University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299 USA
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html



Guide to the Milton Meltzer Papers, 1955-1973


Ax 533





Finding aid prepared by processing staff

Finding aid encoded by Nathan Georgitis, 2006
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection

 
Repository Name:
 

University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives

1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299 USA
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html

 
Collection Number:
 

Ax 533

 
Creator:
 

Meltzer, Milton, 1915-

 
Title:
 

Milton Meltzer Papers

 
Dates:
 

1955-1973 (inclusive)

 
Quantity:
 

17 linear feet
12 containers

 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Milton Meltzer (May 8, 1915- ) held many positions in his life, varying from working in public relations to lecturing and working as a full-time writer. Collection comprises primarily literary manuscripts and correspondence related to Milton Meltzer's work as an author and editor of books for children and young people on American history, particularly African American history.

 

Biographical Note

Milton Meltzer (May 8, 1915- ) was born in Worcester, Massachusetts to Benjamin and Mary (Richter) Meltzer. He wed Hilda Balinky on June 22, 1941 and they had two daughters.

Meltzer received his education at Columbia University from 1932-1936. He was a member of the Author’s Guild, Author’s League of America, PEN, and Organization of American Historians.

During his career Meltzer held positions in public relations for the staff of Henry A. Wallace for President, and Pfizer. He was also an editor for Science and Medicine Publishing Co. Inc., and a consulting editor for Thomas Y. Crowell Co., Doubleday and Co. Inc., and Scholastic Book Services. Meltzer was also a writer for Federal Theater Project of the Works Project Administration and Columbia Broadcasting Inc. Meltzer was also an account executive for the Medical and Pharmaceutical Information Bureau. He was also a full time writer of books. Meltzer was an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a lecturer at universities in the United States and England, as well as professional meetings and seminars. Meltzer also wrote films and filmstrips. He served in the air force branch of the military and became a sergeant.

Content Description

The collection contains several manuscripts and correspondence reflecting Meltzer's writing career. For several of the manuscripts the correspondence for a particular work is included in the collection of folders holding a particular manuscript. There is a separate series for correspondence that does not pertain to a particular work.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into the following series: Manuscripts; Correspondence; and Manuscripts.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information 

Gift of Milton Meltzer in 1969.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use 

Property rights reside with Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to the Manuscripts Librarian in Special Collections & University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation 

[Identification of item], Milton Meltzer Papers, Ax 533, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Meltzer, Milton, 1915---Correspondence
African Americans--History--Juvenile literature
Authors, American--20th century
Young adult literature, American--Authorship
Other Creators :
Bontemps, Arna Wendell, 1902-1973 (contributor)
Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967 (contributor)
Rapoport, Bernard, 1917- (contributor)

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.


 

Manuscripts

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
   
Black Magic, A Pictorial History of the Negro in American Entertainment, Langston Hughes, Milton Meltzer, Prentice Hall
  1967
 
box
1
folder
1

Final draft, carbon with holograph revisions
 
 
2
Correspondence
 
 
196 letters and notes; also 12 letters
 

Langston Hughes
 
 

Incoming
 
 

Outgoing
 
 
3
Miscellaneous
 
   
In Their own Words, A Treasury of Negro History, Crowell, edited by Milton Meltzer
  1964-1965
 
4
Manuscript, Volume 1, carbon manuscript with holograph corrections 186 p.
 
 

Notes
 
 

Miscellaneous
 
 

Proposal for a book
 
 

Correspondence (5 letters)
 
 

Clippings
 
 

Other materials
 
 
5
Notes
 
 

Manuscript, Volume 2, 202 p.
 
 
6
Volume 3
 
 

Notes and letters 68 p.
 
 

Manuscript: Harlem Reconsidered, Memories of my Native Land, by Loften Mitchell, carbon 23 p.
 
 

Miscellaneous materials
 
   
Langston Hughes, a Biography, Crowell
  1968
 
7
First draft, original typed copy with holograph revisions (red pencil), and Milton Meltzer 167 p.
 
 
Draft was revised completely after the death of Langston Hughes in 1967.
 
8
Revised first draft, carbon 186 p.
 
 
9
Final draft 234 p.
 
   
A Light in the Dark, the Life of Samuel Gridley Howe, Crowell
  1964
 
10
First draft, holograph revisions, original typed 206 p.
 
 

Miscellaneous
 
 

Notes
 
 

Bibliography
 
 

Outlines
 
 

Correspondence (23 letters)
 
 

Clippings
 
 

Tearsheets
 
   
Mark Twain Himself, A Pictorial Biography, produced by Milton Meltzer, Crowell
  1960
 
12
Bills and receipts
 
 

Correspondence
 
 

Miscellaneous
 
 
13
Notes
 
 

Picture research
 
 

Permissions
 
 

Publicity, includes manuscript for speech 19 p. For article for Publisher’s Weekly 7 p.
 
 

Correspondence
 
 
14-18
Correspondence
 
 
Folders 16 and 17 have some miscellaneous materials
   
Pictorial History of the Negro in America, Milton Meltzer and Langston Hughes
 
 
2 1
Correspondence (165 letters)
 
 
2
Manuscript revisions
 
 
3
Correspondence: Arna Bontemps (78 letters)
  1953-1955
 
4
Correspondence: Crown Publishers (38 letters)
  1956-1958
 
5
Correspondence: Langston Hughes (8 letters)
  1956-1966
 
6
Correspondence: C. Eric Lincoln (8 letters)
  1968
 

Holograph manuscript
 
 

Manuscript fragments edited by C. Eric Lincoln
 
 
7
Miscellaneous
 
 

Notes
 
 

Biographical data
 
 

Research materials
 
 
8
Bills and receipts
 
 

Correspondence
 
   
Thaddeus Stevens and the Fight for Negro Rights, Crowell
  1967
 
9
First draft, original typed copy with holograph revisions 212 p.
 
 
10
Carbon of final version 197 p.
 
 
11
Notes
 
 

Correspondence (8 letters)
 
   
A Thoreau Profile, Walter Harding and Milton Meltzer, Crowell
  1962
 
12-14
Correspondence
 
 

Notes
 
 

Miscellaneous items
 
   
Thoreau: People, Principles and Politics, Hill and Wang
  1963
 
15
Notes
 
 

Correspondence
 
   
Time of Trial, Time of Hope, the Negro in America 1919-1941, Milton Meltzer and August Meier, Doubleday
  1966
 
16
First draft with holograph revisions 91 p.
 
 
17
Original manuscript with author’s holograph revisions 112 p.
 
 

Carbons, 2 copies, one corrected
 
 
18
Correspondence
 
 

Notes
 
   
Tongue of Flame, Lydia Maria Child, a Biography
  1965
 
19
Revised manuscript, two carbon copies, one with editor’s queries 197 p.
 
 

First draft, original manuscript, typed copy with holograph revisions 196 p.
 

 

Correspondence

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
3
folder
1

Correspondence
  1956-1967
 
2
Correspondence
  1968-1970
 
3
Incoming: A-L
 
 
4
Incoming: M-Z
 
 
5
Incoming: Crowell, Thomas Y. and Co.
 
 
6
Incoming: Follett Publishing Co.
 
 
7
Incoming: Langston Hughes
 
 
8
Incoming: Knopf, Alfred A. Inc.
 
   
Incoming: Rapoport, Bernard
 

 

Manuscripts

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
   
Bread and Roses, Knopf, New York
  1967
 
box
3
folder
10

Synopsis
 
 
11
First draft, holograph pages
 
 
12
Worker outline, typed 6 p.
 
 
13
Miscellaneous
 
   
Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
 
 
14
Outline notes, holograph
 
 

First draft, holograph
 
 
15
Second draft, typed
 
 
16
Third draft, typed
 
 
17
Fourth draft, photocopy of manuscript
 
 
18
Manuscript fragments, some typed, some photocopy, with holograph revision
 
 
19
Miscellaneous
 
   
Freedom Comes to Mississippi
 
 
20
First version
 
 

First draft
 
 

Second draft
 
 
21
First version, fragment, typed
 
 

Third draft, typed
 
 

Final draft, typed
 
 
22
Second version: first draft, holograph 92 p.
 
 
23
Second version: second and third drafts, holograph revisions 87 p.
 
 
24
Second version: forward, fourth draft, fragments, typed
 
 
25
Miscellaneous
 
   
Langston Hughes
 
 
4 1
Sketch
 
 

Prologue, typed
 
 

Draft 1, holograph
 
 
2
Draft 1, holograph
 
 
3
Draft 2, holograph 80 p.
 
 
4
Draft 2, holograph
 
 
5
Carbon and Xerox draft
 
 

Notes
 
 

Letter
 
 
6
Chapter outlines, holograph
 
 
7
Correspondence, photocopies
 
 
8
Articles and poetry
 
 
9
Columns
 
 
10
Biographical and research material
 
 
11
Reviews
 
 
12
Interview notes, some typed with holograph revisions, some holograph
 
 
13
Miscellaneous
 
   
Margaret Sanger
 
 
14
First draft, some holograph revisions
 
 
15
First draft, holograph, one typed page
 
 
16
First draft, holograph
 
 
17
Holograph notes
 
 

Fragments, typed with holograph revisions
 
 

Second draft, typed 147 p.
 
 
18
Miscellaneous
 
   
Slavery Volume 1
 
 
19
First draft, holograph
 
 
20
First draft, holograph
 
 
21
Second draft 143 p.
 
 
22
Third draft, typed with holograph revisions 147 p.
 
 
23
Fourth draft, typed 186 p.
 
 
24
Fifth draft, typed with holograph notes 19 p.
 
 

Some photocopied pages
 
 
25
Fragments
 
 

Illustration notes
 
 
26
Miscellaneous
 
   
Slavery Volume 2, Cowles Book Company Inc., New York
 
 
27
First draft, holograph
 
 
28
First draft, holograph with one typed page
 
 
5 1
Second draft
 
 

Notes
 
 
2
Illustration notes, some typed, some holograph
 
 

Publicity
 
 
3
Background material
 
 
4
Background material
 
   
To Change the World
 
 
5
Notes, holograph
 
 

First draft, holograph
 
 

Second draft, typed
 
 
6
Third draft
 
 

Fourth draft
 
 

Fragments
 
 

Fifth draft
 
 

Galleys
 
   
Who Look at Me?, by June Meyer
 
 
7
Synopsis
 
 

Art intro
 
 

Poem
 
 

Biographies
 
 

Galleys
 
 
8
Illustration lists, typed and holograph pages
 
 
9
Illustration permissions
 
 
10
Background material
 
   
Bread and Roses
 
 
6 1
Late draft, typed 168 p.
 
   
Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
 
 
2
Printers copy, with revisions 195 p.
 
 
3
Page proofs
 
 
4
Blue print
 
 
5
Unbound book
 
   
Hunted Like a Wolf, Farrar, Straus and Giroux
 
 
6
Printer’s copy, with revision
 
 
7
Two carbons 228 p.
 
   
Langston Hughes
 
 
8
Typed draft 186 p.
 
 
9
First draft, typed with holograph revisions 218 p.
 
 
10
Printer’s copy, with revisions 234 p.
 
   
Margaret Sanger
 
 
11
Carbon draft
 
 
12
Printer’s copy
 
 
folder

Correspondence: Incoming (1 letter)
  October 3, 1969
   
Pictorial History of Black Americans
 
 
folder
13

Galleys
 
 
14
Paste-up photocopy
 
   
The Right to Remain Silent
 
 
7 1
Typed draft
 
 
2
Printer’s copy, with revisions
 
 

Correspondence: Incoming (1 letter)
  March 15, 1973
   
Slavery Volume 1
 
 
3
Printer’s copy, with revisions 195 p.
 
 
folder

Correspondence: Incoming (1 letter)
  August 24, 1973
   
Slavery Volume 2
 
 
folder
4

First draft
 
 
5
Late draft, carbon 296 p.
 
   
To Change the World
 
 
6
Late draft, typed with light holographic revisions
 
 
7
Galley proofs
 
   
Underground Man
 
 
folder

First draft, holograph
 
   
The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox
 
 
folder
9

Page proofs
 
   
The Lurye Story, film, Norma Productions
 
 
10
Story information etc., typed
 
 
11
Research, clippings, photos
 
   
Slavery Volume 1, Recon in Mississippi, Thoreau Profile
 
 
Box 1
Reference note cards
 
   
Langston Hughes, Thurgood Marshall
 
 
Box 2
Reference note cards
 
   
History of the Negro
 
 
8 package
1

Illustration notes
 
   
The Lurye Story
 
 
2
Notes
 
   
Slavery Volume 2
 
 
3
Reference cards for notes and books
 
   
Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
 
 
4
Notes
 
   
Underground Man
 
 
5
Notes
 
 
6
Notes on Mexican War
 
 
folder
Box 1

Notes for Black History Calendar, Thaddeus Stevens, Seminole War, Zenith
 
 
Box 2
Notes for J. Brown, S.G. Howe, Mumbet
 
 
Box 3
Illustration notes for Pictorial History of the Negro in America II, Margaret Sanger, Black Magic
 
   
Bound for the Rio Grande
 
 
9 1
Correspondence: Incoming 4
  June 30, 1972-July 21, 1972
 

Correspondence: Outgoing 2
  June 27, 1972-June 28, 1972
 
2
First draft, typed with holograph revision
 
 
3
Second draft, typed 260 p.
 
 
4
Second draft, revised, typed
 
 
5
Galley proofs
 
 
6
Miscellaneous notes
 
   
The Eye of Conscience
 
 
7
Correspondence: incoming, outgoing, other
 
 
8
First draft, revised, typed with holograph revisions
 
 
9
Second draft, revised, typed with light holograph revisions
 
 
10
Dummy
 
   
Photographer Michael Abramson
 
 
11
Correspondence: Incoming 1
  1972
 

Correspondence: Outgoing 4
 
 

Research: typed notes from interview
 
 

Typed draft, holograph revisions 3 p.
 
 

Holograph pages 5 p.
 
 

Newsletter: the village VOICE
 
   
Photographer Morrie Camhi
 
 
12
Correspondence: Incoming (3 letters)
  1972
 

Correspondence: Outgoing (5 letters)
  1972, 1973
 

Holograph draft
 
 

Typed draft
 
 

Pacific Sun review
  April 27, 1972-May 3, 1972
   
Photographer Lewis Hine
 
 
13
Correspondence: Incoming (1 letter)
  November 21, 1966
 

Correspondence: Outgoing (4 letters)
  1966, 1972
 

Research material
 
 

Holograph notes
 
 

Typed draft 10 p.
 
   
Photographer Fang Lam
 
 
14
Correspondence: Incoming (2 letters)
  1972
 

Correspondence: Outgoing (2 letters)
  1972
 

Typed draft with holograph revisions 5 p.
 
 

Photocopy of draft 4 p.
 
 

Holograph draft
 
 

Youth
 
   
Photographer William Mackey
 
 
15
Correspondence: Incoming (2 letters)
  1972
 

Correspondence: Outgoing (6 letters)
  1969, 1971, 1972
 

Holograph notes and draft
 
 

Typed drafts 3
 
 

Clippings
 
 

Photograph by Mackey
 
   
Photographer Ira Nowinoki
 
 
16
Correspondence: Incoming (2 letters)
  1973
 

Correspondence: Outgoing (5 letters)
  1972, 1973
 

Holograph draft
 
 

Typed drafts 3
 
 

The San Francisco Fault Volume 1 No. 7
  December 29, 1971
   
Photographer Jacob Riis
 
 
17
Correspondence: Incoming (2 letters)
  July 1972
 

Holograph pages 2
 
 

Typed draft 8 p.
 
 

Clippings
 
 

Tear sheets
 
   
Photographer Timothy O’Sullivan
 
 
18
Correspondence: Incoming (1 letter)
  August 2, 1972
 

Holograph draft
 
 

One page of typed draft with heavy holograph revision
 
 

Clippings
 
 

Tear sheet
 
 

Infinity
  February 1973
   
Photographer Martin Schneider
 
 
19
Correspondence: Incoming (2 letters)
  1972, 1973
 

Correspondence: Outgoing (1 letter)
  October 4, 1972
 

Correspondence: Other (2 letters)
  May 1972
 

Holograph notes and draft
 
 

Typed draft with holograph revisions
 
 

Typed captions
 
 

Photocopy of captions 4 p.
 
 

Photocopy of interview corrections
 
 

Research materials
 
 

Photocopy of transcript of TV program Censorship
 
 

Photocopy of interview (?) with Schneider, partial document
 
 
20
Miscellaneous material
 
 
21
Research data
 
   
Hunted Like A Wolf
 
 
22
Correspondence: Incoming and Outgoing
 
 

Draft fragments included with correspondence
 
 

Holograph notes for captions
 
 

First draft, holograph 121 p.
 
 
24
Second draft, carbon 176 p.
 
 
25
Galley proofs
 
 
26
Miscellaneous notes, typed and holograph
 
 
27-29
Research data
 
   
Margaret Sanger
 
 
30
Correspondence: Incoming and Outgoing
 
 
31
Manuscript material
 
 
32
Miscellaneous notes and dust jacket
 
   
Never to Forget
 
 
10 1
First draft, typed
 
 
2
First draft, revised, photocopy 178 p.
 
 
3
Final draft, photocopy 214 p.
 
 

Some typed pages with holograph revision
 
   
Remember the Days
 
 
4
Correspondence: Incoming and Outgoing
 
 
5
First draft, typed, light holograph revision 110 p.
 
 
6
Second draft, typed, light holograph revision 121 p.
 
 
7
Final draft, typed, light holograph revision 121 p.
 
 

Color copy of dust jacket
 
 
8
Miscellaneous notes
 
   
Right to Remain Silent
 
 
9
Correspondence: Incoming and Outgoing
 
 
10
First draft, typed
 
 

First draft, holograph 87 p.
 
 
11
Second draft, typed with holograph revisions
 
 
12
Third draft, typed
 
 

Third draft, holograph draft pages
 
 

Correspondence
 
 
13
Final draft, photocopy 95 p.
 
 

Final draft, select typed pages
 
 
14
Miscellaneous notes, holograph and typed
 
 
15
Research data
 
   
Slavery Volume 2
 
 
16
Correspondence: Incoming and Outgoing
 
 

Galley proofs
 
 

Miscellaneous notes
 
   
Taking Root, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York
 
 
19
Final draft, photocopy 221 p.
 
   
Underground Man
 
 
20
First draft, typed, light holograph revision 136 p.
 
 
21
First draft, revised, typed, with holograph revisions 120 p.
 
 
22
Second draft, holograph
 
 
23
Second draft, typed
 
 

Some holograph pages
 
 
11 1
Second draft, revised, typed 154 p.
 
 

Holograph notes 4 p.
 
 
2
Third draft, typed, some holograph revisions, fragments
 
 
3
Third draft, revised, typed
 
 

Other draft fragments, some holograph revisions
 
 
4
Fourth draft, typed with holograph revisions 191 p.
 
 
5
Printer’s copy with holograph revisions, 203 p.
 
   
Violins and Shovels
 
 
6
Correspondence: Incoming and Outgoing
 
 
7
Early draft, typed with some holograph revision
 
 
8
Final draft, typed and photocopy with some holograph revisions, 195 p.
 
 
9
Miscellaneous notes, typed and holograph
 
 
10
Research data
 
   
World of Our Fathers, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York
 
 
11
Correspondence: Incoming and Outgoing
 
 
12
First draft, typed
 
 
13
Final draft, typed
 
 
14
Final draft, revised, photocopy 236 p.
 
 

Page proofs
 
 
15
Galleys
 
 
16
Miscellaneous notes
 
 

Page proofs of index
 
 
17
Research data
 
   
Zenith series, Doubleday
 
 
18
Correspondence: Incoming, outgoing, and other
 
 
19
Manuscript materials
 
 
20
Miscellaneous notes
 
 
21
Research data
 
   
Mark Twain
 
 
12 Box 1
Notes on illustrations
 
 
Box 2
Text notes
 
   
S.G Howe
 
 

Notes