Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
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Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Riley, James Whitcomb, 1849-1916. |
| Title: | James Whitcomb Riley Collection |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1883-1908 |
| Quantity: | 6 items (SC) |
| Abstract: | Papers of the American poet. Outgoing correspondence of a personal nature; annotated list. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: | Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center |
Biographical History
James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916) was an American poet, known for "simple sentiments that come direct from the heart." He has also been called the Hoosier Poet and the children's poet. He published many collections of verse, among them Pipes o' Pan at Zekesbury (1888), Old-Fashioned Roses (1888), A Child-World (1896), and Home Folks (1900). His best-known poems include "Little Orphant Annie" and "The Raggedy Man." A complete collection of his poems was published in 1916.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The James Whitcomb Riley Collection comprises correspondence and miscellany. Correspondence consists of six outgoing letters. In one of the letters, to fellow poet James Newton Matthews, Riley praises African-American poet Paul Dunbar (1892 Nov. 28):
Yesterday picked up one of Paul Dunbar's poems way out here; and have just wrote him about it, and to lend a hand, if possible, toward the initial boost you gave him. Certainly he deserves applause, and if he can stand it, there's the making of a very novel type of poet in him -- a credit not only to his own race but Freedom's everywhere.
The single item of Miscellany is a list, in pencil, with annotations.
Arrangement of the Collection
Letters are in chronological order, followed by the single item of miscellany.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Subject Headings
Persons
Subjects
Genres and Forms
Occupations
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
James Whitcomb Riley Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Piskor, and Sol Feinstone.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: KM
Date: July 1988
Revision history: Dec 1996 - revised (KM);
29 Sep 2008 - converted to EAD (MRC)
Inventory
| Correspondence | |||||||||||
| SC 47 | Finley, John Apr. 11, 1908 | ||||||||||
| SC 47 | Matthews, James Newton Feb. 8, 1883; Oct. 12, 1885; Nov. 28, 1892 | ||||||||||
| SC 47 | Morgan, John S. Oct. 17, 1891 | ||||||||||
| SC 47 | Scribner, Arthur H. Dec. 7, 1897 | ||||||||||
| Miscellany | |||||||||||
| SC 47 | List, annotated | ||||||||||