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The records of the Harriet Wasserman Literary Agency span the dates 1948-1993, with most of the records dating after 1974. The records dated prior to 1981, when the agency was formed, are those of writers who were Wasserman's clients when she was employed at the Russell and Volkening agency and stayed with her when she formed her own agency. The collection documents the careers of individual writers and in doing so indicates the varied activities of a major literary agency: preparation and submission of manuscripts, negotiation of contracts, handling of foreign and reprint rights, publicity, and the differing ways affairs are handled for lesser known or beginning writers and for major authors. Among the more prominent American fiction writers included are Richard Bausch, Saul Bellow, Frederick Buechner, Oscar Hijuelos, Josephine Humphreys, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Alice McDermott, and Reynolds Price. In addition, records about historian George F. Kennan and philosopher and historian Allan Bloom are included. The correspondence is primarily about professional matters, although some sense of the personal relationships between the agent and the more prominent clients can be gleaned.

The papers of William Mahone span the period 1853 to 1895, with the bulk of the material dating from 1876 to 1892. The collection consists of copies of letters written by Mahone to others, incoming letters to Mahone, subject files on a variety of topics, clippings, and scrapbooks, but primarily focuses on Mahone's railroad and political interests. There is a great deal of overlap of topics between the different series in the collection; thus information concerning Mahone's political and railroad interests is repeated in the different series.

The LeRoy T. Walker Africa News Service Archive is an extensive resource file assembled by ANS over the course of two decades in support of its news gathering efforts about Africa-related issues and U. S. foreign policy towards Africa. The collection spans the years from approximately 1960 to 1995, with the bulk of the materials dating from 1978 through 1994. Newspaper clippings, magazine articles, press releases, newsletters, brochures, and reports comprise the collection. Much of the material is gathered from mainstream media sources and government documentation in the United States, Europe, Africa, and other parts of the world. In addition, the collection includes significant resources from alternative, minority, and special interest presses world-wide that may be difficult to locate elsewhere. The archive contains scarce and difficult-to-locate materials such as numerous publications produced by non-governmental organizations and grass-roots/community groups that are/were involved in efforts related to independence movements, economic development, and human rights issues in Africa.

The Cannon Mills Records, a textile manufacturer, span the years 1836-1983, although the bulk occurs during 1887-1983. Files and account books concern the operations of Cannon Manufacturing Company and its successor in 1928, Cannon Mills, its subsidiary and associated textile mills, related business interests, and community involvement. The records include correspondence, volumes, memoranda, statistical compilations, reports, printed material, and financial and legal documents.