Harry Ransom CenterThe University of Texas at Austin

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James Tate Papers

Series Descriptions

Series I. Works, 1962-1998, undated (19 boxes, 1 galley folder)

The Works are arranged in rough chronological order reflecting the cumulative nature of Tate's writing and publishing. Many poems appeared in magazines and journals before publication in book form, therefore drafts and variants of poems were written and revised over a span of several years. Folder headings given in the container list include titles of published books, working titles of unpublished works, or indicate the type of material contained, such as "prose," "poetry," "journals," or "notebooks."

The earliest materials date from 1962 and include class assignments from Tate's college courses, many with instructors' comments and grades. The bulk of the material consists of single page typed poems or prose fragments. Many of the poems contain notes indicating submission to, acceptance, or rejection from various serial publications. In addition, files containing materials for Tate's books can include notes, galley and page proofs, paste-ups, and offprints. Small amounts of correspondence and several photographs are also present.

Tate's poetic development and success is well documented in numerous individual pieces, many never published, and materials from both his most successful and his lesser known books. Included are files for The Lost Pilot (1967), The Oblivion Ha Ha (1970), Viper Jazz (1976) Constant Defender (1983), Selected Poems (1991), Worshipful Company of Fletchers (1994) and early drafts of The Route as Briefed (1999).

Collaborative works represented are a 1970 book of poems, Are You Ready Mary Baker Eddy and drafts of a 1977 book Lucky Darryl: A Novel, both written with Bill Knott; several poems written with Robert Grenier; and a musical composition by Susan Hurley using the lyrics of Tate's poem "Breathing."

Tate's life and family are documented in several published autobiographical pieces, incomplete memoirs, journals, and a diary kept from 1978 to 1979. Additional biographical material is found in clippings and interviews located in the Subject Files series.

Series II. Correspondence, circa 1944-1998, undated (bulk 1962-1998) (24.5 boxes)

Tate's correspondence is divided into two subseries; A. Incoming and B. Outgoing, with incoming constituting the bulk of the material. Incoming letters are further arranged under the headings Family, General, Literary Business, and Unidentified.

The majority of the Family correspondence comes from Tate's mother, Betty Sears, but also includes letters from his sister, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Also present is the oldest item in the papers, an unidentified letter to Tate's father written circa 1944.

General correspondence, mainly from friends and other poets such as Gene DeGruson, Charles Simic, and Tom Lux, documents a wide variety of topics including Tate's work, travels, and personal relationships, Filed in alphabetical order by author, it includes fan mail, and a small amount of third-party correspondence.

Literary Business correspondence is somewhat similar to General correspondence in content, but is marked by extensive correspondence with publishers relating to Tate's books and serial publications. Also present are requests for academic recommendations and attendance at poetry readings at literary festivals, and congratulatory letters sent to Tate for his 1992 Pulitzer prize and 1995 Tanning Prize.

Outgoing correspondence consists mostly of typed carbon copies related to letters found in literary business correspondence.

Small amounts of incoming correspondence or notes are present in all of the other series.

Series III. Subject Files, 1964-1997, undated (6 boxes, 1 oversize folder)

Subject files are arranged alphabetically by title and include large numbers of pamphlets, brochures, clippings, and other documentation of various poetry festivals, workshops, readings, and academic programs. In addition, clippings about Tate, interview transcripts, and a 1984 curriculum vitae provide particular insight into Tate's life.

Other subject files include materials documenting Tate's 1992 Pulitzer Prize and 1994 National Book Award, unidentified photographs and drawings, and a file of administrative and classroom documents related to Tate's position at the University of Massachusetts. Several files reflect Tate's interests and activities, such as a World War II orphans organization, his high school reunion, a 1991 trip to Missouri, and memorabilia of other trips, sporting events, friends, and family.

Series IV. Works by Others, 1966-1995, undated (3.5 boxes)

The Works by Others series contains drafts or copies of works, predominantly poetry, sent to or copied by Tate. Materials are in alphabetical order by author. Many of the pieces include memos or correspondence from the author to Tate. Of note are the relatively large amount of materials from John Ashbery, Carolyn Forch', and Leslie Wolf.

Series V. Published Materials, 1966-1997 (33 serial boxes)

Over 550 magazines, journals, and other serial publications contain the published versions of Tate's prose and poetry. Many complement corresponding manuscript versions found in the Works series. The material is arranged alphabetically by the title of the publication. A more detailed listing of these works is available at the Ransom Center.

James Tate Papers Finding Aid
Title Page Biographical
Sketch		 Scope and
Contents		 Series
Descriptions		 Folder List


(Last modified: 1 August 2005 )

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