Converted to EAD3 : Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Version 3 : Release: 1.1.1 : Release Date: 2019-12-16. Validating against latest version of schema.
Contact information: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mss.contact
Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/mm97084137
Collection material in English
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
The papers of Gustav Davidson, poet, writer, publisher, and secretary of the Poetry Society of America, were given to the Library of Congress by Babette Bandler in 1997.
Copyright in the unpublished writings of Gustav Davidson in these papers and in other collections in the custody of the Library of Congress is reserved. Consult a reference librarian in the Manuscript Division for further information.
The papers of Gustav Davidson are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container number, Gustav Davidson Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
The papers of Gustav Davidson (1895-1971) span the years 1909-1992, with the bulk of the material dating from 1931 to 1971. The papers consist primarily of correspondence, writings, research material, and items related to the Poetry Society of America. The papers are organized in the following series: General Correspondence , Personal Name File , Writings , Subject File , and Oversize . The Oversize consists of scrapbooks of articles and reviews published in
The General Correspondence consists of miscellaneous personal and routine professional correspondence, primarily incoming.
The Personal Name File holds material Davidson collected concerning his frequent correspondents, personal friends, fellow poets, theological scholars, and professional associates. Correspondence with these individuals is located in this series, in addition to news clippings, writings, photographs, and printed matter. Notable correspondents include Charles Angoff, Joseph Auslander, Clarence Raymond Decker, Alfred Dorn, Max Eastman, Harry Meyer Orlinsky, Theodore Roethke, Ernest R. Trattner, and Louis Untermeyer.
The Writings series contains drafts and published copies of Davidson's writings as well as publicity, reviews, and correspondence with publishers. Davidson wrote in many genres: poetry, plays, reviews, newspaper columns, and academic writings primarily about angels. Included in the collection are annotated copies of books. A file labeled “Pseudonymous writings” contains items written by Davidson under the name W. Gordon Drake for the Free Thought publication
The Subject File is organized topically and includes biographical material, items pertaining to Davidson's “Fine Editions Press” and other publication projects, material from his youthful trips to the South Sea islands, research files, correspondence from various organizations and publications, photographs, and news clippings. Of particular note is a large file on the Poetry Society of America, an organization that Davidson served for many years. Poetry Society awards, dinners, trips, membership lists, publication projects, board meetings, and elections are documented in the file.
The collection is arranged in five series:
Miscellaneous correspondence with attachments.
Arranged chronologically.
Correspondence with writers and acquaintances and news clippings, photographs, and writings by and about them.
Arranged alphabetically by name and chronologically therein.
Drafts, published copies, correspondence with publishers, publicity, and reviews of Davidson's articles, books, plays, poetry, reviews, and travel journals.
Arranged alphabetically by type of writing and chronologically therein
Correspondence, biographical material, financial matter, name and address lists, news clippings, miscellaneous writings, photographs, and research files on angels and religious topics.
Arranged alphabetically.
Scrapbooks.
Described according to the series, container, and folder from which the items were removed.