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Archibald MacLeish Collection

Notifications

Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

MacLeish, Archibald, 1892-1982

Archibald MacLeish was an American poet, dramatist, Librarian of Congress, and Harvard professor. He won the Pulitzer Prize three times: for Conquistador (1933, poetry), Collected Poems (1917–1952) (1953, poetry), and J.B. (1959, drama).

The collection contains the typed manuscript, first and page proofs, working dummy, and author's proof of MacLeish's verse play Nobodaddy (1926) and typed manuscripts--drafts and final versions--for two of MacLeish's shorter historical dramatizations: Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honors (1961), a script for television tracing the Jefferson legacy through narration with dialogue from original sources and focusing on July 4, 1826, the day on which both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died; and The American Bell (1962), a script for a sound-and-light spectacular presented at Philadelphia's Independence Hall and concerned with the Liberty Bell and events leading up to the Declaration of Independence. Included is MacLeish's correspondence with Julian P. Boyd, editor-in-chief of the Jefferson Papers at that time, who contributed much, in terms of historical facts, suggestions, and criticisms, to both MacLeish dramatizations.

Publications by MacLeish: Nobodaddy (Cambridge, Mass.: Dunster House, 1926).

Gift of Prof. Julian P. Boyd.

Folder inventory prepared by Alex Rodgers '2013 in 2011.

No appraisal information is available.

Publisher
Manuscripts Division
Finding Aid Date
2008
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. No further photoduplication of copies of material in the collection can be made when Princeton University Library does not own the original. Inquiries regarding publishing material from the collection should be directed to RBSC Public Services staff through the Ask Us! form. The library has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any questions of copyright.

Collection Inventory

"Nobodaddy", A Play by Archibald MacLeish, 2 Copies, 1926. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Nobodaddy" - Typscript, 46 pp., 1925. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Nobodaddy" - Typscript, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Nobodaddy", A Play by Archibald MacLeish, Page Proofs, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Nobodaddy" - Page Proofs, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Nobodaddy" - Page Proofs, 1926. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

MacLeish, Archibald Correspondence with Julian P. Boyd: "The American Bell", 1961-1962. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The American Bell" - Carbon Copy of Typescript, 20 pp., 1961. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The American Bell" - Typescript with Corrections, 27 pp., 1962. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The American Bell" - Carbon Copy of Typescript, Draft No. 3, with Corrections, 1962. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The American Bell" - Typescript with Author's Corrections, 27 pp., undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The American Bell" - Typescript, 27 pp., 1962. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The American Bell" - Final Draft, Signed, with Author's Corrections, 1962. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The American Bell" - Revised Text, 1963. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honors" - Typescript, 35 pp., undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honors" - Typescript with Corrections, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honors" - Carbon Coby of Typescript with Corrections, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor" - Carbon Copy of Typescript with Corrections, Final Draft, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

MacLeish, Archibald - Correspondence with Julian P. Boyd: "Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honors", 1960-1961. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Voyage West", Poem Dedicated to Maria Marta, 3 pp., 1940-1976. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Radio Script of the Report to the Nation of the Library of Congress, 34 pp., 22 February, 1941, 1941. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

MacLeish, Archibald to Willard Thorp - 5 Letters, 1937-1939. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The Irresponsibles" - Article from "The Nation", Original Typscript with Corrections in Author's Hand, 37 pp., undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

MacLeish to Maurice Firuski - 11 Letters, 1923-1927. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The Fall of the City" - Mimeographed Copy Used in the Original Radio Porduction, 1937. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Annual Report as Librarian of Congress - Galley Proofs, 7 pp., 30 June, 1941, 1941. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The Great Isuue As I See It" - Mimeographed Copy of Lecture, 20 pp., 13 October, 1947, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"What is a Great Issue?" - Reprint of Lecture from the "Dartmouth Alumni Magazine", 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Letter to President Goheen, 27 February 1965, 1965. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Einstein" - Typescript of Poem, 9 pp., 1929. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1940-1968. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Print, Suggest