Carl Sandburg papers (Connemara Accession), 1898-1967 | Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Title: Carl Sandburg papers (Connemara Accession), 1898-1967

ID: 01/01/MSS00047

Primary Creator: Sandburg, Carl (1878-1967)

Extent: 598.5 Linear Feet

Subjects: Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967

Languages: English

The "Connemara Transfer" of the Carl Sandburg papers (1898-1962) includes typescripts and corrected galley proofs of Sandburg's works and correspondence (1916-62) with literary and public figures, scholars and admirers about writing, American folk songs, Abraham Lincoln, journalism and lecture tours. The collection also contains a Spanish-American War diary (1898), lectures (1908- 09), recordings and transcriptions of Sandburg's radio broadcasts and lectures and magazine articles and newspaper clippings by and about him. The papers also include Lombard College publications (1898-1902), material concerning the Chicago Daily News (1917-32) and a supporting book collection of approximately 5,000 volumes.

The collection was originally arranged numerically 1 through 468. Sections of the first 152 boxes were rearranged into a material type arrangement through the Save American History Project. For a topic-based finding aid, please go to the following link.

Internationally renowned poet and biographer Carl August Sandburg was born Jan. 6, 1878, the second of seven children to Swedish immigrants August and Clara Anderson Sandburg in Galesburg, Illinois.

After finishing eighth grade, he worked as a milkman, ice harvester, bricklayer, wheat thresher, shoe shiner, soldier, and fireman over a decade. He also traveled as a hobo. His experiences working and traveling greatly influenced his writing and political views.

Sandburg attended Lombard College starting in 1898, and joined its Poor Writers' Club, founded by professor Phillip Green Wright, who encouraged young Sandburg and printed Sandburg's first book of verse, In Reckless Ecstasy in 1904, as well as two additional volumes in 1907 (Incidentals) and 1908 (The Plaint of a Rose).

Sandburg met Lilian Ana "Paula" Steichen at the Wisconsin Social Democratic party headquarters, where he worked as an organizer, and married her in 1908. After marriage, he returned to Illinois and took up journalism.

His poetry was published in 1914 in Poetry Magazine, and he went on to publish more poetry, along with Rootabaga Stories, a book of fanciful children's tales, in 1922. That book prompted Sandburg's publisher to suggest a biography of Lincoln for children. Instead, Sandburg's ensuing three years of research led to a two-volume biography for adults, Abraham Lincoln:  The Prairie Years, his first financial success. He next wrote four additional volumes, Abraham Lincoln: The War Years, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940. Sandburg continued as a prolific writer, publishing more poetry, a novel, Remembrance Rock, a second volume of folk songs, and an autobiography, Always the Young Strangers.  His Complete Poems won him a second Pulitzer Prize in 1951. Considered by many as the "Poet of the People," President Lyndon B. Johnson called him "The Voice of America."

Sandburg died July 22, 1967 at his North Carolina home. He was survived by three daughters, Margaret (b. 3 Jun 1911), Janet (b. 27 Jun 1916), and Helga (b. Nov 1918), and preceded in death by Madeline (b. and d. Nov 1913.)

Sandburg, Carl, 1878-1967

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

Access Restrictions: The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions:

This collection is the physical property of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, may reside with the materials' creator(s) or their heirs.

The Rare Book & Manuscript Library's reproduction and publication policies are available here. The library welcomes requests for reproductions made from works in our collections, though restrictions may apply to certain materials. Please contact the library with any questions.

Processing Information: https://wiki.cites.uiuc.edu/wiki/display/librare/Home

Other Note: Click here to search the Rare Book & Manuscript Library's Carl Sandburg databases.

Box and Folder Listing

Series 2: Save America's Treasures Materials

Materials from Sandburg-Connemara Accession Preserved and Reprocessed by format. The Save America's Treasures project resulted in significant preservation of the materials from the Connemara Accession of the Carl Sandburg papers.

Begins at C08.11.03

Shelf location: 1544

Series 1: Leaflets

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Box 7

Box 8

Box 9

Box 10

Series 2: Manuscripts

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Box 7

Box 8

Box 9

Box 10

Box 11

Box 12

Box 13

Box 14

Box 15

Box 16

Box 17

Box 18

Box 19

Box 20

Box 21

Box 22

Box 23

Box 24

Box 25

Box 26

Box 27

Box 28

Box 29

Box 30

Box 31

Box 32

Box 33

Box 34

Box 35

Box 36

Box 37

Box 38

Box 39

Box 40

Box 41

Box 42

Box 43

Box 44

Series 3: Documents

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Series 4: Packets

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Box 4

Box 5

Box 6

Box 7

Box 8

Box 9

Box 10

Box 11

Box 12

Box 13

Box 14

Box 15

Box 16

Box 17

Series 5: Miscellaneous

Box 1