QUICK LINKS:
- Series 1: Merchant Marine and Military
- Series 2: Woody Guthrie, performer and songwriter
- Series 3: Home and family
- Series 4: Hospital and medical
- Series 5: Works by others
- Series 6: Additional related material
Collection Processed by:
Jorge Arévalo Mateus, PhDCollection Guide Prepared by:
Original finding aid was prepared by Jorge’ Arevalo Mateus, PhD; updated by Melissa Kunz, June 2014.
Date Range:
1940 – 1990
Extent:
1.5 linear feet (3 boxes)
Provenance:
Marjorie Guthrie & offices of Harold Leventhal
Scope and Content:
Military records, contracts, royalty statements, scripts, song lists, performance notes and itineraries, family papers, and hospital records relating to: Woody Guthrie’s service in the Merchant Marine and United States Army; his activities as a performer and songwriter; home and family life; his stays in hospitals; and writings and drawings created by others. Also included, as additional related material, are documents pertaining to Woody’s family, home and employment activities that appear to have been obtained by the Woody Guthrie Foundation from a variety of sources.
Language:
Entirely in English.
Access restrictions:
Because of privacy considerations, access to one document in Box 2, Folder 28 (“envelope, with markings by Woody Guthrie”) will not be granted until January 1,
2033.Use restrictions:
All materials is copyrighted to Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc.
Arrangement:
The papers are arranged in six series: Merchant Marine and military; Woody Guthrie, performer and songwriter; home and family; hospital and medical; works by others; and additional related material.
Related Materials:
For related materials please see the Archive of Folk Culture at the Library of Congress or Woody at 100: the Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection at the Smithsonian Folkways.
List of Series:
Series 1: Merchant Marine and Military
Series 2: Woody Guthrie, performer and songwriter
Series 4: Hospital and medical
Series 6: Additional related material
CONTAINER LIST
SERIES 1: MERCHANT MARINE AND MILITARY |
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| Note: This series contains three subdivisions: Merchant Marine; military service; and military benefits.The Merchant Marine subseries includes documentation of 1990 proceedings recognizing Guthrie’s wartime service.In addition to providing extensive documentation of Guthrie¹s activities as a serviceman, the military service records contain an assortment of notes, jottings and drawings.Of particular interest is Guthrie’s account of an attack on African-American servicemen by white troops at Scott Field, Illinois (Box 1, Folder 10). Guthrie’s correspondence with his local draft board contains much information concerning his Merchant Marine and creative activities (Box 1, Folder 05).Guthrie’s teletype notes and lessons also contain drawings and essays (Box 1, Folder 11). | ||
| A. Merchant Marine | ||
| 01 | “Joint Meeting” — notes re: meeting of William Floyd crew members | 1944 |
| 02 | Correspondence re application for discharge | 1990 |
| 03 | Certificate of Release or Discharge; Honorable Discharge | 1990 |
| 04 | Certificate of Service, B. Military service | 1990 |
| 05 | Correspondence with Selective Service System | 1943-44 |
| 06 | Induction Notice; memo re Classification Section interview | 1943-44 |
| 07 | 1262nd S.C.U. News Digest, Fort Dix, New Jersey(to be moved to oversize box) | 1945 |
| 08 | Newspapers — Sheppard Field Texacts;Scott Field Broadcaster (to be moved to oversize box) | 1945 |
| 09 | transfer from Sheppard Field, Texas to Scott Field, Illinois | 1945 |
| 10 | Scott Field — notes re various subjects (to be moved to oversize box) | 1945 |
| 11 | Scott Field — teletype notes, messages, forms (to be moved to oversize box) | 1945 |
| 12 | Scott Field — Army teletype memoranda | 1945 |
| 13 | Scott Field — letters from Suggestion Committee | 1945 |
| 14 | Drawings (Scott Field[?]) | 1945 |
| 15 | Publications | 1944-45 |
| 16 | Publication — “The GI Bill of Rights” | 1945 |
| 17 | Separation from service | 1946 |
| 18 | Official Records envelope | 1946 |
| 19 | Certificate of Appreciation for War Service | 1946 |
| 20 | Army Papers folder | c. 1945-46[?] |
| C. Military benefits | ||
| 21 | Dependency Benefits — application and data sheet | 1945 |
| 22 | National Service Life Insurance | 1945-53, n.d. |
| 23 | Army Finance Center Adjustment Division – re payments to Mary E. Guthrie, Woody Guthrie | 1947 |
| 24 | Veterans Administration benefits (various) | 1953-61, n.d. |
SERIES 2: WOODY GUTHRIE, PERFORMER AND SONGWRITER |
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| Note: This series contains three subdivisions: financial and business; scripts; and notes, schedules and lists.The financial and business papers contain an assortment of contracts signed by Guthrie, with a variety of entities and individuals, including Huddie Ledbetter, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. The other major component of this subdivision are royalty statements and related material.The financial and business papers also include quotations and blurbs compiled by Guthrie; documents pertaining to Guthrie’s and Marjorie Mazia’s employment in a summer camp; and a 1952 receipt for his Martin guitar.The series also contains a number of radio and dance scripts, some bearing annotations by Woody Guthrie. The notes, schedules and lists in the series concern the Almanac Singers, performances for union and political groups, children’s songs and parties, and a U.S. Public Health Service radio campaign featuring songs about syphilis. Also included are Earl Robinson’s comments on numerous Guthrie songs, along with Guthrie¹s annotations (Box 1, Folder 53). | ||
| A. Financial and business | ||
| 25 | contracts | 1940-49 |
| 26 | folder titled “Contracts – Copyrights – Etc – Royalties” | n.d. |
| 27 | Royalty statements, contract, and related material (from folder titled “Papers”) | 1946-56 |
| 28 | folder titled “Papers” | n.d. |
| 29 | note to “M & P” re copyrighting songs | c. 1942 |
| 30 | “Things They Said About Woody Guthrie All Along” | c. 1947 |
| 31 | Stone Crest Day Camp, Bethlehem, NH | 1948 |
| 32 | Receipt for guitar | 1952 |
| B. Scripts | ||
| 33 | Radio script — The Chisholm Trail: A Ballad Opera of the Old West by Elizabeth Lomax (item appears to be Cisco Houston’s copy) | 1944 |
| 34 | Radio script — Hootenanny of the Air, by Alan Lomax | c. 1949 |
| 35 | Radio script — Hootenanny of the Air, by Alan Lomax (with Woody Guthrie annotations) | c. 1949 |
| 36 | Songs for Oscar Brand radio program, WNYC | 1950 |
| 37 | Script of BBC program of Scottish ballads collected by Alan Lomax | 1951 |
| 38 | Script — “Folksay” (Sophie Maslow dance) | n.d. |
| 39 | The Song of the Gypsy Dave by John J. Greenway | n.d. |
| C. Notes, schedules, lists | ||
| 40 | Almanac Singers — notes and schedules | 1941 |
| 41 | Songsheet from Westinghouse strike, Hamilton, Ontario | 1946 |
| 42 | Song list | c. 1946[?] |
| 43 | notes re Peoples Artists meeting | 1947 |
| 44 | List of songs for Progressive Citizens of America party | 1948 |
| 45 | Song list — “V.D. – Ideas” | 1949[?] |
| 46 | “Juke Box Songs to Fight Syphilis”, New York Daily News (photocopy) | 1949 |
| 47 | Names for Marjorie & Woody’s Kids Parties | n.d. |
| 48 | Song lists and notes re: children’s songs | n.d. |
| 49 | Assorted notes and song lists, mainly re: children’s songs, fires | n.d. |
| 50 | Song list — “W & T” | n.d. |
| 51 | Song lists, lyrics | n.d. |
| 52 | announcement of People’s Songs furniture party | n.d. |
| 53 | Earl Robinson — comments on Woody Guthrie songs (with Guthrie annotations); folder also contains Guthrie song lists and notes | n.d. |
SERIES 3: HOME AND FAMILY |
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| Note: This series contains a small number of items about Guthrie’s home and family life, including a memo by Marjorie Mazia with various “reminders” for Woody Guthrie (Box 2, Folder 1.2)Related material, including writings of Woody’s father, C.E. Guthrie, and excerpts of an Okemah, Oklahoma High School Yearbook, may be found in Series 6. | ||
| 1.1 | Rent and utility receipts, 74 Charles Street, New York City | 1942-43 |
| 1.2 | “Woody’s Little Memo” — Marjorie Mazia’s list of activities and reminders | c. 1942 |
| 1.3 | note from Marjorie Mazia to “Ruth” (Cathy Guthrie’s babysitter) | c. 1943-47 |
| 1.4 | Gwen Guthrie school assignment — “A Friendly Letter” | 1947 |
| 2 | Arlo Guthrie’s nicknames | 1948 |
| 0 | Jack Guthrie Memorial Folio | 1950 |
| 4.1 | note re “grape juice”, Arlo (also, notes re books) | 1951 |
| 4.2 | Building Permit, 1618-24 Sheepshead Bay Road, Brooklyn, New York | 1951 |
| 5 | notes re animals [trip to zoo?] | n.d. |
SERIES 4: HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL |
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| Note: This series primarily consists of documents from Guthrie’s hospitalization at The New Jersey State Hospital at Greystone Park (1956-1961).As noted in “Collection restrictions”, access to one document in Box 2, Folder 28 (“envelope, with markings by Woody Guthrie”) will not be granted until January 1, 2033. | ||
| Brooklyn State Hospital | ||
| 6 | newspaper and magazines articles, found with Brooklyn State Hospital ms., Aug.-Sept., 1952 (some to be moved to oversize box) | 1952 |
| The New Jersey State Hospital at Greystone Park | ||
| 7 | The New Jersey State Hospital at Greystone Park folder cover (photocopy; original located in oversize box) (photocopy; original located in oversize box) | 1956-61 |
| 8 | Commitment proceedings, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Morris County, New Jersey | 1956 |
| 9 | Medical Staff Record; Admission Notes; Case History | 1956-61 |
| 10 | Photographic Record (photocopy;original moved to photographs) | 1956 |
| 11 | Doctor’s Order Sheet; Clinical Record | 1956 |
| 12 | Doctor’s Order Sheets; Clinical Record | 1956-60 |
| 13 | X-Ray Requisition; Pathological Laboratory Reports | 1956-59 |
| 14 | Change of Diagnosis | 1957 |
| 15 | Medication Lists | 1957-61 |
| 16 | Telephone and Telegram Messages | 1957-58 |
| 17 | Occupational Therapy Progress Note | 1959 |
| 18 | Accident Report | 1960 |
| 19 | Discharge records | 1956-61 |
| 20 | Correspondence | 1956 |
| 21 | Correspondence | 1957 |
| 22 | Correspondence | 1958 |
| 23 | Correspondence | 1959 |
| 24 | Correspondence | 1960 |
| 25 | Correspondence | 1961 |
| 26 | Correspondence | 1965-66 |
| 27 | “Information for Patients and Their Families” | n.d. |
| 28 | envelope, with markings by Woody Guthrie | 1957 |
| 29 | Greystone Park — receipts | 1959-60 |
| Creedmoor State Hospital | ||
| 30 | Notification of Admission | 1966 |
| Other | ||
| 31 | Marjorie Mazia’s notes re Woody Guthrie’s health | n.d. |
SERIES 5: WORKS BY OTHERS |
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| Note: This series consists of poems, songs, essays, stories and drawings by persons other than Woody Guthrie. Some of the documents contain Guthrie’s annotations or are transcriptions by him. A number of the documents in this series were created by Anneke Van Kirk, Guthrie’s third wife.The series is arranged alphabetically. | ||
| 32 | Burns, Jessie — “Notes On Foolish Gold” | c. 1948[?] |
| 33 | Elkin, Ida — “America! Hear! And Heed!” (song) (inscribed), 1938 (published) | 1942 |
| 34.1 | Haggerty, George — “Bourgeouis Bitch” (poem) | n.d. |
| 34.2 | Lehrman, Walter — “Square Dance Calling in the United States” (Marjorie Mazia’s copy[?]) | n.d. |
| 35.1 | Libby, Fred — French-Canadian tales (as told to Woody Guthrie) | 1952 |
| 35.2 | Lowenfels, Walter — “Cathy Burns” (poem) | n.d. |
| 36 | Richman, Jordan — “Have we made any progress?…” | 1948 |
| 37 | Van Kirk, Anneke — “Dream Thread” (photocopy) | 1953 |
| 38 | Van Kirk, Anneke — “Buoy Bells & Me” (poem) | 1953 |
| 39 | Van Kirk, Anneke — “A Treatise on My Opinion of John Jacob Niles” | 1953 |
| 40 | Van Kirk, Anneke[?] — letter re Woody Guthrie | n.d. |
| 41 | Drawings (one with horse, possibly by Anneke Van Kirk; one drawing, apparently by a child) | n.d. |
| 42 | Quotations, mainly from Harlan Miner Speaks | n.d. |
SERIES 6: ADDITIONAL RELATED MATERIAL |
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| Note: The documents in this series appear to have been obtained by the Woody Guthrie Foundation from a variety of sources. They are included in the Personal Papers record group for the convenience of researchers.The series consists of writings of Woody’s father, C.E. Guthrie (primarily anti-socialist tracts); portions of the 1929 Okemah, Oklahoma High School Yearbook; the Bonneville Power Administration’s personnel file on Woody Guthrie; portions of the F.B.I.’s extensive files on Guthrie; and an annotated listing of hardcover political books owned by Guthrie. | ||
| 43 | Guthrie, C.E. — Kumrids: A Discussion of Scientific Socialism (photocopy) | 1912 |
| 44 | Guthrie, C.E. — Procrastination Is The Thief of Time (photocopy) | 1912 |
| 45 | Guthrie, C.E. — “Salt Creek Obituary” | n.d. |
| 46 | Okemah, Oklahoma High School Yearbook (photocopy) | 1929 |
| 47 | Bonneville Power Administration — personnel file (photocopy) [see also Harold Leventhal Subject File titled “Grand Coulee Dam/Bonneville” (unprocessed, except for correspondence located in Correspondence-3)] | 1941 |
| 48 | Federal Bureau of Investigation file (photocopy) | 1941-71 |
| 49 | Political Books Owned by Woody Guthrie (Hardcover) | n.d. |
| 50 | Court Records | 1949-1950 |
| 51 | Cathy Guthrie’s Birth Certificate | February 4, 1943 |