Roark Bradford papers, 1887-1949 | Louisiana Research Collection

By Eira Tansey

Printer-friendly |

Collection Overview

Title: Roark Bradford papers, 1887-1949

ID: LaRC/Manuscripts Collection 20

Primary Creator: Bradford, Roark, 1896-1948.

Extent: 5.0 Boxes. More info below.

Arrangement: Box 1 includes personal papers; boxes 2 through 5 contain Bradford’s manuscripts of short stories and articles, and other papers. Several of the manuscripts include marginalia and extensive editing marks. The collection consists of 5 boxes.

Date Acquired: 06/00/1949. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: African Americans -- Southern States -- History -- 20th century., African Americans in literature and art., American literature -- 20th century., Authors, American -- 20th century., Bradford, Roark, 1896-1948., Journalists -- Louisiana -- New Orleans., New Orleans (La.) -- History -- 20th century.

Forms of Material: Clippings (information artifacts), Correspondence., Manuscripts for publication., Photographs., Typescripts.

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection consists of correpondence, clippings, photographs, drawings, typescripts, manuscripts, and publications of writer and journalist Roark Bradford (1896-1948). Bradford worked the night shift at the Times-Picayune and contributed numerous short stories to magazines, including Collier's, the New York Herald Tribune, Esquire, and the Saturday Evening Post.

Biographical Note

Roark Bradford was born in 1896 in Tennessee. He moved to New Orleans in 1923, and worked as an editor at the Times-Picayune newspaper from 1924 to 1926. He was a prolific writer of short stories, and widely published in magazines. Many of the stories he wrote used an exaggerated African-American dialect popular at the time; some of his works were dramatized for stage and film, including "Ol' Man Adam and His Chillun'", which became the basis for the 1936 film, The Green Pastures. He served as a consultant to Tulane University's English Department, 1947-1948. Roark Bradford died in New Orleans on November 13, 1948.

Subject/Index Terms

African Americans -- Southern States -- History -- 20th century.
African Americans in literature and art.
American literature -- 20th century.
Authors, American -- 20th century.
Bradford, Roark, 1896-1948.
Journalists -- Louisiana -- New Orleans.
New Orleans (La.) -- History -- 20th century.

Administrative Information

Repository: Louisiana Research Collection

Accruals: No further accruals expected

Alternate Extent Statement: 2.5 linear feet

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions.

Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Acquisition Source: Mary Rose Bradford

Acquisition Method: Gift

Preferred Citation: Roark Bradford papers, Manuscripts Collection 20, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118.

Finding Aid Revision History: The collection was rehoused by student worker Elizabeth Chambers in 2009. LAC Group entered information in Archon January 2011. Revised by LAC Group 1/24/11.

Other Note: OCLC Number: 317411922

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: Correspondence, clippings, photographs, drawings and other papers],
[Box 2: Typescripts and publications],
[Box 3: Typescripts and publications],
[Box 4: Manuscripts and publications],
[Box 5: Manuscripts and publications],
[Volume 1: "John Henry" by Roark Bradford and Jacques Wolfe, script and score],
[Oversize folder 1: "Satirical Song", undated],
[All]

Box 5: Manuscripts and publications

Folder 1: "The Other Story," for Magazine '48 (never published), 1948
Folder 2: "The Old Ship of Zion Reels Once", undated
Folder 3: "Girl, I'm Sorry for You", undated
Folder 4: "Feed Me Apples", undated
Folder 5: "Swing Low in Dixie", undated
Folder 6: "The Lyons Den" New York Post, 1941?
Folder 7: "Great Uncle Wash," also entitled "The Biggest Liar in West Tennessee", undated
Folder 8: "High Polish Region", undated
Folder 9: "The Mule Doctor", undated
Folder 10: "Strange Gravel", undated
Folder 11: "Literature and Less" New Orleans Times Picayune, 1946
Folder 12: "You Take a Mule", undated
Folder 13: "You Take a Mule," another version, undated
Folder 14: "Untitled" war story, undated
Folder 15: "Swing Low de Chariot", undated
Folder 16: "The Monkey Boat", undated

Tulane University Special Collections