Paula Kamen was born in Chicago and grew up in Flossmoor, Illinois. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1989 from the University of Illinois. Kamen is a Chicago-based (current as of 2007) journalist, playwright, and the author of a number of books, including one of the first books to describe the third wave of feminism. Articles and book reviews by Kamen have been published in The New York Times, Washington Post, Ms., Chicago Tribune, among others, and more than a dozen anthologies. Kamen is also a frequent public speaker and has appeared at over 70 universities. A focus of the collection, which spans the years 1971-2006, is on Generation X women, feminism, and sexuality. Contains a Writings Series which includes research files, drafts, and publicity-related files for all of Kamen's major works as of 2006, as well as drafts of and materials related to articles and other shorter pieces written by Kamen. Works represented are the nonfiction books All In My Head: An Epic Quest to Cure an Unrelenting, Totally Unreasonable, and Only Slightly Enlightening Headache, Feminist Fatale: Voices from the Twentysomething Generation Explore the Future of the Women's Movement, Her Way: Young Women Remake the Sexual Revolution, and the plays Jane: Abortion and the Underground and Seven Dates with Seven Writers. Other series in the collection are Conferences and Engagements, with files relating to Kamen's frequent speaking engagements, particularly at universities; Subject Files, an extensive array of clippings and articles maintained by Kamen on a wide range of feminist subjects primarily in the 1990s; Audiovisual Materials, and Printed Materials.

The Paula Kamen Papers span the years 1970-2006, with the bulk of the material dating from 1991 to 2002. The collection documents Kamen's career as a writer and journalist. Specific topics covered by Kamen and addressed in the collection are Generation X women, feminism, and sexuality, abortion, popular culture, and chronic pain. The collection is organized into five series: Writings, Conferences and Engagements, Subject Files, Audiovisual Materials, and Printed Materials.

The Writings Series includes research files, drafts, and publicity-related files for all of Kamen's major works as of 2006, as well as drafts of and materials related to articles and other shorter pieces written by Kamen. The Other Files subseries primarily includes correspondence related to the publishing of Kamen's writings, and also contains pieces in which Kamen is cited. Works represented in the Writings Series are the nonfiction books All In My Head: An Epic Quest to Cure an Unrelenting, Totally Unreasonable, and Only Slightly Enlightening Headache,Feminist Fatale: Voices from the "Twentysomething" Generation Explore the Future of the "Women's Movement," Her Way: Young Women Remake the Sexual Revolution, and the plays Jane: Abortion and the Underground and Seven Dates with Seven Writers.

Materials in the Conferences and Engagements Series document Kamen's frequent speaking engagements at college and university campuses, bookstores, and conferences throughout the 1990s. A significant number of these talks were in support of her books Feminist Fatale and Her Way.

The Subject Files Series contains files maintained by Kamen on a wide range of subjects pertaining to her writing interests. Topics covered in this series include feminism, activism, politics, popular culture, and sex, along with many others. These files consist primarily of clippings from magazines, newspapers, and other publications.

The Audiovisual Materials Series contains audio cassettes, micro cassettes, compact discs, videotapes, and photographs. A majority of these materials are recordings of interviews conducted by Kamen during the course of researching her books and articles. Other recordings are from conferences attended by Kamen, a production of Kamen's play, Seven Dates with Seven Writers, and copies of television programs which included appearances by Kamen. Photographic material consists of photographs taken at the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights and at an undated production of Kamen's play, Seven Dates with Seven Writers.

Items in the Printed Materials Series consist of 20 issues of the magazines Deneuve and Curve. Other magazines and a number of zines are filed separately, with the Bingham Center's Women's, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Movements Periodical Collection, and with the Bingham Center's Women's Zine Collection, respectively. A complete list of these titles may be found in the Items Separated section of this document.

Carson McCullers' psychotherapist, friend, and physician; resident of Nyack (Rockland Co.), N.Y. Chiefly letters to Dr. Mercer from Mary Tucker, Carson McCullers' piano teacher and long-time close friend, mostly about McCullers, with a few copies of letters from Mercer to Tucker. Topics include McCullers' mental and physical health; Mercer's care of the young woman; McCullers' work, long illness, death, and funeral; Tucker and Mercer's love and admiration for the author; and their opinions on various McCullers biographers. Later letters contain mostly information about Tucker's family. An unsigned letter from Carson McCullers, dated 5 May 1962, is also in the collection.

The Mary E. Mercer Collection of Carson McCullers-Mary Tucker Correspondence, 1959-1976, contain letters written primarily to Dr. Mercer by Mary Tucker, Carson McCullers's piano teacher and a long-time close friend. Most correspondence concerns the life and work of McCullers; however, there are also several letters written after the death of the author, regarding her biographers and the allocation of her papers to various libraries. Topics include the writer's mental and physical health, her work, and Tucker and Mercer's love and admiration for the author. There is also correspondence between Tucker and Mercer regarding various biographers of McCullers and the purchase of her papers by Duke University. The papers also include several copies of Mercer's own letters and a slide of Mary Tucker taken by Mary Mercer. Arranged in chronological order.

Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Accidental Tourist, Breathing Lessons, Celestial Navigation, Ladder of Years, and other popular novels. Collection includes manuscript drafts, printed material, holograph manuscripts and typescripts of Tyler's novels and short stories, including Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant; clippings of articles about Tyler and her writings; serials containing articles by or about Tyler and her work; correspondence between Tyler and her publishers; and materials regarding adaptations of her novels, including the movie The Accidental Tourist. Later additions include holograph manuscripts of A Patchwork Planet and Noah's Compass; an advance uncorrected proof of Back When We Were Grownups (2001); drafts for Digging to America, The Amateur Marriage, Back When We Were Grownups, The Beginner's Goodbye, A Blue Spool of Thread, Vinegar Girl, and Clock Dance; correspondence between Tyler and her editors and agents; publicity materials; some Tyler family correspondence; book reviews; and book covers.

The collection includes manuscript drafts, printed material, holograph manuscripts and typescripts of Tyler's novels and short stories; clippings of articles about Tyler and her writings; serials containing articles by or about Tyler and her work; Tyler's work-related and personal correspondence; and clipping and other materials regarding adaptations of her works, including the movie The Accidental Tourist. Later additions include holograph manuscripts of A Patchwork Planet and Noah's Compass; an advance uncorrected proof of Back When We Were Grownups (2001); drafts for Digging to America, The Amateur Marriage, Back When We Were Grownups, The Beginner's Goodbye, A Blue Spool of Thread, Vinegar Girl, Clock Dance, Redhead by the Side of the Road, and French Braid; correspondence between Tyler and her editors and agents; publicity materials; some Tyler family correspondence; book reviews; and book covers.

The Writings series contains novels, short stories, essays, and book reviews written by Tyler. The novels are all in draft form, with the exception of one advance uncorrected proof. Arranged in folders by date of publication, the Novels subseries includes drafts of all novels Tyler wrote between 1961 and 2016. Most of Tyler's initial drafts are handwritten, as are all of the editing marks. She also made notes for herself regarding the characters and locations in her novels. Her notes include character details and hand-drawn house floorplans. This subseries gives insight into Tyler's writing and editing process. The Short Stories & Other Writings subseries includes published and unpublished short stories, clippings, and a booklet of student essays from Tyler's time at Duke University. Oversize writings can be found in the Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials series.

The Correspondence series contains letters received or written by Anne Tyler, though the majority of the correspondence was written to Tyler. She received mail from a wide range of people, including reporters, fans, friends, publishers, editors, and event coordinators. The majority of series is arranged chronologically and provides insight into the relationships that Tyler built due to her writing, and the friendships forged through continued correspondence. One folder in this series is restricted.

The Printed Materials series contains a wide variety of materials related to Tyler and her writings. A substantial portion of this series is comprised of clippings from newspapers and magazines. Either Tyler herself or a friend or colleague subscribed to a clipping service; many book review and publicity clippings were clipped by Durrant's, an international clipping service. This series also contains materials from Eudora Welty and Tyler's speaking engagement at Duke University in 1982. This was one of the few public appearances that Tyler has made. She does not generally give interviews or go on book tours. Oversize jacket art and publicity materials can be found in the Miscellaneous & Oversize Materials series.

The collection documents Humphreys' professional life as an author. It contains correspondence between Humphreys and other writers and editors; business contracts with Viking Press and others for her publications and for movie rights; handwritten and typed manuscripts and proofs for her books Dreams of Sleep, Rich in Love, and Fireman's Fair, as well as typescripts of works by other authors (including Robb Forman Dew and Louise Erdrich); reviews of her own work as well as reviews written by Humphreys of others' works; and information detailing her speaking engagements and interviews. In addition, the collection contains clippings of reviews and interviews, photographs and negatives (16 black-and-white, 4 color, and 23 negatives); audiotapes from a "Women in Literature" series in which Humphreys participated; and 10 electronic files of book manuscripts, especially Dreams of Sleep, originally on computer disks and now migrated to the electronic records server. Also included are books inscribed to Humphreys and seven scrapbooks containing additional correspondence regarding her work as well as reviews.

Carson McCullers (1917-1967) was an author, born in Muscogee County, Ga., as Lula Carson Smith. Her husband was Reeves McCullers. Her works included The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1940) and The Member of the Wedding (1946). Collection consists of correspondence between McCullers and Tennessee Williams, Dame Edith Sitwell, and cousins, Jordan Massee, Jr., and Paul Bigelow; writings by McCullers; poems by Dame Edith Sitwell; and clippings; together with correspondence from McCullers' mother, Marguerite (Waters) Smith, to Massee and Bigelow, and other papers. Topics include the relationship between McCullers and Williams and their lifestyles, health, moods, travels, residences, and attitudes toward well-known contemporary writers, and McCullers' relationship with her husband, Reeves.

The Carson McCullers Papers span the years 1941-1995 and are divided into six series: Correspondence, Writings, Jordan Massee Notebooks, Photographs, Printed Materials, and Clippings. The Correspondence Series includes numerous letters from Carson McCullers to Jordan Massee, Paul Bigelow, Edith Sitwell, and other friends and family members. Most significant in the series is the correspondence between McCullers and Tennessee Williams, in which both writers touch on a variety of topics such as the writing process, health, marital problems, and their travels. Carson's relationship with her husband, Reeves McCullers, is a frequent topic.

The Writings Series, the largest in the collection, comprises typewritten manuscripts of several long as well as short published works of McCullers, including The Member of the Wedding (which has handwritten revisions) and The Clock Without Hands. Notable short writings include verses that McCullers wrote for children, an essay on literary criticism, and two short works that are inscribed and signed by the author. At the end of the series there are also two poems by Edith Sitwell.

The Jordan Massee Notebooks Series contains a catalogue that Massee compiled about the McCullers papers he owned, as well as a notebook with notes about McCullers and extracts from his journals.

The Photographs Series consists of five photographs, most of which are of Carson McCullers. Particularly noteworthy is a photograph taken by Henri Cartier-Bresson, where McCullers appears with the editor of Harper's Bazaar, George Davis.

The Printed Materials Series and the Clippings Series both contain reviews of writings by McCullers and materials related to their dramatization. The latter series includes two short essays by Tennessee Williams as well as numerous obituaries published after McCullers's death.

Prominent feminist, author, and political activist in the 1960s and 70s. Author of MEMOIRS OF AN EX-PROM QUEEN (1972), ON THE STROLL (1980), and DRINKING THE RAIN (1995). The materials in the Alix Kates Shulman Papers span the dates 1892 to 2000, with the bulk of materials dating from 1968 to 2000. These materials include: manuscripts, notes, clippings, published books, correspondence, photographs, audio and videotapes, microfilm, address and date books, family and business records. The primary focus of the collection is Shulman's writing and literary career. The secondary focus is the women's liberation and feminist movements, in which Shulman was and continues to be very active (from 1968 to 2000). However, feminism and feminist activism are inextricably intertwined with Shulman's writing career, and her 1972 novel MEMOIRS OF AN EX-PROM QUEEN is regarded by many as the first novel to "come out of" the women's liberation movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The materials in the Alix Kates Shulman Papers span the dates 1892 to 2000, with the bulk of materials dating from 1968 to 2000. These materials include: manuscripts, notes, clippings, published books, correspondence, photographs, audio and videotapes, microfilm, address and date books, family and business records. The primary focus of the collection is Shulman's writing and literary career. The secondary focus is the women's liberation and feminist movements, in which Shulman was and continues to be very active (from 1968 to the present). However, feminism and feminist activism are inextricably intertwined with Shulman's writing career, and her 1972 novel Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen is regarded by many as the first novel to "come out of" the women's liberation movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Other topics covered by the collection include: her teaching and other academic work; her public speaking and conference activities; and her involvement in political activities besides feminism. This collection sheds valuable light on the concerns and tensions within the women's liberation and second-wave feminist movements. In particular, the materials document debates and disagreements among those active in the movement with regard to sexuality, marriage and domestic relations, women's financial situation and careers, health care, civil rights and cultural expression. Many of these issues are raised in Shulman's own work, including her novels, essays, short fiction, personal letters and her teaching materials.

The collection is divided into seven series. The Personal Papers Series contains Shulman's family history papers, photographs, biographical papers, and her personal correspondence (with writers, academics, political activists and family members). Notable correspondents include Ros Baxandall, Jay Bolotin, Kay Boyle, Rita Mae Brown, Phyllis Chesler, Judy Chicago, Andrea Dworkin, Candace Falk, Marilyn French, Lori Ginzberg, Hannah Green, Erica Jong, Kate Millett, Honor Moore, Robin Morgan, Tillie Olson, Lillian Rubin, Sue Standing, and Meredith Tax. The Political Work Series contains material relating to Shulman's involvement with feminist and other liberal political groups, including Redstockings, New York Radical Women, the PEN Women's Committee, No More Nice Girls, the Women's Action Coalition, and Women Against Government Surveillance

The Literary Work Series contains a variety of materials relating to Shulman's literary career, including financial and other dealings with publishing houses, notes and research, photocopies of publications, reviews of her work, articles and notes she collected regarding the literary scene, and original manuscripts. This series contains information about her early children's books; several books she edited of Emma Goldman's writings; her essays and short fiction; her novels Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen (1972), Burning Questions (1975), On the Stroll (1977), In Every Woman's Life . . . (1980); and her memoirs Drinking the Rain (1995) and A Good Enough Daughter (1999). A small amount of correspondence regarding book reviews of other authors' work is also included.

The Academic Work Series contains materials relating to Shulman's graduate work at NYU; her teaching at Yale, the University of Colorado at Boulder, NYU, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa; as well as her relationships with her students. The Public Speaking Series contains materials relating to Shulman's participation in literary and political conferences and gatherings, personal interviews, lectures and book talks.

Portions of the Restricted Materials Series either may not be photocopied without prior permission of Ms. Shulman or the relevant author, or may not be accessed until a future date. The same organizational categories have been applied to the restricted materials as were used in the unrestricted materials to help researchers easily access overlapping and related materials that have been boxed separately due to the restrictions. The Oversize Materials Series contains miscellaneous oversize materials of a biographical and literary nature.

Acquired as part of the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture.