Organized into seven series: (1) John Kennedy Toole, (2) A confederacy of dunces, (3) The neon Bible, (4) John D. Toole, Jr. (father), (5) Thelma Ducoing Toole, (6) Garvy/Ducoing family, (7) Walker Percy.

Oversize boxes and folders contain miscellaneous framed photographs or large books. Most items in the oversized boxes are cross-referenced in another box.

Arranged numerically, the collection consists of 22 boxes, 3 volumes, 2 oversize boxes, and a copy of the novel A Confederacy of Dunces, autographed by his mother Thelma Ducoing Toole. It is 18 linear feet.

Abbreviations used throughout the inventory:

JKT: John Kennedy Toole

TDT: Thelma Ducoing Toole

COD: Confederacy of Dunces

NB: Neon Bible

LSUP: Louisiana State University Press

CHMM: Curtis, Hyde, Mooney, McEachin (Attorneys)

Date Acquired: 00/00/1980. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Authors, American -- 20th century., Ducoing family., Gottlieb, Robert, 1931-, Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, La.). Press., Percy, Walker, 1916-1990., Toole, John D., Toole, John Kennedy, 1937-1969., Toole, Thelma.

Forms of Material: Clippings (information artifacts), Correspondence., Manuscripts (document genre), Typescripts.

Languages: English, French, Spanish;Castilian

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection primarily consists of the personal and literary papers of John Kennedy Toole, including unbound manuscripts and typescripts, correspondence, pamphlets, drawings, photographs, music, and posters. There is a considerable amount of memorabilia that his mother, Thelma Ducoing Toole, kept concerning her son, including his baby cup and his undergraduate honors thesis. John Kennedy Toole's correspondence with Robert Gottlieb, his first editor as well as letters illustrating the process of getting A Confederacy of Dunces published are in this collection. There are also large numbers of reviews and articles about Toole and his works. The papers and personal belongings of his parents, John D. Toole and Thelma Ducoing Toole, can also be found in the collection.

Biographical Note

John Kennedy Toole, posthumous winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981, was born in New Orleans on December 17, 1937. After skipping several grades, he finished high school at the age of sixteen. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with Honors in English at Tulane University in 1958. He received his master's degree in 1959 from Columbia University, and taught at Hunter College. He was drafted in 1962 and stationed with the Army in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he continued to teach English and wrote A Confederacy of Dunces. Upon returning to New Orleans, he unsuccessfully attempted to have his manuscript published; he taught at Dominican College and in 1968 enrolled in graduate school at Tulane University to work on his doctorate. In 1969, he asphyxiated himself in his car in Biloxi, Mississippi. The novel was ultimately published by Louisiana State University Press in 1980 after his mother, Thelma Ducoing Toole, approached novelist Walker Percy with the manuscript. A Confederacy of Dunces won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as well as the Louisiana Literary Award. A musical production based on the novel premiered at LSU in 1984. Toole was also the author of The Neon Bible, which he wrote at age sixteen.

Subject/Index Terms

Authors, American -- 20th century.
Ducoing family.
Gottlieb, Robert, 1931-
Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, La.). Press.
Percy, Walker, 1916-1990.
Toole, John D.
Toole, John Kennedy, 1937-1969.
Toole, Thelma.

Administrative Information

Repository: Louisiana Research Collection

Accruals: Additional materials added between 1984 and 1998.

Alternate Extent Statement: 18 linear feet

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. Portions of the collection may not be duplicated.

Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws. The estate of Walker Percy retains all literary rights to his work, including the correspondence from him in this collection. The Manuscripts Department will not provide researchers with photocopies of documents created by Walker Percy. Permission to use the restricted portions of this collection must be obtained from the estate of Walker Percy.

Acquisition Source: Donated by John Kennedy Toole's mother, Thelma Ducoing Toole, her estate, and heirs between 1980 and 1990.

Acquisition Method: Gift.

Preferred Citation: John Kennedy Toole Papers, Manuscripts Collection 740, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans LA 70118.

Processing Information: Collection processed between 1980 and 1990.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid collection record input to Archon by student worker Connor Deegan in 2009. Finding aid revised by Susie Scifres Kuilan in 2005. Finding aid information entered in Archon by LAC Group in 2011. Revised by LAC Group 6/24/11.

Other Note: OCLC Number: 236103515

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: JKT correspondence, military paperwork, personal items, and photographs, 1955-1967],
[Box 2: JKT correspondence, military paperwork, personal items, and photographs, 1955-1959],
[Box 3: JKT correspondence, military paperwork, personal items, and photographs, 1938-1968],
[Box 4: JKT correspondence, military paperwork, personal items, and photographs, 1944-1999],
[Box 5: JKT correspondence, military paperwork, personal items, and photographs, 1937-1981],
[Box 6: Unpublished manuscripts, COD manuscripts [Restricted]],
[Box 7: Unpublished manuscripts, COD manuscripts [Restricted]],
[Box 8: Unpublished manuscripts, COD manuscripts [Restricted]],
[Box 9: Collateral printed materials for COD, 1978-1982],
[Box 10: Collateral printed materials for COD, 1978-1990],
[Box 11: NB materials, JDT personal items, and TDT correspondence through 1981 February],
[Box 12: TDT correspondence and personal items, 1981 March-1984 February],
[Box 13: TDT correspondence and personal items, 1984 March-1987 March; 1920-1984.],
[Box 14: TDT correspondence and personal items, 1929-1983],
[Box 15: JKT notebooks],
[Box 16: JKT notebooks],
[Box 17: TDT and family photographs],
[Box 18: TDT personal items],
[Box 19: TDT personal items],
[Box 20: TDT personal items],
[Box 21: Garvey/Ducoing family and Walker Percy items],
[Box 22: Margaret (Dolly Ducoing) Garvey postcard collection and child's items],
[Box 23: Additional typescripts],
[Volume 1: JKT personal materials: Achievement scrapbook],
[Volume 2: Scrapbook with photographs],
[Volume 3: COD signed by Thelma to John Geiser, 1981 June 14],
[Oversize box 1: Oversized collection],
[Oversize box 2: Oversized collection],
[Oversize box 3: Photo album],
[Oversize folder 1],
[All]

Box 10: Collateral printed materials for COD, 1978-1990

Box 10 contains additional collateral printed materials primarily newspaper clippings related to the publication of COD. It also contains information on the COD film and Louisiana State University musical production in addition to some programs based on COD. Mostly copies.

Folder 1: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1978-1980 May

SOURCE AND DATE ONLY

Times-Picayune. 1979 May 26.

Le Raconteur. Fall 1979.

Notable Books. 1980.

The Times-Picayune. 1980 February 24.

Choice Magazine. 1980 March. (Advertisement for Louisiana State University Press)

Washington Post. 1980 April 13.

New York Times. 1980 April 18.

Washington Star. 1980 April 20.

Chicago Sun-Times. 1980 April 24.

New Orleans State-Item. 1980 April 24.

Publisher's Weekly. 1980 May 2.

Hartford Courant. 1980 May 3.

Figaro. 1980 May 5.

Cleveland Plain Dealer. 1980 May 25.

Charlotte Observer. 1980 May 25.

Publishers Weekly. 1980 May 30.

Folder 2: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1980 June-July

SOURCE AND DATE ONLY

The Times-Picayune. Summer 1980.

Sunday Advocate. 1980 June 1.

Washington Star. 1980 June 2.

Newsday. 1980 June 5.

Winston-Salem Journal. 1980 June 22.

Times-Picayune/State Item. 1980 June 24.

Sunday Advocate. 1980 June 29.

Baker and Taylors Directions. 1980 July.

Publishers Weekly. 1980 July 4.

Sunday Advocate. 1980 July 6.

State Times. 1980 July 12.

Baltimore News American. 1980 July 13.

The State [South Carolina]. 1980 July 13.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #9. 1980 July 13.

Times-Picayune/State Item. 1980 July 20.

Washington Post best sellers list #6. 1980 July 20.

Washington Post best sellers list #5. 1980 July 27.

Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate. 1980 July 27.

Folder 3: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1980 August-December

SOURCE AND DATE ONLY

Southern Living. 1980 August.

Chicago Tribune best sellers list #7. 1980 August 3.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #7. 1980 August 3.

Publishers Weekly. 1980 August 8.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #7. 1980 August 10.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1980 August 18.

Rolling Stone. 1980 August 21.

Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate. 1980 August 24.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #9. 1980 August 24.

Las Vegas Review-Journal. 1980 August 28. (Associated Press)

New London Day (Connecticut). 1980 August 28.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #6. 1980 August 31.

Times-Picayune. 1980 August 31.

Virginia Quarterly Review. Autumn 1980.

Louisiana State University Outlook. 1980 September.

Viewfinders Media File. 1980 September.

Horizon Magazine. 1980 September.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1980 September 1.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #4. 1980 September 7.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1980 September 14.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #8. 1980 September 14.

Lafayette Advertiser. 1981 September 17.

People. 1980 September 9.

Houston Chronicle. 1980 September 24.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #6. 1980 September 28.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #8. 1980 October 5.

Chronicle of Higher Education. 1980 October 6.

Publishers Weekly. 1980 October 17.

Enterprise-Metro. 1980 October 23.

New Orleans Times-Picayune/States Item. 1980 October 23.

Detroit Free Press. 1980 October 26.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #10. 1980 November 2.

Louisiana Daily Reveille. 1980 November 4.

Washington Post Bookworld best sellers list #9. 1980 November 16.

New York Times Book Review. 1980 November 30.

Cleveland Plain Dealer. 1980 November 30.

Times-Picayune. 1980 November 30.

Times-Picayune. 1980 December 8.

Kansas City Star. 1980 December 14.

Philadelphia Daily News. 1980 December 17.

Vermont Vanguard Press. 1980 December 23.

Washington Star. 1980 December 28 - 2 articles.

Chicago Sun-Times. 1980 December 28.

Village Voice. 1980 December 31.

Folder 4: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1981 January-March

SOURCE AND DATE ONLY

New York Times. 1981.

Chicago Sun-Times, 1981. Reprinted in Times-Picayune 1981 January 4.

Times-Picayune. 1981 January 11.

Unknown source [probably Times-Picayune]. 1981 Janaury 24.

Press release by Grove Press. 1981 February.

Press release by Grove Press. Printed in New York Times Book Review 1981 February 12.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1981 February 16.

Publishers Weekly. 1981 February 27.

Library Journal. 1981 March 1: notable books of 1980 list.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1981 March 11.

Times-Picayune. 1981 March 13.

New York Times Book Review. 1981 March 29.

Richmond Times Dispatch. 1981 March 29.

Two press releases by Grove Press printed in New York Times Book Review. 1982 March 22, 29.

Folder 5: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1981 April

SOURCE AND DATE ONLY

The Nation. 1981 April.

The New York Times. 1981 April.

Baker and Taylor's Forecast. 1981 April.

The Nation. 1981 April 11.

Nashville Banner. 1981 April 11.

Oakland Tribune. 1981 April 13.

Las Vegas Daily Optic. 1981 April 14.

Wall Street Journal. 1981 April 14.

San Francisco Chronicle. 1981 April 14.

Alameda Times-Star. 1981 April 14.

Morning Advocate. 1981 April 14.

New York Times. 1981 April 14.

Unknown source. 1981 April 14.

New York Times. 1981 April. (first page missing)

Times-Picayune. 1981 April 14.

Times-Picayune/States item. 1981 April 15.

Peninsula Times Tribune. 1981 April 16.

Los Angeles Herald Examiner. 1981 April 16.

Dallas Times Herald. 1981 April 16.

Richmond Times Dispatch. 1981 April 17.

New York Times. 1981 April 19 - 2 articles.

Times-Picayune. 1981 April 19 - 2 articles.

Detroit Free Press. 1981 April 19.

Sunday Telegram (Maine). 1981 April 19.

St. Louis Post Dispatch. 1981 April 19.

New York Daily News. 1981 April 22.

Publishers Weekly. 1981 April 24.

Chicago Sun-Times. 1981 April 24.

Richmond Times-Dispatch. 1981 April 26.

University of New Orleans Driftwood. 1981 April 30.

Folder 6: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1981 May-December

SOURCE AND DATE ONLY

Ingram Paperback Advance. 1981 May.

America. 1981 May 2.

Houston Chronicle. 1981 May 3.

Publishers Weekly. 1981 May 8.

New Yorker Review of Bookers. 1981 May 14.

Orlando Sentinel Star. 1981 May 17.

New York Times Book Review best sellers list (trade) #4. 1981 May 17.

New York Times Book Review best sellers list (trade) #1. 1981 May 24.

Louisiana Library Association Bulletin. Summer 1981.

Horizon. 1981 June.

Impact. 1981 June.

Chicago Tribune. 1981 June.

New York Times Book Review best sellers list (trade) #1. 1981 June 7.

St. Mary's Dominican College Alumnae Association Bulletin. 1981 July.

Publishers Weekly. 1981 July 3.

Chronicle of Higher Education. 1981 July 6.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1981 July 13.

Figaro. 1981 July 15.

Richmond Times-Dispatch. 1981 July 28.

Jewish Civic Press. 1981 August.

Community Church Unitarian Universalist newsletter 1981 August.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1981 August 12.

Williamston Enterprise. 1981 August 13.

The Chapel Hill Newspaper. 1981 August 16.

Publishers Weekly. 1981 August 28.

Times-Picayune. 1981 September 10.

Times-Picayune. 1981 September 13.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1981 September 18.

Times-Picayune. 1981 September 27.

River Parishes Times-Picayune/States Item. 1981 September 30.

River Parishes Times-Picayune/States Item. 1981 October 6.

L'Observateur. 1981 October 8.

Arts/Fest 1981 newsletter.

Times-Picayune. 1981 November 8 - 2 articles.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1981 November 23.

Dixie. 1981 December 13.

Times-Picayune. 1981 December 13.

Folder 7: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1982

SOURCE AND DATA ONLY

Southern Living, 1982

Times-Picayune. 1982 January 3.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 January 6.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 January 7.

Times-Picayune. 1982 February 1.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 February 3.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 February 4.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 February 5.

Times-Picayune. 1982 February 7.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 February 13.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 March 8.

Nicholls Worth. 1982 March 26.

Gambit. 1982 May 8.

Times-Picayune. 1982 May 23.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 May 25.

The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1982 June 2.

New York Times. 1982 June 20.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 July 13.

New York Times Book Review 1982 August 29.

Dallas, Texas News. 1982 September 24.

University of New Orleans Driftwood. 1982 November 11.

Gambit. 1982 November.

New York Times Book Review. 1982 November 28.

Folder 8: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1983

Times-Picayune. 1983 April 3.

Times-Picayune. 1983 January 16.

New York Times. 1983 April 15.

Miami Herald. 1983 September 4.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1983 October 7.

Unknown source [probably Times-Picayune]. 1983 October 14.

USA Today. 1983 October 21.

Folder 9: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1984

SOURCE AND DATA ONLY

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1984 January 27.

Jewish Civic Press. 1984 February.

Shreveport Journal. 1984 April 13.

Atlanta Constitution. 1984 April 18.

Times-Picayune. 1984 April 29.

Times-Picayune. 1984 May 6.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1984 August 10.

Times-Picayune. 1984 August 19.

The Atlanta Journal - Constitution, no date but after 1984 August 17.

Copy of TDT obituary, unknown source.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1984 September 7.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1984 October 4.

Houston Chronicle Magazine. 1984 December 2. (cover page and story)

Folder 10: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings, 1985-1989

SOURCE AND DATE ONLY

Dixie. 1985 July 28.

Unknown source [probably Times-Picayune]. 1985 December 11.

Unknown source. 1987 February 27: "Confederacy of Aspiring Authors."

Unknown source [probably Hullabaloo]. 1987 May.

Times-Picayune. 1987 June 9.

Times [unknown other information]. 1989 March 13.

Times-Picayune. 1989 May 14 - 2 articles.

Folder 11: COD: Collateral printed materials, news clippings - undated, unknown source

Most clippings are incomplete articles with brief mentions of TDT or COD and are from Times-Picayune.

Folder 12: COD: Collateral printed materials, COD Musical

Three unused tickets addressed to TDT for musical.

Three copies of the program for the COD musical presented by Louisiana State University Theatre.

Baton Rouge Advocate. 1983 June 11.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1983 June 30.

Sunday Advocate Magazine. 1984 February 5.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1984 February 24.

Daily Sentry-News. 1984 February 24.

Evening Journal (Nebraska) 1984 February 26.

High Point Enterprise (North Carolina). 1984 March 4.

Valdosta Times (Georgia). 1984 March 6.

Griffin News (Georgia). 1984 March 7.

Morning Advocate. [undated]

Unknown source [undated]. "Chicago Composer Writing Music To Toole's Dunces."

Folder 13: COD: Collateral printed materials, COD film

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1981 May 14.

Gambit. 1982 May 22: "Ignatius On Film."

Times-Picayune. 1982 June 20.

Times-Picayune/States Item. 1982 June 29.

Times-Picayune. 1982 July 16.

Times-Picayune. 1982 August 31.

Unknown source [probably Times-Picayune]. 1982 September 24: "Dunce Cap."

Unknown source [undated]: "John Belushi: Potential Great Who Didn't Have Enough Time."

Unknown source [undated]: "A Rarity in 'October': Movie's Better Than The Play."

Unknown source [undated]: "'Dunces' Deal: Movie Plans Made For Late Author's Work."

Unknown source [undated]: "Confederacy On Film."

Folder 14: COD: Collateral printed materials, COD other items

Original of novel jacket illustration [looks to be from a grocery paper bag].

Picture of a cake made to look like cover of book.

Folder 15: COD: Collateral printed materials, Flora Levy Lecture

Three copies of the Flora Levy Lecture in the Humanities 1981, Volume II Gravity and Grace in the Novel COD by Robert Coles, USL, one inscribed "March 20, 1983. Warm Regard to Dr. Eamon M. Kelly from John Kennedy Toole's Mother, Thelma Ducoing Toole." A second copy says the same, 1983 March 18, to "Dear John Geiser."

One printer's copy with editing marks.

Folder 16: COD: Collateral printed materials, Tulane University Arts and Sciences Forum Series number 1: 1990 April 19; Planning Binder

One original mailer for the series.

Binder divided into the following sections:

Notes

Theatre bookstore

Letters

Copies of excerpts and some articles about COD and JKT

Publicity

General

Folder 17: COD: Collateral printed materials, Tulane University Arts and Sciences Forum Series number 1: 1990 April 19; Holditch Script

Original script of W. Kenneth Holditch reading from COD with note dated 1990 February 20 on W. Kenneth Holditch stationery.

Folder 18: COD: Collateral printed materials, Tulane University Arts and Sciences Forum Series number 1: 1990 April 19; publicity, poster

Original mailer of series.

Times-Picayune. 1990 April 15 - brief article "University of New Orleans Teacher to Talk on Toole."

Press release from Tulane.

Picayune. 1990 April 15 - event listing for Holditch reading on 1990 April 19.

Folder 19: COD: Collateral printed materials, Tulane University Arts and Sciences Forum Series number 1: 1990 April 19; program, miscellaneous

Copy of program and handwritten notes from meetings.

Packing slip and invoice from Ingram Publisher Services who provided copies of COD and NB.

Four pages of handwritten notes.

Picture of Ignatius' head.

Tulane University Special Collections