Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4503
RALPH STEELE BOGGS PAPERS
Initial Inventory
Abstract: Ralph Steele Boggs, folklorist of international
reputation, who taught Spanish in the Department of
Romance Languages at the University of North Carolina
and founded the Curriculum in Folklore at the
University in 1939.
Papers and bound volumes chiefly relating to
Boggs's career in folklore. Included is
correspondence with folklore scholars in the United
States and in Latin America and 76 scrapbook volumes,
compiled by Boggs, that contain items chiefly relating
to his professional life, but also to his family and
post-retirement travel. Also included are four
manuscript volumes, apparently purchased by Boggs,
containing two 18th-century Spanish plays, one by
Antonio Redondo. There are also tape recordings of
Boggs discussing the history of the UNC Curriculum in
Folklore and other North Carolina folklore activities.
Online Catalog Terms:
Boggs, Ralph Steele, 1901- .
Folklore--Latin America.
Folklore--North Carolina.
Folklore--Study and teaching.
Folklorists.
Redondo, Antonio.
Spanish drama--18th century.
University of North Carolina (1793-192). Curriculum in
Folklore.
University of North Carolina (1793-1962). Dept. of
Romance Languages.
University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Faculty.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Curriculum in
Folklore.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dept. of
Romance Languages.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill--Faculty.
Size: About 1,000 items (13.0 linear feet)
Provenance: Received from Ralph S. Boggs of Coral Gables,
Fla., in January 1988 and transferred from the
Collection Development Department of the Academic
Affairs Library at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill in January 1990. Received
from Ralph S. Boggs in September 1993 (Acc.
93118).
Access: RESTRICTED: Original reel-to-reel tapes not
available for research; researchers must use
listening copies. No restrictions to paper
materials.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or
their descendants, as stipulated by United States
copyright law.
Table of Contents:
Accession of January 1988
Addition of January 1990
Addition of September 1993
Open Reel Tapes
Shelf List
Accession of January 1988
The preliminary arrangement for this material is an
alphabetical run of folders, using Boggs's folder titles.
Folder 1 Cortezar, Augusto Raul, 1940-1959
Correspondence and writings (in Spanish)
about the study of Argentinian folklore.
Folder 2 Davis, Martha, 1980
Fellowship application for the study of
folklore in the Dominican Republic.
Folder 3 Hand, Wayland D., 1943-1960
Correspondence and other materials about
folklore studies at UCLA and about the
transfer of Boggs's professional library
to that school.
Folder 4 Hayes, Francis C., 1977
Proposal to the National Endowment for the
Humanities to produce a dictionary of
Spanish proverbs.
Folder 5 Lizardo, Fradique, 1974
Correspondence and other materials about
folklore studies in the Dominican
Republic.
Folder 6 Mendoza, Vicente T., 1941-1958
Correspondence and other materials (in
Spanish) about folklore studies in Mexico.
Folder 7 Robe, Stanley L., 1963
Application for membership in Folklore
Americas.
Folder 7a. Sharpe, Lawrence A., 1975
Letter about mutual interests, including
Spanish morphology.
Folder 8 Taylor, Archer, 1930-1960
Correspondence on the general topic of
folklore studies.
Folder 9 Thompson, Stith, 1941-1949
Correspondence and other materials about
folklore studies, especially the Graduate
Program in Folklore at Indiana University.
Folder 10 University of North Carolina, 1949
Letters from Sterling A. Stoudemire, head
of the Department of Romance Languages
about Boggs's leaving UNC for the
Hispanic-American Institute.
Addition of January 1990 (Acc. 90113)
Papers and bound volumes chiefly relating to Boggs's career in
folklore. Also included are manuscript volumes containing the
texts of two Spanish plays.
Folder 11 Biographical materials
12-15 Miscellaneous items, including folklore
newsletters, a small amount of professional
correspondence, and writings on folklore by
others.
Biographical Documentation of Ralph Steele Boggs, bound
volumes containing pasted-in material--a small amount of
corres- pondence, photographs, postcards, newsletters, and
printed copies of his books--chiefly relating to Boggs's
professional life, but also including some items bearing on
his family and on post-retirement travel. The volumes begin
with material dated 1813 that relates to Boggs's ancestors;
the volumes conclude in 1982. Some years are covered in more
than one volume.
Volume 1 Index, bibliography, family background
Volumes 2-3 1813-1926
Volumes 4-11 1927-1937
Volumes 12-19 1937-1943
Volumes 20-28 1944-1946
Volumes 29-38 1947-1951
Volumes 39-46 1952-1955
Volumes 47-55 1956-1960
Volumes 56-64 1961-1969
Volumes 65-72 1970-1977
Volumes 73-76 1978-1982
Four manuscript volumes, apparently purchased by Boggs,
containing two Spanish plays. These volumes may date from the
18th century. Boggs tentatively identified them as "Honor,
Amor, y Heroismo" by Antonio Redondo and "El Contravando,"
author unknown (in three volumes).
Addition of September 1993 (Acc. 93118)
Size: 2 items (0.5 linear feet).
Dates: 1950s.
Provenance: Received from Ralph S. Boggs.
Access: No restrictions.
Description: Two volumes of notes for classes on types of
folklore.
Filed in Box 11.
Open-Reel Tapes
Materials filed in the Southern Folklife Collection.
Descriptions supplied by SFC staff.
FT-1262 - FT-1264 Boggs traces the history of the UNC Folklore
Curriculum, the founding of the North Carolina
Folklore publication, development of the North
Carolina Folk Festival; dubs of tapes made at
Second North Carolina Folk Festival, 1949, old
time musicians, black church choir.
SHELF LIST
Box 1 Accession of January 1988 (folders 1-10)
Addition of January 1990 (folders 11-15)
(volumes 1-3)
Box 2 (volumes 4-11)
Box 3 (volumes 12-19)
Box 4 (volumes 20-28)
Box 5 (volumes 29-38)
Box 6 (volumes 39-46)
Box 7 (volumes 47-55)
Box 8 (volumes 56-64)
Box 9 (volumes 65-72)
Box 10 (volumes 73-76)
Box 11 Addition of September 1993
Items separated:
FT-1262 - FT-1264 Open-Reel Tapes filed in the Southern
Folklife Collection.