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This collection has access restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the FAQ section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 53.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 17,500 items) |
| Abstract | Diane Di Prima was born on 6 August 1934 in Brooklyn, N.Y. She attended Swarthmore College, but dropped out in 1953 to move to Manhattan and become a writer. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, she joined the emerging Beat movement. She was the editor of the newsletter The Floating Bear with LeRoi Jones, 1961-1969. In 1966, she moved to Millbrook, N.Y., to live in Timothy Leary's community. She moved to San Francisco, Calif., in 1968. In California, she taught at such institutions as the New College of California and the California College of Arts and Crafts. She also taught at Naropa University, specifically in the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. Her works include her fictionalized memoir Memoirs of a Beatnik (1968), the long poem Loba (1998), and the book Recollections of My Life as a Woman: The New York Years (2001), as well as many other short and long pieces, chiefly poems. The collection contains the correspondence, writings, notebooks, printed materials and notes, audio-visual material, and other items of Diane Di Prima. Correspondents include Di Prima's friends, family, students, editors, and publishers. Among the letters is an undated postcard from Ezra Pound. Topics include Di Prima's writings, comments on works submitted for editing by Di Prima, family activities, and Di Prima's health, among other matters. There are also notebooks in which Di Prima recorded her daily activities, dreams, poems, travels, health, and other matters; calendars; books of phone messages; and other notebooks. Among the writings are multiple drafts of Recollections of My Life as a Woman: The New York Years and her long poem Loba. There are also drafts of lectures given by Di Prima, unpublished short works written by her, Memoirs of a Beatnik , and her unpublished book "Not Quite Buffalo Stew." There are also some published and unpublished works by other authors. Also included are periodicals, including poetry journals and zines collected by Di Prima; printed fliers, programs, catalogs, and other items related to poetry events and educational opportunities; handwritten notes on various topics; materials from conferences Di Prima attended; financial materials; and drawings and artwork. Photographic materials include photograph albums; photographic prints; and slides of Diane Di Prima, her family, and her travels across the United States. Moving image materials are primarily recordings of readings of Di Prima's poems and interviews conducted with her. Audio materials are recordings of classes taught by Di Prima and recordings of readings of her poetry. |
| Creator | Di Prima, Diane. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Related Collections
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Biographical
Information
Diane Di Prima was born on 6 August 1934 in Brooklyn, N.Y. She attended Swarthmore College, but dropped out in 1953 to move to Manhattan and become a writer. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, she joined the emerging Beat movement. She was the editor of the newsletter The Floating Bear with LeRoi Jones, 1961-1969. In 1966, she moved to Millbrook, N.Y., to live in Timothy Leary's community. She moved to San Francisco, Calif., in 1968. In California, she taught at such institutions as the New College of California and the California College of Arts and Crafts. She also taught at Naropa University, specifically in the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. Her works include her fictionalized memoir Memoirs of a Beatnik (1968), the long poem Loba (1998), and the book Recollections of My Life as a Woman: The New York Years (2001), as well as many other short and long pieces, chiefly poems.
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Scope and Content
The collection contains the correspondence, writings, notebooks, printed materials and notes, audio-visual material, and other items of Diane Di Prima. Correspondents include Di Prima's friends, family, students, editors, and publishers. Among the letters is an undated postcard from Ezra Pound. Topics include Di Prima's writings, comments on works submitted for editing by Di Prima, family activities, and Di Prima's health, among other matters. There are also notebooks in which Di Prima recorded her daily activities, dreams, poems, travels, health, and other matters; calendars; books of phone messages; and other notebooks. Among the writings are multiple drafts of Recollections of My Life as a Woman: The New York Years and her long poem Loba. There are also drafts of lectures given by Di Prima, unpublished short works written by her, Memoirs of a Beatnik, and her unpublished book "Not Quite Buffalo Stew." There are also some published and unpublished works by other authors. Also included are periodicals, including poetry journals and zines collected by Di Prima; printed fliers, programs, catalogs, and other items related to poetry events and educational opportunities; handwritten notes on various topics; materials from conferences Di Prima attended; financial materials; and drawings and artwork. Photographic materials include photograph albums; photographic prints; and slides of Diane Di Prima, her family, and her travels across the United States. Moving image materials are primarily recordings of readings of Di Prima's poems and interviews conducted with her. Audio materials are recordings of classes taught by Di Prima and recordings of readings of her poetry.
Note that this finding aid represents an initial sort of the collection for the purpose of making the materials available for research. Because of this and because of the nature of the materials, there may be considerable overlap among the types and topics of materials in each series. Researchers are, therefore, advised to review all series for materials of possible interest.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Correspondence, 1962-2007.
Arrangement: loosely chronological.
Note that correspondence relating to particular writings may be filed with those writings in Series 3.
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Series 2. Notebooks, 1955-2002.
Arrangement: chronological.
Notebooks in which Diane Di Prima recorded her daily activities, dreams, poems, travels, health, and other matters. Around 1992, Di Prima began keeping a separate notebook for poetry and another notebook as a daily journal, which she called "Morning Pages." There are also calendars, books of phone messages, and other notebooks.
Original notebooks titles have, for the most part, been retained.
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Subseries 2.1. Notebooks, 1955-1990.
Arrangement: chronological.
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Subseries 2.2. Poetry Notebooks, 1992-2002.
Arrangement: chronological.
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Subseries 2.3. Morning Pages, 1993-2000.
Arrangement: chronological.
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Subseries 2.4. Other Notebooks, 1976-1998.
| Folder 694-712 |
Calendars, 1976-1998 #12002, Subseries: "2.4. Other Notebooks, 1976-1998." Folder 694-712Folder 694Folder 695Folder 696Folder 697Folder 698Folder 699Folder 700Folder 701Folder 702Folder 703Folder 704Folder 705Folder 706Folder 707Folder 708Folder 709Folder 710Folder 711Folder 712 |
| Folder 713-734 |
Phone messages, 1984-1998 #12002, Subseries: "2.4. Other Notebooks, 1976-1998." Folder 713-734Folder 713Folder 714Folder 715Folder 716Folder 717Folder 718Folder 719Folder 720Folder 721Folder 722Folder 723Folder 724Folder 725Folder 726Folder 727Folder 728Folder 729Folder 730Folder 731Folder 732Folder 733Folder 734 |
| Folder 735-750 |
Other notebooks #12002, Subseries: "2.4. Other Notebooks, 1976-1998." Folder 735-750Includes notes on collages, notebooks on Diane Di Prima's spirituality, and notebooks for trips that she took, among other items. Folder 735Folder 736Folder 737Folder 738Folder 739Folder 740Folder 741Folder 742Folder 743Folder 744Folder 745Folder 746Folder 747Folder 748Folder 749Folder 750 |
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Series 3. Writings.
Chiefly drafts of works by Diane Di Prima, as well as drafts of works by other authors. Included are drafts of Recollections of My Life as a Woman (published in abbreviated form under the title Recollections of My Life as a Woman: The New York Years ) and her long poem Loba. There are also drafts of lectures given by Di Prima, unpublished short works written by her, Memoirs of a Beatnik , and her unpublished book "Not Quite Buffalo Stew." There are also some published and unpublished works by other authors. Note that correspondence and other materials relating to particular writings is also included.
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Subseries 3.1. Recollections of My Life as a Woman: The New York Years,
1992-2000.
Original file titles have, for the most part, been retained.
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Subseries 3.2. Loba.
Contains primarily drafts of Loba, a long poem. Drafts usually bear corrections and edits made by unknown people.
Orginal file titles have, for the most part, been retained.
| Folder 818 |
Correspondence and editorial material #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 818 |
| Folder 819 |
Rough pages draft #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 819 |
| Folder 820-821 |
Undated drafts #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 820-821Folder 820Folder 821 |
| Folder 822 |
Rough pages draft #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 822 |
| Folder 823 |
Excerpt from Book II #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 823 |
| Folder 824 |
Draft table of contents #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 824 |
| Folder 825 |
Draft with corrections #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 825 |
| Folder 826 |
Published copy of Loba: Part I-VIII with corrections #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 826 |
| Folder 827 |
Corrected excerpts from the Italian translation #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 827 |
| Folder 828-830 |
Miscellaneous excerpts #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." Folder 828-830Folder 828Folder 829Folder 830 |
| Instantaneous Disc FD-12002/18 |
Draft of Loba and Death Poems #12002, Subseries: "3.2. Loba." FD-12002/18 |
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Subseries 3.3. Lectures.
Drafts of lectures given by Diane Di Prima. Included are drafts of the Olson Lectures, a lecture given at the Naropa Institute, a lecture at the Minneapolis Jung Institute, and a lecture given at the American Italian Historical Association Conference.
| Folder 751-753 |
First draft of the Olson Lectures #12002, Subseries: "3.3. Lectures." Folder 751-753Folder 751Folder 752Folder 753 |
| Instantaneous Disc FD-12002/14 |
Draft of Olson Lectures #12002, Subseries: "3.3. Lectures." FD-12002/14 |
| Folder 754 |
Draft of a lecture given at the Naropa Institute #12002, Subseries: "3.3. Lectures." Folder 754 |
| Folder 755 |
Notes for a lecture at the Minneapolis Jung Institute, September 1979 #12002, Subseries: "3.3. Lectures." Folder 755 |
| Folder 756-757 |
Draft of a lecture at the American Italian Historical Association Conference, 11 November 1994 #12002, Subseries: "3.3. Lectures." Folder 756-757Folder 756Folder 757 |
| Instantaneous Disc FD-12002/15-16 |
Other lectures #12002, Subseries: "3.3. Lectures." FD-12002/15-16FD-12002/15FD-12002/16 |
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Subseries 3.4. Other Writings by Diane Di Prima.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Drafts of unpublished short works written by Diane Di Prima; drafts of Memoirs of a Beatnik, and drafts of her unpublished book "Not Quite Buffalo Stew."
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Subseries 3.5. Writings by Others.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Published and unpublished works by other authors. These works were sent to Diane Di Prima for her comment or as a part of an application package for one of her classes or workshops.
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Series 4. Periodicals, Printed Materials, Notes, and Other
Materials.
Periodicals, including poetry journals and zines collected by Di Prima; printed fliers, programs, catalogs, and other items related to poetry events and educational opportunities; handwritten notes on various topics; materials from conferences Di Prima attended; financial materials; and drawings and artwork.
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Subseries 4.1. Periodicals.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Primarily poetry journals and poetry zines collected by Diane Di Prima. There are only one or two issues for most titles.
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Subseries 4.2. Printed Materials.
Primarily fliers, programs, catalogs, and other printed material related to poetry events and education.
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Subseries 4.3. Other Materials.
Other materials collected by Diane Di Prima. Included are handwritten notes, materials from conferences she attended, financial materials, and drawings and artwork, among other items.
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Series 5. Audio-Visual Materials.
Photographic material, moving image material, and audio material related to the life and career of Diane Di Prima. Photographic materials include photograph albums; photographic prints; and slides of Diane Di Prima, her family, and her travels across the United States. Moving image materials are primarily recordings of readings of Di Prima's poems and interviews conducted with her. Audio materials are recordings of classes taught by Di Prima and recordings of readings of her poetry.
When possible, original unit titles have been retained.
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Subseries 5.1. Photographs and Slides.
| Photograph Album PA-12002/1 |
Travel Photos, 1967 #12002, Subseries: "5.1. Photographs and Slides." PA-12002/1 |
| Photograph Album PA-12002/2 |
Slides, 1971-1974 #12002, Subseries: "5.1. Photographs and Slides." PA-12002/2 |
| Photograph Album PA-12002/3 |
Slides, 1972-1974 #12002, Subseries: "5.1. Photographs and Slides." PA-12002/3 |
| Photograph Album PA-12002/4 |
Green Gulch Farm slides, 1973 #12002, Subseries: "5.1. Photographs and Slides." PA-12002/4 |
| Photograph Album PA-12002/5 |
Kids, 1974 #12002, Subseries: "5.1. Photographs and Slides." PA-12002/5 |
| Photograph Album PA-12002/6 |
Photograph album, 1975 #12002, Subseries: "5.1. Photographs and Slides." PA-12002/6 |
| Image Folder PF-12002/1 |
Photographs of Diane Di Prima #12002, Subseries: "5.1. Photographs and Slides." PF-12002/1 |
| Image Folder PF-12002/2 |
Other photographs #12002, Subseries: "5.1. Photographs and Slides." PF-12002/2 |
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Subseries 5.2. Moving Image Materials, 1995-2003.
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Subseries 5.3. Audio Materials.
Primarily contains recordings of classes taught by Diane Di Prima. Also contains recordings of readings of her poetry.
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Series 6. Closed Materials.
Primarily materials with student information from Diane Di Prima's teaching at the New College of California, as well as tax forms, contracts, and other materials containing restricted information.
Series 6 is closed until 2061.
| Folder 1031-1074 |
Closed materials #12002, Series: "6. Closed Materials." Folder 1031-1074Folder 1031Folder 1032Folder 1033Folder 1034Folder 1035Folder 1036Folder 1037Folder 1038Folder 1039Folder 1040Folder 1041Folder 1042Folder 1043Folder 1044Folder 1045Folder 1046Folder 1047Folder 1048Folder 1049Folder 1050Folder 1051Folder 1052Folder 1053Folder 1054Folder 1055Folder 1056Folder 1057Folder 1058Folder 1059Folder 1060Folder 1061Folder 1062Folder 1063Folder 1064Folder 1065Folder 1066Folder 1067Folder 1068Folder 1069Folder 1070Folder 1071Folder 1072Folder 1073Folder 1074 |
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Items Separated
Processed by: Benjamin Bromley and Sarah Wolper, May 2010
Encoded by: Noah Huffman and Benjamin Bromley, May 2010
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