th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards, submissions, 1980

Folder 1-3: Submissions, 1980

Folder 4: Speech draft, announcement, and correspondence, 1980

Folder 5: Notes and announcement, 1980

Folder 6: Newsprint, 1980

Folder 7: Photographs

Envelope removed to oversized.

File 3: "1980"

Folder 3.1: Speech draft, announcement, and correspondence, 1980

Folder 3.2: Notes and announcement, 1980

Folder 3.3: Newsprint, 1980

Folder 3.4: Photographs, 1980

Envelope removed to oversized.

File 4: “12th Poet Laureate Awards June 11, 1981”

Folder 4.1-4.2: Submissions, 1981

Folder 4.3: Correspondence, 1981

Item 1: Anderson, Barbara, 1981

Item 2: Saylor, Joanna, 1981

Item 3: Peroutka, Verna, circa 1981

Item 4: Unaddressed letter draft from Gwendolyn Brooks, circa 1981

Folder 4.4-4.5: Printed Packets, 1981

Folder 4.6: Speech notes and winners lists, 1981

Folder 4.7: Notes, 1981

Folder 4.8: Newspaper clippings, 1981

Folder 4.9: Newspaper, 1981

Folder 4.10: Advertisement, correspondence, and envelope, 1981

File 5: “Poet Laureate Award Material”

Folder 5.1: Correspondence

Item 1: Anderson, Barbara N., 1981

Item 2: Hirn, Kathryn, 1980

Folder 5.2: Correspondence

Item 1: Hirn, Kathryn, 1980

Includes “Heritage (L’Chaim!)” poem.

Item 2: Wille, Lois (Chicago Sun-Times), undated

Item 3: Williams, Mattie A. (City of Chicago. Board of Education), 1981

Folder 5.3: List and newspaper

Item 1: “Twelfth Poet Laureate Awards” listing, undated

Item 2: Chicago Sun-Times newspaper clipping, 1979

Folder 5.4: Newspaper and envelope

Item 1: Issue of Chicago Sun-Times (June 16), 1981

Two copies.

Item 2: “Poet Laureate Award Material” envelope, undated

Box 455

File 1: "13th Annual Illinois Poet Laureate Awards”

Folder 1.1: Submissions, 1982

Folder 1.2: Correspondence, 1982

Item 1: Invitations from Gwendolyn Brooks, 1982

Item 2: Jones, Anna M. (Gwendolyn Brooks Junior High School), 1982

Includes poems from students.

Item 3: Seaton, Maureen (McHenry Alternative High School), 1992

Folder 1.3-1.5: Printed packet, 1982

Folder 1.6-1.8: Printed poems, 1982

Folder 1.9: "13th Annual Illinois Poet Laureate Awards” envelope, 1982

Folder 2: 13th Annual Illinois Poet Laureate Awards, Correspondence and poem from student and finalist, 1982

File 3: "14th Annual Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1983”

Folder 3.1: Submissions, 1983

Folder 3.2: Correspondence, 1982

Item 1: Benter, Doris, 1983

Item 2: St. John, E., circa 1983

Item 3: Yu, Timothy, 1983

Folder 3.3-3.4: Printed Packet, 1982

Folder 3.5: Announcements (draft) and notes, 1983

Folder 3.6: "14th Annual Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1983” envelope, 1983

File 4: “Poet Laureate Clippings”

Folder 4.1: News clippings and event announcement, 1983

Folder 4.2: Program (Cedar Art Center), 1983

Box 456

File 1: "1984 15th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards Winners Typed And Manuscripts (with addresses)”

Folder 1.1: Submissions, 1984

Folder 1.2: Printed packet, 1984

Folder 1.3: Notes, correspondence, and envelope, 1984

File 2: "Special"

Folder 2.1: Printed packet, 1984

Folder 2.2: Correspondence, 1984

Item 1: Ammar, Alia, 1984

Includes only correspondence by Gwendolyn Brooks.

Item 2: Deal, Wendy, 1984

Includes only correspondence by Gwendolyn Brooks.

Folder 2.3: Lists and publications, 1984

Folder 4: “Special” envelope, 1984

Folder 3-8: 16th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards, Special “Health” Competition, 1985

Folder 3: Submissions, 1985

Folder 4: Packet (printed incomplete draft) and correspondence, 1985

Folder 5: Publication and correspondence, 1985

Includes correspondence by Nuno, Teresa and by Haas, Shirley.

Folder 6: Correspondence, 1985

Includes correspondence by Haas, Shirley and photo of Gwendolyn Brooks with winners.

Folder 7: Correspondence

Item 1: Athanasen, Steve, 1985

Item 2: Wilkinson, Rhonda, 1985

Folder 8: Note and announcement, 1985

File 9: “Poet Laureate 1985”

Folder 9.1: Submissions, 1985

Folder 9.2-9.3: Printed packet, 1985

Folder 9.4: Publication and newspaper, 1985

Includes a copy of Young Poet’s Primer, a grouping of poetry submissions for the 1984 Poet Laureate Awards, and newspaper clippings from the Chicago Sun-Times. Contains a separation sheet.

Box 457

Folder 1-5: 17th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards, 1986

Folder 1: Notes, lists, and correspondence, 1986

Includes correspondence by Rothberg, Nancy.

Folder 2-5: Packets, 1986

Box 458

Item 1: “Laureate Awards 1986” box, 1986

Box 459

File 1: “1986 17th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards”

Folder 1.1: Submissions, 1986

Folder 1.2: Packet, 1986

Folder 1.3: Lists, 1986

Folder 1.4: “1986 17th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards” folder, 1986

File 2: “18th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1987”

Folder 2.1-2.2: Submissions, 1987

Folder 2.3: Correspondence

Item 1: Alexander, Margaret Walker, 1987

Item 2-3: Carroll, Paul, 1987

Item 4: Chernoff, Maxine, 1987

Item 5: Cisneros, Sandra, 1987

Item 6: Cisneros, Sandra, circa 1987

Item 7: Dukes, Rose Marie, 1987

Item 8: Frankfather, Vidrik, 1987

Folder 2.4: Correspondence

Item 1: Galbraith, Nancy, 1987

Item 2: Hodges, Dede V., 1987

Item 3: Lewis, Melvin E., 1987

Item 4: Mueller, Lisel, 1987

Item 5-7: Nims, Bonnie

Item 6 includes a newspaper clipping.

Item 8-9: Nims, John F., 1987

Folder 2.5: Correspondence

Item 1-2: Parisi, Joseph, 1987

Item 3: Plumpp, Sterling D., 1987

Item 4: Redmond, Eugene B., 1987

Item 5-6: Rosen, Sharon, 1987

Item 7: Stryk, Lucian, 1987

Item 8: “Anania", 1987

Sealed envelope.

Item 9: "Elise", circa 1987

Item 10: “Reg", 1987

Folder 2.6: Correspondence grouping

Item 1: Redmond, Eugene B., 1987

Item 2: Thompson, James R. (State of Illinois. Office of the Governor), 1987

Item 3: Quern, Jacqueline L. (State of Illinois. Office of the Governor), 1987

Folder 2.7: Correspondence grouping

Item 1: Barnes, Brandi, 1987

Item 2: Friedman, Richard, 1987

Item 3: Hernandez, David, 1987

Item 4: Mills, Ralph, 1987

Item 5: Terk, Eloise, 1987

Item 6: Perlberg, Mark, 1987

Item 7: Wray, Ron, 1987

Folder 2.8: Packet and publication, 1987

Folder 2.9: Miscellaneous correspondence relating to Gwendolyn Brooks and other awards

Item 1: Adams, Elise G., 1987

Item 2: Cisneros, Sandra, 1987

Item 3: Jackson, Angela, 1987

Item 4: Owens, Betty J. (Gwendolyn Brooks Junior High School), 1987

Item 5: Rosen, Sharon (University of Chicago), 1987

Folder 2.10: Notes and news clippings, 1987

Folder 2.11: Envelopes, 1987

Folder 3-5: 18th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 3: Publication/announcements and correspondence, 1987

Includes invitations by Gwendolyn Brooks.

Folder 4-5: Packet, 1987

Box 460

Folder 1-7: 19th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 1: Submission, 1988

Folder 2: Correspondence, 1988

Item 1: Coller, Alice S. (Morgan Park Academy), 1988

Item 2: Kracht, Thomas A. (Elgin Academy), 1988

Item 3: Lossau, Kathy, 1988

Folder 3-5: Winner packets, 1988

Folder 6: Publication, 1988

Folder 7: “Nineteenth Illinois Poet Laureate Awards Monday June 20, 1988”, 1988

Box 461

File 1: “19th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards – June 20th, 1988”

Folder 1.1: Submissions, 1988

Folder 1.2: Winner list and speech draft, 1988

Folder 1.3: Correspondence and envelope

Item 1: Janousek, Kim, 1988

Item 2: Leece, Bill, 1988

Item 3-4: Masters, Marcia Lee, 1989

Item 5: Shapiro, Claire, 1988

Item 6: “19th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards – June 20th, 1988” envelope, 1988

Box 462

Folder 1: 20th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards, correspondence speech draft, publication, 1988

File 2: “1989 20th Ill. Poet Laureate Awards (Winners)”

Folder 2.1-2.4: Submissions, 1989

Folder 2.5: Correspondence, copies of invitation by Gwendolyn Brooks, 1989

Folder 2.6-2.10: Printed packets, 1989

Folder 2.11: Speech draft and winners list, 1989

Folder 2.12: Notes and miscellaneous, 1989

Folder 2.13: “1989 20th Ill. Poet Laureate Awards (Winners)” envelope, 1989

Folder 3-7: Submissions from Glenside Junior High School, 1989

Folder 8: "Important", 1990

Box 463

Folder 1-7: 21st Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 1: Submissions, 1990

Folder 2: Correspondence, Stevenson, Naeesha

Folder 3-5: Packet, 1990

Folder 6: Publications and news clippings

Folder 7: “Poet Laureate Award Receipts", 1990

Includes poems from students.

File 8: “June 18, 1990 Illinois Poet Laureate Awards Twenty First Year”

Folder 8.1: Blue folder

Item 1: “Illinois Poet Laureate Awards form letters” envelope (sealed), 1990?

Item 2: Illinois Poet Laureate Awards press release and letter, 1987

Item 3: “High School” and “Adult Winners” notes, undated

Item 4: Grouping of poetry submissions by children, 1990?

Item 5: Correspondence, McComb, Amelia (University of Chicago)  to Zitch, Beryl, 1990

Item 6: Awards speech and list of names, 1990?

Item 7: Correspondence, Spurgin, Judith R. (University of Chicago), 1990

Item 8: Statements on Sam Greenlee and Norman Leer, 1990

Item 9: Strausbaugh, Joan (University of Chicago. University News & Information) note on Jim Kaufman, undated

Item 10: Contest announcement, 1990

Item 11: “For Lois Wille, in the Rehabilitation Center", undated

Item 12: Grouping of poetry submissions by children, 1990?

Item 13: Packet, 1990

Item 14: Correspondence, Turek, Elizabeth (Warren Park School (Cicero, IL)), 1990

Item 15: Note on award winner, undated

Item 16: Grouping of correspondence, 1990

Includes Shuler, Martenia (Bowen High School (Chicago)); Boland, Bridget; Power, Peggy (empty envelope); and Brown, Debbie (Agassiz School (Chicago)).

Item 17: “Cap” poem submitted to Gwendolyn Brooks, undated

Folder 8.2: Blue folder

Item 1: Illinois Poet Laureate Awards speech, 1987

Item 2: Submissions, 1990?

Item 3: Correspondence, Steed, Linda W., 1990

Item 4: Submissions, 1990?

Item 5: Grouping of promotional leaflets for The David Company, undated

Includes a note from Walls, Cynthia (multiple copies).

Item 6: ICSRC Journal (Illinois Children’s School and Rehabilitation Center), 1990

Includes a note listing famous American women.

Item 7: Contest announcement, 1990

Item 8: “Chasing the Pig” by Steed, Linda Wipior (from Romanticizing the Past (vol. 2, no. 1), 1990

Item 9: Correspondence, Jones, David A. (Morgan Park Academy (Chicago)), 1989

Includes an envelope.

Item 10: Grouping of notes with contact information, undated

Item 11: “June 18, 1990 Illinois Poet Laureate Awards Twenty First Year” folder, undated

Box 464

File 1: “Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1991”

Folder 1-3: Submissions, 1991

Folder 4: Printed packet, 1991

Folder 3: “Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1991” envelope, 1991

Folder 2-5: 22nd Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 2-3: Winner packets, 1991

Folder 4: Publication and correspondence

Item 1: Currie, Meg, 1991

Item 2: Leer, Norm, 1991

Item 3: Submissions, 1991

Folder 5: News clippings

Box 465

Folder 1-3: 23rd Illinois Poet Laureate Awards, Submissions, 1992

Includes separation sheets for oversized envelopes.

Box 466

Folder 1-6: 23rd Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 1-4: Submissions, 1992

Folder 5: Beasley Academic Center, 1992

Folder 6: Carpenter School, 1992

Box 467

Folder 1-10: 23rd Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 1-3: Submissions

Folder 1: George Washington Elementary School, 1992

Folder 2: Holy Name of Mary School, 1992

Folder 3: Senn Metro Academy, 1992

Folder 4: Correspondence

Item 1: Gilmer, Damian, 1992

Item 2: Zeigler, Inger, 1992

Item 3: Congratulations announcement from Gwendolyn Brooks, 1992

Item 4: Letter to unknown recipient by Gwendolyn Brooks, 1992

Folder 5-7: Winners packet, 1992

Folder 8: Packet and enclosures, 1992

Folder 9: Publication, 1992

Folder 10: News clippings and speech draft, 1992

Box 468

File 1: “Special”

Folder 1.1: Submissions, 1992

Folder 1.2: Correspondence

Item 1-3: Banks, Jeri (Kenzie School), 1992

Item 4: Power, Peggy, 1992

Item 5: Theodore, Winnie M. (Morgan Park Academy), 1993

Folder 1.3: Packets, 1992

Folder 1.4: Lists and draft of congratulatory letter, 1992

Folder 5: Envelopes, 1992

Folder 2-3: 23rd Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 2: Empty envelopes, 1992

Folder 3: Sealed envelopes, 1992

File 4: “The 24th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1993 (Manuscripts)”

Folder 1-3: Submissions, 1992

Folder 5-8: 24th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 5: “Original Typescript", 1992

Folder 6: Packet, 1992

Folder 7: Winner packets, 1992

Folder 4: Publication and correspondence, 1992

Includes correspondence from Roluiso(?), Bonita and Stamps, Derrick.

Box 469

File 1: “Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1994”

Folder 1.1: Submissions, 1994

Folder 1.2: Correspondence

Item 1: Merel, Nancy, circa 1994

Item 2: Smith, Nichrien(?), circa 1994

Folder 1.3-1.4: Packets, 1994

Folder 1.5: Notes, news clippings, and publications, 1994

Folder 1.6: “Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1994” envelope, 1994

Folder 2-7: 25th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 2: Submissions, 1994

Folder 3: Correspondence

Item 1: Bruner, Elizabeth, 1994

Item 2: Craig, Meesha

Includes only correspondence by Gwendolyn Brooks.

Item 3: Friedrich, Kay, 1994

Folder 4-5: Winner packets, 1994

Folder 6: Info packets, 1994

Folder 7: Publications and news clippings, 1994

File 8: “About 1994,” IL Poet Laureate Award

Item 8.1: Grouping of poetry submissions by children, circa 1994

Item 8.2: “About 1994” envelope, circa 1994

Box 470

Folder 1: “Illinois Poet Laureate Awards Information 1995”, 1995

Folder 2-6: 26th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 2: Correspondence

Item 1: Barber, Caitlin, 1995

Item 2: Carbajal, Susan, 1995

Item 3: Hodges, LeShanna, 1995

Item 4: Randall, Shenia, 1995

Includes correspondence from Gwendolyn Brooks.

Folder 3-4: Packets, 1995

Folder 5: Publications and winner lists, 1995

Folder 6: “Information Accessories – 1995”, 1995

Folder 7-9: 27th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 7: Submissions, 1996

Folder 8: Correspondence, Gaston, Kashaundra, 1996

Folder 9: Packets and enclosures, 1996

Box 471

Folder 1-6: 27th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 1-2: Packet, 1996

Folder 3: “Awardees Information/Poet Laureate 1996”

Restricted: Includes SSNs.

Folder 4: “Twenty Seventh Illinois Poet Laureate Awards 1996", 1996

Sealed envelope.

Folder 5: Speech draft and list, 1996

Folder 6: Returned mail packet to IPLA winner, 1996

File 7: “Kinkos”

Folder 7.1: Packet, 1996

Folder 7.2: Packet with original submissions, 1996

Folder 7.3: Receipt and envelope, 1996

Folder 8-11: 28th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 8-9: Submissions, 1997

Folder 10: Correspondence

Item 1: Cowans, Markuiest, 1997

Item 2: Roberts, Lydia, 1997

Item 3: Stone, Donna, 1997

Sealed envelope,

Item 4: Torres, Elliot, 1997

Includes correspondence by Gwendolyn Brooks.

Folder 11: Winner packet, 1997

Box 472

Folder 1-8: 28th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 1-3: Winner packet, 1997

Folder 4: 1997 packet enclosures, 1997

Folder 5: Programs and posters, 1997

Folder 6: Publication and speech draft, 1997

Folder 7: List, 1997

Folder 8: “Illinois Poet Laureate Awards Competition 1997", 1997

Box 473

Folder 1-7: 29th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 1-2: Submissions, 1998

Folder 3: Correspondence

Item 1: Diamond, Michelle, 1998

Item 2: Filer, Kimberly (University of Chicago), 1988

Item 3: Galloway, J. B., 1988

Item 4: Helgerson, Glen and Samantha, 1999

Item 5: Just, Alyssa Faith, 1998

Item 6: Sylvester, Penny (Oak Park Public Schools), 1998

Folder 4: Packets, 1998

Folder 5: Publications and list of winners, 1998

Folder 6: “Names, Addresses, Telephone Nos. 1998", 1998

Folder 7: “Sam Anderson,” packet, 1998

Folder 8-12: 30th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 8: Submissions, 1999

Folder 9: Correspondence, Arata, Suzanne and Rebecca Lay, 1999

Folder 10-12: Packet, 1999

Folder 12 includes copies of poems that do not appear to be from the 1999 IPLA.

Box 474

Folder 1-3: 30th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 1: Publication and congratulatory letter drafts, 1999

Folder 2: Publication, folder, and pencil, 1999

Folder 3: Contact information, receipt, envelope, 1999

File 4: “Remainders”

Folder 4.1: Submissions, 1999

Folder 4.2: Correspondence

Item 1: Brown, Ellen (Lyons Township High School), 1999

Item 2: “Linda", 1999

Folder 4.3-4.4: Packet draft, 1999

Folder 4.5: Notes (contact information), 1999

Folder 4.6: “Remainders” envelope, 1999

Folder 5-9: 30th Illinois Poet Laureate Awards

Folder 5: Submissions, 2000

Folder 6: Correspondence

Item 1: Diab(?), Leila, 2000

Includes publication.

Item 2: Maki, Samuel, 2000

Item 3: Tate, Tiffany, 2000

Sealed envelope.

Item 4: “Copy of Letter Sent to Poetry Winners (Ill. Poet Laureate Awards", circa 2000

Sealed envelope.

Folder 7-8: Packet, 2000

Folder 9: Publications and congratulatory letter drafts, 2000

Box 475

Box 476

Sub-series 2: Non-IPLA contests

Box 477

Folder 1: Chicago Public Library award notification, 1988

Folder 2: Dr. Stephen Caldwell Wright Poetry Awards

Item 1: Second Annual Dr. Stephen Caldwell Wright Poetry Awards (Seminole Community College) program, 1986

Item 2: “Chronicle: A Compilation of Award Winning Poetry, 1985-1986”, 1986

Item 3: Informational pamphlet, undated

Includes a business card for Jones, David Howell.

Item 4: “Chronicle: A Compilation of Prize-Winning Poetry”, 1993

Two copies.

Item 5: “Chronicle: A Compilation of Award Winning Poetry”, 1990

Folder 3: Frank E. Dobson Poetry Awards programs, 1988, 1991-1992

Folder 4: Frank Edward Dobson Poetry Contest program, 1992

Folder 5: “Governor Thompson’s Inaugural Children’s Poem Contest (Judge Gwen Brooks”

Item 1: Contest winner announcement speech, 1977?

Item 2: Grouping of Western Union Mailgram confirmations, 1977

Item 3: Grouping of poetry submissions by children, 1977?

Includes an envelope.

Item 4: “Governor Thompson’s Inaugural Children’s Poem Contest (Judge Gwen Brooks)” folder, undated

Folder 6: Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Awards (Cook County Hospital), 1976

Includes poems from prize winners and honorable mentions, as well as a “Health and Hospitals Governing Commission of Cook County” folder.

Folder 7: Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Contest, Longfellow envelopes (unsent and empty), undated

Folder 8: Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Contest (Marshall High School (Chicago)), 1966

Folder 9: Henry Blakely Award (Chicago State University), 2000

Includes a letter from Gwendolyn Brooks to award recipients, an empty envelope labeled “W. Keorapetse Kgositsile,” and a blue folder.

Folder 10: Keziah Brooks Memorial Awards (Metropolitan Community Church), 1979

Includes submissions and contest guidelines.

File 11: “Students’ Typed Mss. That Have Been Taped & ‘Kinko-ed’”

Folder 11.1-11.3: Grouping of poetry submissions by children, undated

Folder 11.4: “Students Typed Mss. That Have Been Taped & ‘Kinko-ed’” Kinko’s envelope, undated

Folder 12: “Washington D.C. poetry contest”, 1985

Includes submissions and correspondence from Thomason, Rose (George Washington Junior High School (Alexandria, VA)) and Thompson, Leone B. (H.D. Woodson High School (Washington, D.C.)).