Purchase, 2009 (AM 2015-62), with accruals in 2015-2024: AM 2015-74, AM 2015-89, AM 2015-98, AM 2017-6, AM 2017-128, AM 2018-33, AM 2018-78, and AM 2023-108.

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Some material in this collection, particularly found in the Writings and Correspondence series, was damaged by the fire that destroyed Morrison's upstate New York home in 1993. Damage ranges from charred edges to pages missing significant portions or rendered illegible.

Some materials in this collection were treated for fire damage and encapsulated in mylar in 1994.

This collection was processed by Allison Hughes, with the assistance of Sophia Alvarez, Fiona Bell, Kristine Gift, Isabelle Litke, Chloe Pfendler, and Ann-Elise Siden in February 2015-February 2017. Processing of the born-digital material was done by Elena Colón-Marrero, Jarrett Drake, and Allison Hughes in 2015-2016. Finding aid written by Allison Hughes in 2016-2017.

New additions were processed and the finding aid was updated by in March-November 2017 by Kelly Bolding, in 2018 by Faith Charlton, in January-February 2020 by Chloe Pfendler, and in 2024 by Faith Charlton. Additional born-digital materials were processed by Kathryn Antonelli and Kelly Bolding in July-August 2017.

Other materials relating to Toni Morrison's work at Random House may be found in the Random House records at Columbia University's Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Original drafts of Toni Cade Bambara's writings and related materials may be found in the Spelman College Archives.

A number of recordings of PEN American Center events in which Toni Morrison participated can be found in the PEN American Center Records (C0760). Online access to these recordings is available through the PEN America Digital Archive site.

Some floppy disks were deaccessioned after imaging due to a lack of archival value. Duplicate papers and audiovisual materials were removed from the collection.

Subject

• African American authors. -- 20th century -- Sources
• Authors, American -- 20th century. -- Sources
• Novelists
• Nobel Prize winners
• Women Nobel Prize winners

Publisher

Manuscripts Division

Finding Aid Author

Allison Hughes; Sophia Alvarez; Fiona Bell; Kristine Gift; Isabelle Litke; Chloe Pfendler; Ann-Elise Siden; Elena Colón-Marrero; Jarrett Drake; Allison Hughes; Kelly Bolding; Kathryn Antonelli; Faith Charlton

Finding Aid Date

2016

Access Restrictions

Toni Morrison has required the Library to make surrogate copies of all of her manuscripts (including typescripts, proofs, and notes) that are primarily part of the Writings series as well as her diaries (appointment books), including but not restricted to those damaged by fire in 1993. This is for conservation reasons, to prevent damage and deterioration by repeated use. Researchers are required to use digital surrogates in the reading room of the Special Collections. These include material found in boxes 1-11; 13-19; 22-29; 32-47; 50-56; 59-62, 64-66, 280-290, 291, 305-308, 311-318, 323, 325-326, 336, B-002118, and P-000145. Morrison's untitled, unfinished work is completely restricted until 2094.

A small amount of material is temporarily restricted at the request of the collection creator or due to the presence of personally identifiable or other legally protected information. This includes portions of the Academic Career series that are restricted until 75 years from the date of creation due to the presence of student and faculty/personnel records, including materials housed in boxes 105-109 and 112-114, as indicated at the file level. Some materials found within Correspondence, including Box 319; the Working Files series, including materials in boxes 183 and 184; Printed Matter, Box 223, Folder 53; and two floppy disks in Box 228 are also restricted as indicated at the file level.

Use Restrictions

Single copies 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. For permissions and copyright questions related to Toni Morrison and her writings, please contact the Toni Morrison Estate via Rene Boatman (boatman@princeton.edu). To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.