Correspondence Files, 1927-1983

Scope and content:

Contains all the letters of this period which were not separated and placed into the Alphabetical Files. series. Researchers interested in a particular scholar's work should check both the Alphabetical and Correspondence Files. Though there is much correspondence here dealing with editorial and review work, the great bulk of it is to and from scholars who had submitted papers to the journal: Letters introducing a paper or asking why no response has been sent, and letters apologizing for delays or relating news of acceptance or rejection. After 1983, American Literature began to keep correspondence with scholars in the same files as the editorial comments written about submitted essays. For the 1927-1983 period, such related material must be recombined by the researcher by using both the Correspondence Files and the Editorial Comments Files. Post-1983 correspondence continues with Box 61.

The Correspondence Files are divided into periods (by the journal's office) and arranged alphabetically by the name of the writer. The periods are as long as 32 years and as short as 3; the number of boxes for a period ranges from 2 to 10. Researchers should consult the Container List and check each period within the lifetime of the scholar whose papers they are seeking. Some of the periods are accompanied by complete lists of correspondents contained therein. These lists are contained in the first box of the period.

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