Box 102

Scope and Contents

Contains typewritten draft of chapter 1 (edited version)

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: Subseries 1.4, Dance We Do: A Poet Explores Black Dance, 2000-2018, undated, includes manuscripts, correspondence with dancers and choreographers, and research documents on the history of Black dance. Dance We Do: A Poet Explores Black Dance is a posthumously published work by Shange telling the history of Black dance by following the dancers and choreographers who directly influenced and inspired her artistic career. The...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Subseries 1.6, Float Like a Butterfly, 1999-2002, includes manuscripts, handwritten drafts with edits, a galley, and correspondence with Shange’s agents concerning the publication of the book. Float Like a Butterfly, published in 2002 by Hyperion Books is a biographical picture book about the life of Muhammad Ali. It was written by Shange and illustrated by Edel Rodriguez.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: Subseries 1.7, for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf, 1970-2008, undated, includes early handwritten and typewritten manuscripts of poems, typewriter manuscripts of the entire work, an original chapbook version of the text, and rewrites and additions of poems for later productions of the choreopoem with handwritten edits. for colored girls…, a choreopoem, was first published in 1976 by...

Scope and Contents

Materials for How I Come By This Crying Song (later Some Sing, Some Cry) including notes from and for sister Ifa Bayeza; chapter 2 typescript draft with (photocopied) handwritten notes

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: Subseries 1.25, Other and multiple works, 1996-2018, undated, includes materials related to other works by Shange (for which there were not enough items to constitute a subseries). This subseries also contains groupings of materials in which multiple works were originally arranged together (for example, photocopies of multiple excerpts or poems grouped and edited for performance or anthologies). Types of materials include photocopies of published works (some with notes), typewritten and...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: Subseries 1.25, Other and multiple works, 1996-2018, undated, includes materials related to other works by Shange (for which there were not enough items to constitute a subseries). This subseries also contains groupings of materials in which multiple works were originally arranged together (for example, photocopies of multiple excerpts or poems grouped and edited for performance or anthologies). Types of materials include photocopies of published works (some with notes), typewritten and...

Scope and Contents

Poems: "Jazz Bakery & Kahil," "Something about the Pullman Car Porters" (typewritten with handwritten edits), "as the pope lay dyin" (typewritten with handwritten edits), The Lizard Series III, myskin is silk, photograph of back with tattoo, program for Shange performance at Kathleen Coleman Gallery, flyer

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: Subseries 2.2, Personal, 1972-2018, undated, contains personal correspondence between Shange and friends and family, including letters, greeting cards, event invitations, and photographs. Some correspondence with family members and friends relating to creative collaboration and other business has been placed in Subseries 2.1, Business (and Shange frequently collaborated with friends and family in her professional and creative life). Correspondents include Shange’s parents, siblings,...

Scope and Contents

Letters from Bisa Williams to Shange and Juan from Paris, financial documents related to Shange's move from Oakland, California to Brooklyn, New York; typewritten drafts of poems from Freedom's a-Callin Me from or to Bisa Williams

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: Subseries 2.2, Personal, 1972-2018, undated, contains personal correspondence between Shange and friends and family, including letters, greeting cards, event invitations, and photographs. Some correspondence with family members and friends relating to creative collaboration and other business has been placed in Subseries 2.1, Business (and Shange frequently collaborated with friends and family in her professional and creative life). Correspondents include Shange’s parents, siblings,...

Scope and Contents From the Series: Series 3, Journals, Agendas, and Notes, 1972-2018, undated, includes notebooks, journals, agendas, notepads, lists, scratch paper, photocopies, and other notes related to Shange’s personal, professional, and creative life. The materials in this series contain personal diary entries and musings, some of which make mention of family and friends; journal entries about dreams; notes and materials related to personal health and recovery from substance abuse and strokes; notes, research materials,...

Scope and Contents

Afrovisions catalog, Black Theatre Network News newsletter, National Black Arts Festival calendar, National Black Theatre Festival colloquium schedule, and various other pieces of ephemera and personal correspondence

Scope and Contents From the Series: Series 4, Press, Programs, and Ephemera, 1970-2019, undated, includes newspapers and magazine clippings with coverage and reviews of Shange’s and others’ works; playbills and programs; flyers and posters; press materials for works of Shange’s and works of others that she attended; recordings of television and radio media appearances; and ephemera such as travel itineraries, theater tickets, and book jackets. This series documents both Shange’s own creative output and frequent speaking...

Scope and Contents

2000 program for Wakati at Rites & Reason Theatre; handwritten note on dance; 1994 typewritten Whitewash teleplay; 1996 handwritten Whitewash (excerpt?) manuscript, with dedication to Savannah

Scope and Contents From the Series:

Series 8, Awards, 1987-2022, includes awards and honors received by Shange as well as related materials. Awards include the Barnard Medal of Honor and Woman of Achievement Award, an honorary degree from Oberlin College, a certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, and several city and state proclamations and citations in honor of Shange’s work.