Max Steele Papers, 1693-2004 (bulk 1942-2004) (original) (raw)
Collection Number: 04314
Collection Title: Max Steele Papers, 1693-2004 (bulk 1942-2004)
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 Duplication Policy section for more information.
Expand/collapse Collection Overview
| Size | About 13,500 items (28.5 linear feet). |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Henry Maxwell Steele, known as Max Steele, was an author, professor of English, director of the Creative Writing Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and advisory editor at the "Paris Review" and at "Story" magazine. Steele was raised in Greenville, S.C., and earned his B.A. from the University of North Carolina. The collection contains the correspondence, subject files, clippings, family papers, photographs, writings, and other related materials of Max Steele, as well as papers of Jessie Rehder. Correspondence and Related Materials document Steele's personal and professional life, and consist chiefly of letters with family, friends, publishers, editors, literary agents, writers, and faculty, administrators, and former students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There are also reviews, contracts, royalty reports, and promotional materials. Subject Files chiefly relate to the UNC-Chapel Hill English and Creative Writing departments, the Writer-in-Residence program, classes, lectures, workshops, and department personnel. Other files contain professional correspondence, publications, and materials documenting conferences and public speaking engagements. Writings by Max Steele include drafts and published versions of short stories, novels, children's books, speeches, articles, and reviews. Writings by Others include drafts and published versions of short stories, novels, and articles written by Steele's associates and former students. Clippings relate primarily to Steele's writing and teaching career and were collected by or sent to him. Family Papers, circa 1926-2004, include financial, real estate, and legal documents. Other Papers include address books, planners, notebooks, printed items, travel materials, and an audiocassette of an oral history with Doris Betts recorded by Steele in 1999. Photographs include portraits and snapshots of Steele, family, friends, and students. Jessie Rehder Papers include clippings, correspondence, notes, photographs, drafts of writings by Rehder and others, and materials about the UNC-Chapel Hill Creative Writing Department and Writer-in-Residence program. Collected Letters and Other Items include documents and letters from prominent figures, including Flannery O'Connor, T.H. White, and Eleanor Roosevelt, that were collected by Steele. |
| Creator | Steele, Max, 1922-2005. |
| Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
| Language | English |
Expand/collapse Information For Users
Restrictions to Access
No restrictions. Open for research.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the Max Steele Papers, #4314, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Acquisitions Information
Received from Max Steele in July 1982 (Acc. 82068), January 1992 (Acc. 92010), and August 1996 (Acc. 96121); from Kevin Cherry in March 2004 (Acc. 99779) and December 2005 (Acc. 100292); and from the estate of Max Steele in July 2011 (Acc. 101457).
Sensitive Materials Statement
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.
Expand/collapse Processing Information
Processed by: SHC Staff
Encoded by: Noah Huffman, December 2007
Revisions: Finding aid updated in November, 2012 by Danielle Fasig and Virginia Ferris because of processing.
Expand/collapse 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.
- Athas, Daphne, 1923-
- Authors, American--North Carolina--20th century.
- Betts, Doris.
- College teachers as authors.
- College teachers--North Carolina--History--20th century.
- Cox, James Trammell, 1921-1962.
- Creative writing (Higher education)--United States--History--20th century.
- Education, Higher--North Carolina--History.
- Hyman, Mac, 1923-1963.
- Jessner, Lucie, 1896-1979.
- Kenan, Randall.
- McCorkle, Jill, 1958-
- Naumoff, Lawrence.
- Plimpton, George.
- Rehder, Jessie.
- Steele, Max, 1922-2005.
- Sumner, Melanie.
- Universities and colleges--North Carolina--History--20th century.
- University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Faculty--History--20th century.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill--Faculty--History--20th century.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Creative Writing Program.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Department of English.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Writer-in-Residence Program.
Expand/collapse Related Collections
- Rehder Family Papers, MS314, William M. Randall Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, N.C.
- General Faculty and Faculty Council of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records #40106, University Archives, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- James Trammell Cox Papers, #3814, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Expand/collapse Biographical Information
Henry Maxwell Steele, more familiarly known as Max Steele, was an author, professor of English, and director of the Creative Writing Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Max Steele was born 20 March 1922, to John M. and Minnie Russell Steele in Greenville, S.C. He was the youngest of eight children. His siblings were brothers Jack, Russell, and Mills, and sisters Mary Adams, Grace Prevost, Sarah Purser, and Frances, who never married. He was married to Diana Whittinghall in 1960, though they divorced twenty years later. He had two sons, Oliver and Kevin, who were born in 1966 and 1969 respectively. Through his son Oliver he also had two grandchildren named Charlotte and Miles.
Max Steele studied at Furman University from 1939 to 1941; the University of North Carolina in 1942 and again in 1946, when he earned his B.A.; Vanderbilt University from 1943 to 1944, where he studied meteorology for the army; the Academie Julienne from 1951 to 1952; and the Sorbonne from 1952 to 1955. He served in the Army Air Force during World War II as a meteorologist and was stationed at various places in the United States and South America during the course of the war.
His first short story, "Grandfather and the Chow Dog," was published in Harper's in 1944. He continued to write, with varying intensity, throughout his life. His numerous short stories were published in many magazines, including the Atlantic, Harper's, the New Yorker, Collier's, Cosmopolitan, Mademoiselle, McCall's, Esquire, Discovery, and various quarterly reviews. His first novel, Debby, won the 1950 Harper's Book Prize and was sponsored by the Eugene Saxton Memorial Trust. He also won the O'Henry Prize Stories twice, once in 1955 for "The Wanton Troopers" and again in 1969 for "Color the Daydream Yellow". His novel Debby was reprinted in 1960 under the title The Goblins Must Go Barefoot. "The Cat and the Coffee Drinkers" was published in 1969. He also published three collections of short stories: Where She Brushed Her Hair in 1968, The Hat of My Mother in 1988, and The House of Their Childhood in 1996. He was an advisory editor at the Paris Review from 1951 on, an advisory editor at Story from 1988 to 1997, and a contributing editor at the same from 1999 to 2000.
Max Steele began his teaching career in 1956, when he became a lecturer at the University of North Carolina. From 1962 to 1964 he was a lecturer at the University of California, San Francisco extension. He returned to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1966 as the Writer-in-Residence. He became an associate professor in 1968 and a full professor in 1972. Following the death of Jessie Rehder in 1967, Steele became the director of the Creative Writing Program at the University. With the assistance of other professors, including Daphne Athas and Doris Betts, Steele developed the Creative Writing Program into one of the strongest in the nation. He acted as an advisor and mentor to many young authors, including Randall Kenan, Jill McCorkle, Melanie Sumner, Charles Young, and Lawrence Naumoff. Steele retired from the University in 1987, though he continued to participate in the writing community through speeches, conferences, association memberships, and lectures through the end of his life. Max Steele died on 1 August 2005.
Jessie Rehder was a friend and associate of Max Steele. She taught writing at the University of North Carolina from 1947 until her death and was the first woman to be granted tenure in the English Department. Like Max Steele, Rehder was also a writer and published several novels, short stories, poems, and a textbook.
Expand/collapse Scope and Content
The collection includes Correspondence and Related Materials, Subject Files, Writings by Max Steele and others, Clippings, Family Papers, Other Papers, and Photographs, as well as Jessie Rehder Papers. Correspondence and Related Materials consists of letters with family, publishers, editors, literary agents, writers, friends, faculty, administrators, and Steele's former students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Major correspondents include UNC-Chapel Hill colleagues Daphne Athas, Doris Betts, and Jessie Rehder; other writers, literary agents, editors, and friends James Cox, Mac Hyman, Marian Ives, Lucie Jessner, George Plimpton, and Lois Rosenthal; and former students Randall Kenan, Jill McCorkle, Lawrence Naumoff, and Melanie Sumner. Related materials include reviews, contracts, royalty reports, and promotional materials that were attached with correspondence files. Subject files relate primarily to Steele's career at UNC-Chapel Hill, and include files for the English and Creative Writing departments, the Writer-in-Residence program, classes, lectures, workshops, department personnel, professional correspondence separated by Steele, and other topics related to his teaching career. There are also subject files related to Steele's publications, conferences, and public speaking engagements.
Writings by Max Steele include drafts and published versions of short stories, novels, children's books, speeches, articles, and reviews. There are also a scrapbook of clippings related to Steele's first novel Debby and an audiocassette of selected short stories from The Hat of My Mother. Writings by Others include drafts, printed versions of short stories, and novels by friends, associates, and former students. Clippings relate primarily to Steele's writing and teaching career and were collected by or sent to him.
Family Papers, circa 1926-2004, include financial, real estate, and legal documents. Other Papers, circa 1939-2004, include address books, planners, and notebooks collected throughout Steele's life. There are printed items, papers relating to friends and coworkers, travel materials from Turkey, Greece, Egypt, and other destinations in Europe and North America. There is also an audiocassette containing an oral history of Doris Betts recorded on 30 May 1999 by Max Steele. Photographs include portraits and snapshots of Max Steele, family, friends, and students, circa 1870-2004.
Jessie Rehder Papers include clippings, correspondence, notes, photographs, drafts of writings by Rehder and others, author contact lists, and materials about the UNC-Chapel Hill Creative Writing Department and Writer-in-Residence program. Rehder was an author and professor at UNC-Chapel Hill, and preceded Steele as director of the Creative Writing Department. Her papers were passed to Max Steele upon her death in 1967.
Collected Letters and Other Items include documents and letters from prominent figures, including Flannery O'Connor, T.H. White, and Eleanor Roosevelt, that were collected by Steele.
Contents list
Expand/collapse Series Quick Links
Series 1. Correspondence and Related Materials, 1942-2005.
1.12. Correspondence, undated.
3.1. Writings by Max Steele, 1942-2000s.
3.2. Other Writings by Max Steele, 1939-2000s.
3.3. Writings by Others, 1944-2000s.
8. Jessie Rehder Papers, 1953-1967.
9. Collected Letters and Other Items, 1693-1963.
Expand/collapse Series 1. Correspondence and Related Materials, 1942-2005.
Chiefly correspondence with publishers, editors, literary agents, writers, and friends. Family correspondence is concentrated in the 1940s and 1950s and is scattered for later decades. After 1966, correspondents include faculty, administrators, and former students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Major correspondents include Alice Adams, Doris Betts, and Marian Ives. There is also significant correspondence with Daphne Athas, John Auchard, James Cox, Meta Eppler Gilpatrick, Oakley Hall, Mac Hyman, Lucie Jessner, George Plimpton, Jessie Rehder, Lois Rosenthal, and Melanie Sumner. Related materials include reviews, contracts and royalty reports, newspaper and magazine clippings, and promotional materials.
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.1. 1942-1945.
Correspondence, 1942-1945, is largely Max Steele and his family writing to each other. During this period, Steele and his family lived in many different places, both in and out of the country. His mother was in Greenville, S.C., his brother Mills Steele was largely stationed on the USS Bataan in the Pacific, but everyone else moved around a fair bit Letters focus on Steele's studies and then life in the army, the impact of the war on his family's life in the United States as well as overseas, other family matters, travel, and the beginning of Steele's career as a writer. Several letters from April 1945 document the family's reactions to President Roosevelt's death. The family appears to have bundled letters together and mailed them around to each other, which would account for why Steele has so many letters that are neither to nor from him, but rather family members and their friends. There is also correspondence between Steele and his literary agent Marian Ives and with Kay Gauss of Harper's regarding short stories.
| Folder 1-2 Folder 1 Folder 2 | Correspondence, 1942 |
|---|---|
| Folder 3-7 Folder 3 Folder 4 Folder 5 Folder 6 Folder 7 | Correspondence, 1943 |
| Folder 8-19 Folder 8 Folder 9 Folder 10 Folder 11 Folder 12 Folder 13 Folder 14 Folder 15 Folder 16 Folder 17 Folder 18 Folder 19 | Correspondence, 1944 |
| Folder 20-28 Folder 20 Folder 21 Folder 22 Folder 23 Folder 24 Folder 25 Folder 26 Folder 27 Folder 28 | Correspondence, 1945 |
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.2. 1946-1949.
Correspondence, 1946-1949, is primarily between Max Steele and his literary agent Marian Ives, and documents her efforts to publish Steele's short stories in various magazines and their in-depth discussions about his first novel Debby. Other literary correspondence is between Steele and publishers and authors including Daphne Athas, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, and Betty Smith about Debby. There is also some scattered correspondence with family and friends.
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.3. 1950-1954.
Correspondence, 1950-1954, is chiefly with other writers, including Betty Smith and Marian Ives, following the publication of Max Steele's first novel Debby in 1950. Other materials related to Debby are included, such as reviews of the book, publicity events, and contracts with Harper and Row. There is also correspondence with friends, including Joe Campbell, James Cox, and Mac Hyman, as well as family, literary agents, and other writers while Steele is working for the Paris Review.
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.4. 1955-1959.
Correspondence, 1955-1959, is fairly evenly divided between family, friends, and various literary agents and publishers. Towards the end of this period correspondence is dominated by family and friends, including Alice Adams, Pat and Nanno DeGroot, Evan Connell, Mac Hyman, Lucie Jessner, Eugene Jones, Jessie Rehder, and Leon Rooke. There is also scattered correspondence with publishers and agents regarding Steele's current writing projects and potential film adaptations of his work.
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.4. 1960-1965.
Correspondence, 1960-1965, primarily relates to Max Steele's personal life and his writing. Correspondents include Alice Adams, Evan Connell, Pat DeGroot, Mac Hyman, Lucie Jessner, Eugene Jones, Jessie Rehder, and Leon Rooke, as well as Steele's family. Scattered correspondence with publishers and agents begins to increase after 1962.
| Folder 76-80 Folder 76 Folder 77 Folder 78 Folder 79 Folder 80 | Correspondence, 1960 |
|---|---|
| Folder 81-85 Folder 81 Folder 82 Folder 83 Folder 84 Folder 85 | Correspondence, 1961 |
| Folder 86-87 Folder 86 Folder 87 | Correspondence, 1962 |
| Folder 88-91 Folder 88 Folder 89 Folder 90 Folder 91 | Correspondence, 1963 |
| Folder 92-94 Folder 92 Folder 93 Folder 94 | Correspondence, 1964 |
| Folder 95-97 Folder 95 Folder 96 Folder 97 | Correspondence, 1965 |
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.5. 1966-1969.
Correspondence, 1966-1969, is both literary and personal. For the first part of this period, correspondence chiefly relates to the reissue of Max Steele's novel Debby in paperback form, with the new title The Goblins Must Go Barefoot. From 1968 onward, there is a large amount of correspondence related to the creative writing program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including correspondence with prospective students, guest lecturers, and faculty. There is correspondence with publishers and editors, as well as with Steele's former literary agent Marian Ives and his current agent Elizabeth McKee. There is also correspondence with family and friends, including Alice Adams, Daphne Athas, Doris Betts, William Blackburn, Kay Boyle, Evan Connell, Blair Fuller, Meta Eppler Gilpatrick, Herbert Gold, Nancy Hale, Robert Peterson, and Reynolds Price, regarding Steele's personal life and his work.
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.6. 1970-1974.
Correspondence, 1970-1974, relates primarily to Max Steele's work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to his personal life, and to his writing. There is correspondence with various writers and faculty inviting Steele to participate in conferences and guest lectures, including the Squaw Valley Community of Writers. There is correspondence with editors and publishers at Harper and Row, as well as with his former literary agents Marian Ives and Elizabeth McKee, and with his new agent Phyllis Seidel. There is also scattered correspondence with family and regular correspondence with friends, including Alice Adams, Doris Betts, Kay Boyle, Blair Fuller, Constance Garneau, Meta Eppler Gilpatrick, Oakley Hall, William Maxwell, Reynolds Price, Leon Rooke, Roger Rutledge, and Elizabeth Spencer.
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.7. 1975-1979.
Correspondence, 1975-1979, includes many letters exchanged between Max Steele and his former literary agent Marian Ives and his current literary agent Phyllis Seidel, regarding efforts to publish his stories in various magazines and short story collections. There is scattered correspondence with publishers and writers seeking publicity quotes or writing advice from Steele. Correspondence with family regarding Steele's personal life increases beginning in 1978. There is also correspondence with friends including Alice Adams, John Adler, Daphnes Athas, Joady Battuello, Doris Betts, Evan Connell, Jill Fox, Blair Fuller, Constance Garneau, Oakley Hall, Pati Hill, Lucie Jessner, Russell Lynes, Pat Mancini, Jessie Schell, and Walter Zwarich.
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.8. 1980-1984.
Correspondence, 1980-1984, is with other writers seeking advice and from creative writing professors inviting Steele to contribute to conferences and publications. Scattered correspondence with Steele's family relates to his personal life, health, and travel. There is correspondence with friends such as Marian Ives, Alice Adams, Joady Battuello, Evan Connell, Blair Fuller, Reynolds Price, Doris Betts, Daphne Athas, Jill Fox, Pat McNees, Walter Zwarich, William Maxwell, and John Adler. During this period there is more correspondence with new friends and former students, including Pratt Adams, Jeff Andresen, Irene Archibald, John Auchard, Roma Blackburn, Tommy Hays, Katy Munger, Peggy Nowack, Jack Ryan, Lee Smith, Mary Lee Settle Tazewell, Salina Watson, and Bill and Martha Wrenn.
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.9. 1985-1993.
Correspondence, 1985-1993, documents the significant increase in speaking engagements, awards, and foreign travel that followed Max Steele's retirement in 1986. There is some correspondence with Wendy Weil, Steele's new literary agent at the Julian Bach Literary Agency, and with publishers and editors at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, regarding publishing Steele's stories in magazines and short story collections. There is correspondence with friends relating to Steele's retirement, travel, and health, with letters from Alice Adams, Jeff Andresen, Daphne Athas, Doris Betts, Evan Connell, Starkey Flythe, Jill Fox, Kaye Gibbons, William Maxwell, Louis Rubin, Lee Smith, and Ellen Wright. There is also correspondence with young writers and former students, including John Auchard, Molly Giles, Amy Hempel, Randall Kenan, Lawrence Naumoff, and Melanie Sumner.
| Folder 168 | Correspondence, 1985 |
|---|---|
| Folder 169-170 Folder 169 Folder 170 | Correspondence, 1986 |
| Folder 171-172 Folder 171 Folder 172 | Correspondence, 1987 |
| Folder 173-179 Folder 173 Folder 174 Folder 175 Folder 176 Folder 177 Folder 178 Folder 179 | Correspondence, 1988 |
| Folder 180-181 Folder 180 Folder 181 | Correspondence, 1989 |
| Folder 182-183 Folder 182 Folder 183 | Correspondence, 1990 |
| Folder 184-185 Folder 184 Folder 185 | Correspondence, 1991 |
| Folder 186-188 Folder 186 Folder 187 Folder 188 | Correspondence, 1992 |
| Folder 189 | Correspondence, 1993 |
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.10. 1994-1999.
Correspondence 1994-1999, includes many letters from Lois Rosenthal, the editor of Story magazine, where Steele served on the editorial board. Their correspondence focused on editorial business at the magazine and short story submissions. There is also correspondence with editors at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, regarding the publication of Steele's stories in various magazine and collections, and with Louisiana State University about a new edition of the novel Debby. There is also correspondence about various awards and speaking engagements that Steele attended. There are isolated letters from old friends such as Evan Connell, Oakley Hall, and George Plimpton. There is more correspondence from friends and former students, including Robert Anderson, Jeff Andresen, Christopher Brookhouse, Evan Connell, Angela Davis-Gardner, Starkey Flythe, Amy Hempel, Ben Morreale, Lawrence Naumoff, and Melanie Sumner.
| Folder 190-191 Folder 190 Folder 191 | Correspondence, 1994 |
|---|---|
| Folder 192-194 Folder 192 Folder 193 Folder 194 | Correspondence, 1995 |
| Folder 195-196 Folder 195 Folder 196 | Correspondence, 1996 |
| Folder 197-198 Folder 197 Folder 198 | Correspondence, 1997 |
| Folder 199 | Correspondence, 1998 |
| Folder 200 | Correspondence, 1999 |
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.11. 2000-2005.
Correspondence, 2000-2005, is with editors at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill about publishing Max Steele's stories in magazines and short story collections. Other correspondence relates to travel and speaking engagements. There is scattered correspondence with family and friends, including Jeff Andresen, Joady Battuello, Alex Blackburn, Evan Connell, Lois Harvey, Amy Hempel, Dan MacMillan, and Lois and Richard Rosenthal. In a letter following the attacks on the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001, Jeff Andresen described the impact of the event on his family in Manhattan.
| Folder 201-202 Folder 201 Folder 202 | Correspondence, 2000 |
|---|---|
| Folder 203 | Correspondence, 2001 |
| Folder 204 | Correspondence, 2002 |
| Folder 205 | Correspondence, 2003 |
| Folder 206-207 Folder 206 Folder 207 | Correspondence, 2004 |
| Folder 208 | Correspondence, 2005 |
Expand/collapse Subseries 1.12. Correspondence, undated.
Correspondence, undated, is with editors, publishers, agents, writers, friends, former students, and family.
| Folder 209 | Correspondence: Alice Adams, circa 1950s-1990s |
|---|---|
| Folder 210-211 Folder 210 Folder 211 | Correspondence: Doris Betts, circa 1960s-1990s Letters relate mainly to the creative writing program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. |
| Folder 212-213 Folder 212 Folder 213 | Correspondence, circa 1940s |
| Folder 214-217 Folder 214 Folder 215 Folder 216 Folder 217 | Correspondence, circa 1950s |
| Folder 218-220 Folder 218 Folder 219 Folder 220 | Correspondence, circa 1960s |
| Folder 221 | Correspondence, circa 1970s |
| Folder 222-223 Folder 222 Folder 223 | Correspondence, circa 1980s |
| Folder 224-225 Folder 224 Folder 225 | Correspondence, circa 1990s |
| Folder 226 | Undated correspondence, circa 2000s |
Expand/collapse Series 2. Subject Files, 1952-2004.
2,000 items.
Arrangement: Alphabetical.
Subject Files, 1952-2004, primarily relate to Max Steele's career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and as a writer. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill materials include files on various aspects of the English and Creative Writing departments, class preparation materials, lectures and workshops, department personnel, correspondence with other professors and writers, the Writer-in-Residence program, and other related topics. There are also files on talks given, conferences attended, awards received, and information about preparing manuscripts for publication. For the most part, original file titles have been retained.
| Folder 227 | Academy of American Poets, 1967-1973 Includes a college poetry award program, prizes, contests, lists of winners, a flyer, and an announcement. |
|---|---|
| Folder 228 | Associated Writing Programs: Correspondence and newsletters, 1968-1970 Correspondence is with faculty at the Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill about creative writing at the University and with professors at other universities concering association policies, funds, and the end of The Young Writer at Chapel Hill literary magazine. |
| Folder 229-230 Folder 229 Folder 230 | Breadloaf Writer's Conference, Middlebury, Vt., 1956-1966 Includes a pamphlet about the conference, letters from Max Steele to faculty at Middlebury and Breadloaf, and correspondence with various writers. |
| Folder 231 | Canyon Films, 1955-1956 Correspondence concerning payment for the script, revisions, and psychological analyses of the characters in Max Steele's short story "Captain of the White Yacht." |
| Folder 232 | Children's Literature Association newsletters, 1974-1975 |
| Folder 233-235 Folder 233 Folder 234 Folder 235 | Conferences Materials from North Carolina Writers' Network, South Carolina Writers' Conference, Southern Festival of Books, Bennington College, and the College of Charleston including correspondence with conference planners, contact lists, brochures, and preparatory materials relating to the conferences. |
| Folder 236 | Contracts, 1952-1955 Contracts for short stories and a few cover letters. |
| Folder 237-238 Folder 237 Folder 238 | The creative process, 1961 Typescript of a talk by W. McNeil Lowry called "The University and the Creative Arts." Also contains articles, pamphlets, a committee report about scholarships with students showing promise in creative work, a report of the fine arts advisory committee, and other documents about creativity on campus, creativity in general, and supporting students in the creative arts. |
| Folder 239-242 Folder 239 Folder 240 Folder 241 Folder 242 | Creative Writing Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1973-1981 Letters, clippings, newsletters, and miscellaneous documents are sorted alphabetically according to the name of the individual or organization. |
| Folder 243 | Cummings, E. E., 1908 Photocopies of notes and drawings by E.E. Cummings. |
| Folder 244 | Fine Arts Alumni Assembly, 1968 Includes documents relating to committees and panels, a program, and a report of the subcommittee on the fine arts. This appears to have been a multidisciplinary group of people involved in fine arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that hosted programs for students and promoted the arts at the University. |
| Folder 245 | Fine Arts Festival, 1957-1961 Correspondence relating to Max Steele's participation in judging writing entries for the festival and his attendance. |
| Folder 246 | Harmon, William, 1970s Letters from and typescript poems by William Harmon sent to Max Steele. |
| Folder 247-249 Folder 247 Folder 248 Folder 249 | Humor Photocopies, emails, and faxes of jokes, cartoons, anecdotes, and other similar materials. These may have been used for Max Steele's English 28H class. |
| Folder 250-254 Folder 250 Folder 251 Folder 252 Folder 253 Folder 254 | Jessie Rehder Fund, 1967-1975 Includes correspondence concerning the establishment of the fund, instructions for entrants, congratulations for winners, and thank you notes and instructions for donors; receipts; information about donors; and publicity materials for the contest and the fund. |
| Folder 255 | Jessner, Lucie, 1954-1981 Correspondence with Lucie Jesnner, a psychiatry professor who collaborated with the Creative Writing Department, regarding short stories written by Max Steele. Also contains memorial materials following her death. |
| Folder 256 | National Endowment for the Arts, 1966-1968 Correspondence regarding talented new writers and the distribution of grant money for these writers and letters of congratulations to those awarded grants. |
| Folder 257 | Orthopsychiatric speech Reprint requests for Max Steele's presentation, "The Cool Voice," which he gave at an orthopsychiatric conference; also includes conference schedules. |
| Folder 258 | Publicity, 1966-2002 Includes pamphlets, fliers, and clippings advertising books by Max Steele or events featuring him. |
| Folder 259 | Readings, 1974-1977 Letters about upcoming or planned readings, seeking Max Steele's participation in them. |
| Folder 260 | Speakers, 1977 Information about speaking engagements of Max Steele and others. |
| Folder 261-262 Folder 261 Folder 262 | Squaw Valley Community of Writers, 1989-1993 Programs, materials about the sessions, schedules, and other related materials. |
| Folder 263 | University of California, San Francisco extension, Creative Writing Department, 1963-1964 Notices of organization of class, academic program booklets, and memoranda. |
| Folder 264 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1955-1965 Letters about other writers and their work, stipends given to Max Steele, acknowledgement of gifts Steele gave to the University, description of courses, and letters informing Steele of his appointment. Also contains correspondence relating to Steele's activities during this period, including professional advice and discussions of his courses. |
| Folder 265 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1969-1971 Correspondence with faculty at other North Carolina universities about their creative writing programs. |
| Folder 266 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Bennington Lectures Mainly photocopies, which also may have been used for class preparation. |
| Folder 267 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Course materials Includes syllabi, reading lists, and assignment descriptions for several of his classes. A few of the materials do not obviously indicate which class they were for, but most do. Courses include English 23, 29, 34, 35, 47, and 49. Also includes instructor evaluation statistics for Max Steele. |
| Folder 268-269 Folder 268 Folder 269 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Course preparation materials Includes humorous items, stories, articles, and related materials, most of which are photocopies. They appear to have been used either as class hand-outs or planning materials. |
| Folder 270-271 Folder 270 Folder 271 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Creative Writing Department materials Includes memorandum, committee notes, student clubs, and a history of the department with notes by Jessie Rehder. |
| Folder 272 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Creative Writing Workshop Mainly photocopies, which may also have been used for class preparation. |
| Folder 273 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, English 28H: Funny evaluations Anonymous student evaluations of Max Steele and his American humor course. |
| Folder 274 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: English 28H materials Materials`relating to preparation for his English 28H class. |
| Folder 275 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Retirement Correspondence and other materials relating to Max Steele's retirement from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. |
| Folder 276 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Staff inter-office Includes letters, copies of other writers' stories, staff lists, and copies of Max Steele's vitae. |
| Folder 277 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Talk materials Outline for an extended talk Max Steele (and perhaps others) gave that included several of his short stories; copies of the short stories are included. |
| Folder 278-279 Folder 278 Folder 279 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Writer-in-Residence, 1968-1969, 1977 Correspondence about the Writer-in-Residence program. |
| Folder 280-282 Folder 280 Folder 281 Folder 282 | Writing process Includes lists of authors and stories, notes, articles, and information about publishing; also contains photocopies of "short shorts" collected by Max Steele. |
| Folder 283 | Loose papers: Plans and proposals Plans or proposals for projects written by Curt Gentry, Daphne Athas, Doris Betts, and Tim McLaurin. Note: These materials arrived at the repository unsorted and were placed together by processing staff. |
| Folder 284-285 Folder 284 Folder 285 | Loose papers: Poems and writings Includes articles, documents about writing, and poems, primarily by writers Max Steele did not appear to know personally, as well as photocopies of card catalogs. Some are photocopies and others are typed. Note: These materials arrived at the repository unsorted and were placed together by processing staff. |
| Folder 286 | Loose papers: Writers and professors Lists and brief biographies of fellow writers and professors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and of writers living in North Carolina. Lists are organized by institution or by "literary merit." Note: These materials arrived at the repository unsorted and were placed together by processing staff. |
Expand/collapse Series 3. Writings, 1939-2000s.
4,000 items.
Expand/collapse Subseries 3.1. Writings by Max Steele, 1942-2000s.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by title.
Drafts and printed versions of short stories, novels, children's books, speeches, articles, and reviews written by Max Steele. Printed versions include offprints, journal and magazine pages, and photocopies. There are drafts of Steele's novel Debby; galleys, manuscripts, and drafts of his story "The Cat and the Coffee Drinkers"; drafts and galleys of his short story collection The Hat of My Mother; and drafts of his other collections, Where She Brushed her Hair and The House of their Childhood. Many of the short stories, novels, and other works included here may not have been published. There is also a scrapbook of clippings relating to Debby and an audiotape of selected shorts from The Hat of my Mother. Files contain drafts, except where noted.
| Folder 287 | "Advice for Every Hour" |
|---|---|
| Folder 288 | "Ah Love! Ah Me!" |
| Folder 289 | "Alfred Chester" |
| Folder 290 | "Alice Adams" |
| Folder 291 | "Alice B. Toklas" |
| Folder 292 | "All the Wet Animals" Printed versions. |
| Folder 293 | "Another Evening" |
| Folder 294 | "As One Approaches Zero" |
| Folder 295 | "Barefoot After School" |
| Folder 296 | "Bed Afire" |
| Folder 297 | "Big Goat, Little Goat" Printed versions. |
| Folder 298 | "Black Jewel," 1942 Written while a student at the University of North Carolina. |
| Folder 299 | "The Boy with the Apple" |
| Folder 300 | "Captain of the White Yacht" |
| Folder 301 | "Captain of the White Yacht": Screen treatment and screenplay |
| Folder 302 | "A Caracole in Paris" |
| Folder 303 | "The Case of the Naked Bride" |
| Folder 304-305 Folder 304 Folder 305 | "The Cat and the Coffee Drinkers" |
| Oversize Paper Folder OP-4314/1 | "The Cat and the Coffee Drinkers": Proofs Proofs of illustrations. |
| Folder 306 | "Chief Rainbow and the Kid in Paris" |
| Folder 307 | "A Christmas Story" |
| Folder 308 | "The Coldest Christmas Ever" |
| Folder 309 | "Color the Daydream Yellow" |
| Folder 310 | "Conversacion: Primera Leccion" |
| Folder 311 | "The Cool Voice" |
| Folder 312 | "The Death of a Chimp" |
| Folder 313 | Debby: Draft, chapters 1-4 |
| Folder 314 | Debby: Draft, various chapters Drafts are labelled first and second. |
| Folder 315 | Debby: Revisions, various chapters |
| Oversize Volume SV-4314/1 | Debby: Scrapbook Primarily clippings. |
| Folder 316 | "The Delayed and Lost" |
| Folder 317 | "The Dermatologist" |
| Folder 318 | "Doomed" |
| Folder 319 | "Dougald 1999" |
| Folder 320 | "Dream Work" |
| Folder 321 | "Elizabeth Spencer and the Great Big Gong" |
| Folder 322 | "English 23a: A Paper Long Overdue" |
| Folder 323 | "Enough to Scare the Loons Again" |
| Folder 324 | "Experiencing the Mother: A Reading of Hansel and Gretel" Co-written with Jeffry Andersen. |
| Folder 325 | "Fiction, Fact, and Dream" |
| Folder 326 | "A Formula Love Story" Originally called "Enough to Scare the Loons Again." |
| Folder 327 | "Forget the Geraniums" |
| Folder 328 | "The Friendly Cow" |
| Folder 329 | "From the French Quarter" |
| Folder 330 | "Fuzzy Footnotes" |
| Folder 331 | "The Girl from Carthage" |
| Folder 332 | "The Glass-brick Apartment" Printed versions. |
| Folder 333 | "A Good Place to Write" |
| Folder 334 | "The Grand Bus Ride" |
| Folder 335 | "Grandfather and the Chow Dog" Printed versions. |
| Folder 336 | "Grandfather's Day" |
| Folder 337-339 Folder 337 Folder 338 Folder 339 | The Hat of My Mother: Typescript Includes a letter from Molly Renda stating that this is the "original manuscript." |
| Folder 340-341 Folder 340 Folder 341 | "The Hat of My Mother" |
| Folder 342-345 Folder 342 Folder 343 Folder 344 Folder 345 | The Hat of My Mother: Typescript draft |
| Folder 346-348 Folder 346 Folder 347 Folder 348 | The Hat of My Mother: Galley |
| Audiocassette C-4314/1 | "The Hat of My Mother": Selected shorts |
| Folder 349 | "Hear the Wind Blow" |
| Folder 350 | "Hereby Hangs a Tale" Printed versions. |
| Folder 351 | "Hills Close In" |
| Folder 352 | "Home Is Where You Hang Your Head" |
| Folder 353 | "The Hottest Summer" |
| Folder 354 | The House of Their Childhood Printed versions. |
| Folder 355 | "I Became a Mohammedan" |
| Folder 356 | "I Know a Song of Carolina" |
| Folder 357 | "In His Father's Image" Originally called "Snapshots of My Father." |
| Folder 358 | "Keeping up with the Joneses" |
| Folder 359 | "Kenna" |
| Folder 360 | "Legacy" |
| Folder 361 | "Let X Equal Agent" |
| Folder 362 | "Listen, the Clowns!" |
| Folder 363-364 Folder 363 Folder 364 | "The Long Vacation" |
| Folder 365 | "Love and Lightening in the Firefly Season" Printed versions. |
| Folder 366 | "Lucie ney Jessner" |
| Folder 367 | "Mademoiselle and the Artist" |
| Folder 368 | "The Man in the Back Row Has a Question" Printed versions. |
| Folder 369-370 Folder 369 Folder 370 | "The Man in the Doll House" |
| Folder 371 | "Many Mansions" |
| Folder 372 | "The Marvelous Toy of Robert Barrow" |
| Folder 373 | "The Math Tutor" |
| Folder 374 | "A Memorial Letter" Written to Wally Kaufman for the memorial for William Maxwell Blackburn. |
| Folder 375 | "Memorial Piece for Robert Kirkpatrick" |
| Folder 376 | "The Most Unbelievable Character I'll Ever Forget" |
| Folder 377 | "The Mule-faced Boy" |
| Folder 378 | "The Musicale, Barber Shop, Trenton Falls, 1866 (Thomas Hicks)" |
| Folder 379 | "Notes from a Christmas Journal" |
| Folder 380 | "Peapatch" Unpublished novel. |
| Folder 381 | "The Playhouse" |
| Folder 382 | "Plimpton" |
| Folder 383 | "Promiscuous Unbound" Printed versions. |
| Folder 384 | "The Ragged Halo" |
| Folder 385 | "The Rescue" Printed versions. |
| Folder 386 | "The Return of the Father" |
| Folder 387 | "Richard Wright: The Visible Man" |
| Folder 388 | "Rock Like a Fool" |
| Folder 389 | "Sam, the Hungry Goose" |
| Oversize Paper Folder OPF-4314/2 | "Sam, the Hungry Goose": Draft With illustrations by Nanno DeGroot. |
| Folder 390 | "A Second Opinion" |
| Folder 391 | "The Silent Scream" |
| Folder 392 | "Speak, Painting, Speak" Printed versions. |
| Folder 393 | "Stolen Time" |
| Folder 394 | "The Stone Wall" |
| Folder 395 | "Student Voices" Printed versions. |
| Folder 396 | "Tale of the Monkey Tail" |
| Folder 397 | "Three Character Sketches" |
| Folder 398 | "Three Stories, 1945" |
| Folder 399 | "The Tin Can" |
| Folder 400 | "A Tribute to Doris Betts" |
| Folder 401 | "Uncle Bert in the Bathtub" |
| Folder 402 | "The Unfound Pig" |
| Folder 403 | "The Unripe Heart" Printed versions. |
| Folder 404 | "The Wanton Troopers" |
| Folder 405 | "The Way I Feel" |
| Folder 406 | "What to Do Till the Postman Comes" Printed versions. |
| Folder 407 | Where She Brushed Her Hair and other stories Hardcover. |
| Folder 408 | Where She Brushed Her Hair Printed versions. |
| Folder 409 | "The Willie Jackson Beer Party" |
| Folder 410-411 Folder 410 Folder 411 | "The World of Mac Moose" Unfinished novel. |
| Folder 412 | "The Year of the Lily-Blight" |
Expand/collapse Subseries 3.2. Other Writings by Max Steele, 1939-2000s.
Notes, fragments of short stories, schoolwork, and drafts of early writings while Max Steele was a student at Furman University, Vanderbilt University, and the University of North Carolina.
| Folder 413-415 Folder 413 Folder 414 Folder 415 | Early writings, 1939-1944 Drafts of various novels and short stories written while Max Steele was a student at Furman University and Vanderbilt University. |
|---|---|
| Folder 416 | Hill, Iris Materials relating to a review of an Iris Hill book, including both a draft and clipping of the review. |
| Folder 417 | Jessie Rehder, 1967 Memorial by Max Steele called "To the Memory of Jessie Clifford Rehder." |
| Folder 418 | Reviews by Max Steele |
| Folder 419 | Reviews of Max Steele writings |
| Folder 420 | Speeches and articles Speeches and articles prepared for the Red Clay Reader, the 1968 Alumni Arts Assembly, and the 1977 "Introduction to a Reading," Prize Stories 1976 review. |
| Folder 421 | Untitled novel, chapters 2-7 |
| Folder 422 | Unititled poems |
| Folder 423 | Untitled short stories |
| Folder 424 | Untitled talk Talk begins "Sad in January when I could not be here..." |
| Folder 425 | Fragments Portions of works, most of which are unidentified. |
| Folder 426 | Notes Primarily about preparing short story collections for publication. |
| Folder 427-428 Folder 427 Folder 428 | Novel beginnings |
Expand/collapse Subseries 3.3. Writings by Others, 1944-2000s.
Arrangement: Alphabetical.
Drafts and printed versions of short stories and novels by other authors, including friends, associates, and former students. Many of these stories were sent to Max Steele by Lois Rosenthal of Story magazine. Authors include Alice Adams, Daphne Athas, Doris Betts, Kay Boyle, William DeBuys, Allan Gurganus, William Harmon, Wallace Kaufman, Lawrence Naumoff, Jessie Rehder, and Charles Young.
| Folder 429 | Aaron, Chester |
|---|---|
| Adams, Alice "Alternatives,""At First Sight: Love and Liking, a Memoir,""Shock Treatment," and "A Very Nice Dog." | |
| Adler, Emma Morel | |
| Apple, Jessica | |
| Athas, Daphne Printed version of "Ode to Vivien Leigh." | |
| Folder 430-433 Folder 430 Folder 431 Folder 432 Folder 433 | Barlow, Dan |
| Folder 430 Folder 431 Folder 432 Folder 433 | Bates, Paulette |
| Folder 430 Folder 431 Folder 432 Folder 433 | Betts, Doris Printed versions of "The Boiling Wolf," "Brief Prose, Long Subjects," and a review of Souls Raised from the Dead, and a typescript Sharp Teeth of Love. |
| Folder 430 Folder 431 Folder 432 Folder 433 | Blackburn, Alexander |
| Folder 430 Folder 431 Folder 432 Folder 433 | Boyle, Kay Drafts of her review of Max Steele's "An Analysis of Hear the Wind Blow," a printed version of her "On the Teaching of Writing," and an untitled draft that begins with "It must have been about twenty years ago..." |
| Folder 434 | Caldwell, Bo |
| Carter, Emily | |
| Connell, Emily | |
| Folder 435 | Davies, Peter Ho |
| Davis, Antonette | |
| DeBuys, William "Burned,""Emma Yazzie's Blankets,""Geranium,""Here,""Ice, Skunk, Love," and "The Theory and Practice of Borders." | |
| Folder 436 | Filley, Patrick Oliver |
| Frazier, Ian | |
| Fuller, Blair | |
| Folder 437-438 Folder 437 Folder 438 | Gaeta, Betty |
| Folder 437 Folder 438 | Gingher, Marianne |
| Folder 437 Folder 438 | Gravely, Will |
| Folder 437 Folder 438 | Gurganus, Allan Printed version of "The Practical Heart." |
| Folder 439-440 Folder 439 Folder 440 | Hardeman, Louise |
| Folder 439 Folder 440 | Hardy, Melissa |
| Folder 439 Folder 440 | Harmon, William Poems from an unidentified collection, including a poem dedicated to Max Steele called "Literacy, An Abandoned Ode," and poems from two collections called Legion: Civic Choruses and The Dawn Horse. Legion: Civic Choruses is identified by a note from William Harmon as being an advanced copy and the other poems appear to be as well. |
| Folder 441 | Jennings, Michael |
| Jones, R. D. | |
| Folder 442 | Kaufman, Wallace "The Intruder" and "the Hurricane"; a prologue from an unidentified work; and translations by Wallace Kaufman of fifteen poems by Stefan George. |
| Kirpatrick, Robert G. | |
| Folder 443-444 Folder 443 Folder 444 | Legendre, James |
| Folder 443 Folder 444 | Lemke, Arthur Butch Jr. |
| Folder 443 Folder 444 | Lensing, George |
| Folder 443 Folder 444 | Levertov, Denise |
| Folder 443 Folder 444 | Logan, Jane |
| Folder 443 Folder 444 | Love, Martin |
| Folder 443 Folder 444 | Lyons, Paul |
| Folder 445-448 Folder 445 Folder 446 Folder 447 Folder 448 | Mankeiwicz, Jane |
| Folder 445 Folder 446 Folder 447 Folder 448 | Mason, Alane |
| Folder 445 Folder 446 Folder 447 Folder 448 | Mills, Jerry Leath |
| Folder 445 Folder 446 Folder 447 Folder 448 | Mizelle, Tim |
| Folder 445 Folder 446 Folder 447 Folder 448 | Moose, Ruth |
| Folder 449-452 Folder 449 Folder 450 Folder 451 Folder 452 | Nashold, Jim |
| Folder 449 Folder 450 Folder 451 Folder 452 | Naumoff, Lawrence Advanced copies of three chapters of Silk Hope. |
| Folder 453-454 Folder 453 Folder 454 | Palmatier, Robert |
| Folder 453 Folder 454 | Parlaen, Micahel |
| Folder 455-456 Folder 455 Folder 456 | Rash, Ron |
| Folder 455 Folder 456 | Rehder, Jessie Draft of "The Surgeon." |
| Folder 455 Folder 456 | Reid, Melynda |
| Folder 455 Folder 456 | Rowell, David |
| Folder 457-463 Folder 457 Folder 458 Folder 459 Folder 460 Folder 461 Folder 462 Folder 463 | Sagan, Leonard |
| Folder 457 Folder 458 Folder 459 Folder 460 Folder 461 Folder 462 Folder 463 | Schermerhorn, David |
| Folder 457 Folder 458 Folder 459 Folder 460 Folder 461 Folder 462 Folder 463 | Schoemperlen, Diane |
| Folder 457 Folder 458 Folder 459 Folder 460 Folder 461 Folder 462 Folder 463 | Shinn, Jerry |
| Folder 457 Folder 458 Folder 459 Folder 460 Folder 461 Folder 462 Folder 463 | Skibell, John |
| Folder 457 Folder 458 Folder 459 Folder 460 Folder 461 Folder 462 Folder 463 | Spencer, Elizabeth |
| Folder 457 Folder 458 Folder 459 Folder 460 Folder 461 Folder 462 Folder 463 | Sumner, Melanie |
| Folder 464-465 Folder 464 Folder 465 | Tanner, Ron |
| Folder 464 Folder 465 | Taylor, Katherine |
| Folder 464 Folder 465 | Thompson, Carl Jr. |
| Folder 464 Folder 465 | Tilly, Nancy |
| Folder 464 Folder 465 | Trapasso, R. |
| Folder 464 Folder 465 | Udall, Brady |
| Folder 466-468 Folder 466 Folder 467 Folder 468 | Williams, Richard |
| Folder 466 Folder 467 Folder 468 | Wren, Bill |
| Folder 466 Folder 467 Folder 468 | Weyr, Garret |
| Folder 469-471 Folder 469 Folder 470 Folder 471 | Young, Charles Drafts of Artifice!, "Calliope Jane," "The Gathering," "The Gelding," "Horse and Rider," "Night and Morning with Will and Anita," "Old Car, Old Car Top," "Once Around the Mulberry Bush," "One-Nighter," and "Shoes." |
| Folder 472-473 Folder 472 Folder 473 | Unidentified authors: Writings |
| Folder 474 | Unidentified authors: Poems |
| Folder 475 | Other papers Publicity for publications and events by various authors. |
Expand/collapse Series 4. Clippings, 1943-2004.
1,500 items.
Arrangement: Chronological.
Newspaper and magazine clippings gathered by or sent to Max Steele throughout his life. Most of the clippings concern Steele and his publications or career. Some are about his friends and family, though these tend to be obituaries. There are a very small number of clippings on a variety of topics that appear just to have been of interest to him. The largest number of clippings are from the years 1950 and 1988, when Debby and The Hat of My Mother were published, respectively. There are also many clippings from 1966, when Steele was appointed as the Writer-in-Residence at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
| Folder 476 | Clippings, 1940s |
|---|---|
| Folder 477-478 Folder 477 Folder 478 | Clippings, 1943-1947 |
| Folder 479-483 Folder 479 Folder 480 Folder 481 Folder 482 Folder 483 | Clippings, 1950 Chiefly about Debby. |
| Folder 484 | Clippings, 1951-1953 |
| Folder 485 | Clippings, 1955-1957 |
| Folder 486 | Clippings, 1962-1964 Many clippings are about the death of Mills Steele, the brother of Max Steele. |
| Folder 487-488 Folder 487 Folder 488 | Clippings, 1966 |
| Folder 489 | Clippings, 1967 Many clippings are about the death of Jessie Rehder. |
| Folder 490 | Clippings, 1968 |
| Folder 491 | Clippings, 1969 |
| Folder 492 | Clippings, 1960s |
| Folder 493 | Clippings, 1970-1972 |
| Folder 494 | Clippings, 1975-1979 |
| Folder 495-496 Folder 495 Folder 496 | Clippings 1980-1985 |
| Folder 497 | Clippings, 1987 |
| Folder 498-501 Folder 498 Folder 499 Folder 500 Folder 501 | Clippings, 1988 |
| Folder 502 | Clippings, 1989 |
| Folder 503-505 Folder 503 Folder 504 Folder 505 | Clippings, 1992-1999 |
| Folder 506 | Clippings, 2000-2004 |
| Folder 507 | Clippings, undated |
Expand/collapse Series 5. Family Papers, 1926-2004.
800 items.
Materials relating to Max Steele's personal life and his family members, including various financial, real estate, and legal documents. Many family materials seem to have been passed to Steele upon their deaths.
| Folder 508 | Army materials Includes Max Steele's discharge papers, his registration card, his ID card, his veteran's insurance, and other similar materials. |
|---|---|
| Folder 509-511 Folder 509 Folder 510 Folder 511 | Biographical materials Army documents, photocopies of various IDs, Max Steele's 1939 high school diploma, copies of his vitae, and other similar materials. |
| Folder 512 | Financial materials: General Bank statements, a budget notebook, portfolio information, his mother's stocks in Dade City Hotel Co. in 1926, and other similar items. |
| Folder 513 | Financial materials: Estate of Grace Prevost Stocks, insurance documents, and bonds belong to Max Steele's sister, Grace Prevost. Steele was co-executor and possibly heir of Grace Prevost's estate. |
| Folder 514 | Financial materials: Portfolio Max Steele's business license, a portfolio asset list, income tax information, a notebook containing an asset summary, and other similar materials. |
| Folder 515 | Frances R. Steele materials 1978 copy of the last will and testament and a short autobiography of Frances R. Steele, siter of Max Steele . |
| Folder 516 | Hugh Adams materials Army documents and other papers of Hugh Adams, brother-in-law of Max Steele. |
| Folder 517 | Legal materials: Divorce Documents relating to Max Steele's 1980 divorce from Diana Steele, including the deed of separation, arrangements for custody, notes about a custody battle, financial materials, and other materials. |
| Folder 518-519 Folder 518 Folder 519 | Legal materials: Grace Prevost Includes will, death certificate, an estate settlement, and other related documents belong to Grace Prevost, sister of Max Steele; also includes documents relating to properties in Greenville, S.C., owned by Grace Prevost and her husband, Gerry Prevost. |
| Folder 520 | Mary Steele Adams materials Living will, last will and testament, marriage certificate, notebook of personal affairs, bills, accounting, and other related materials belonging to Mary Steele Adams, sister of Max Steele. |
| Folder 521-523 Folder 521 Folder 522 Folder 523 | Mills Steele materials Clippings, awards, publicity, materials from photography courses, letters, and the obituary of Mills Steele, brother of Max Steele. With a few exceptions, these materials appear to have been compiled by Mills Steele and were passed to Max Steele upon his death. |
| Folder 524-529 Folder 524 Folder 525 Folder 526 Folder 527 Folder 528 Folder 529 | Real estate Includes Grace Prevost and Gerry Prevost's sale contracts, a family furniture list, house plans, and other similar materials; documents about properties owned by Max Steele in Chapel Hill, N.C., Greenville, S.C., San Francisco, Calif., and Santa Fe, N.M., which he either lived in or rented out; and an arrest report for a man who broke into a house in the neighborhood where Max Steele either lived in Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| Folder 530 | Other family papers Photocopy of a funeral signature book, biographies, and other materials. |
Expand/collapse Series 6. Other Papers, 1939-2004.
3,000 items.
Wide ranging materials on a variety of topics. There are printed materials on different topics, non-photographic images, and materials relating to friends and coworkers. There are many materials from Max Steele's travels, including trips to Turkey, Greece, and Egypt, as well as travel for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, travel in Europe and North America, and other related materials. There are also many address books, planners, and notebooks from throughout his life.
Some items relate closely to similar materials in other series.
| Folder 531-536 Folder 531 Folder 532 Folder 533 Folder 534 Folder 535 Folder 536 | Address books, 1943-2000 |
|---|---|
| Folder 537 | Alcoholics Anonymous and Overeaters Anonymous, 1958-1983 Brochures and other printed materials. |
| Folder 538 | Alumnus materials Newsletters and programs from alumni associations at Furman University and Greenville High School. |
| Folder 539 | Awards and honors Includes copies of Max Steele's honorary doctorates and related materials from Belmont Abbey College and Furman University, his University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Excellence in Inspirational Teaching of Undergraduates Award, and his 1974 Men of Achievement commendation. |
| Folder 540-541 Folder 540 Folder 541 | Contacts Buisiness cards, lists of contacts, and contact information written on scraps of paper. |
| Audiocassette C-4314/2 | Doris Betts: Oral history interview by Max Steele, 30 May 1999 |
| Folder 542 | Furman University honorary degree |
| Folder 543 | Memorabilia |
| Folder 544 | Nanno deGroot illustrations Original illustrations by Nanno DeGroot. |
| Folder 545-552 Folder 545 Folder 546 Folder 547 Folder 548 Folder 549 Folder 550 Folder 551 Folder 552 | Planners and notebooks, 1954-2004 Travel information and notes on daily topics, including to-do lists and contacts, drawings, and financial information. |
| Folder 553 | Postcards Postcards from Italy, France, Turkey, the United States, and Norway from 1939 to 1991. |
| Folder 554-556 Folder 554 Folder 555 Folder 556 | Printed materials Programs, magazine clippings, an exhibition catalogue for George Bireline at the North Carolina Museum of Art, recipes, a small booklet on Hindu magic, a 1950 copy of Publishers Weekly, a 1966 copy of Furman University Magazine, a 1968 copy of the Saturday Review, a copy of the gospel of St. John, a "Doubleday Christmas Sampler of Feasts" from 1981, and an issue of Preservation News from Historic North Carolina Home Preservation. |
| Folder 557-559 Folder 557 Folder 558 Folder 559 | Schoolwork Papers written by Max Steele for classes at the University of North Carolina and schoolwork, weather documents, and other materials from Vanderbilt University. |
| Audiocassette C-4314/3 | Southwords Special: Writers on Reading |
| Folder 560-567 Folder 560 Folder 561 Folder 562 Folder 563 Folder 564 Folder 565 Folder 566 Folder 567 | Travel materials Materials about trips to Egypt, Greece, and Turkey in the early 1980s as well as travel for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, travel in North America and Europe, and other related materials. Includes brochures, travel authorizations, itineraries, and documents for study abroad programs. |
| Folder 568 | Other papers Children's drawings, stationary, photocopies of photographs, handwritten notes, and flyers. |
Expand/collapse Series 7. Photographs, 1870s-2004.
400 items.
Photographs, including portraits and snapshots, of Max Steele, his family, his friends, and his students. The earliest photographs, from the 1870s to the 1940s, are of Steele's older relatives and siblings, often as children with various friends and relatives. Photographs from the 1950s to the 2000s are chiefly of Steele with various family members and friends. The 1960s and 1970s are chiefly photographs of his children. There are also undated photographs of Steele and various, identified friends and family members. Photographs from throughout the series include portraits, family photographs, and events.
| Image Folder PF-4314/1-2 PF-4314/1 PF-4314/2 | Max Steele, 1940s-2000s |
|---|---|
| Image Folder PF-4314/3-6 PF-4314/3 PF-4314/4 PF-4314/5 PF-4314/6 | Family, 1870s-1930s Includes images of grandparents, parents, uncles, some cousins, siblings as children and young adults, and some friends. Also includes images of places where the family lived or worked, including Greenville, S.C., and Zephyrhills, Fla. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/7 | 1940s Includes images of Max Steele, Frances Steele, and Mills Steele, and friends; there are also images from the Army and the Navy, which appear to have been taken by Mills Steele. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/8-9 PF-4314/8 PF-4314/9 | 1950s Includes images of Max Steele, friends, his travels in Europe, and a book signing event for Debby. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/10-11 PF-4314/10 PF-4314/11 | 1960s Includes images of Max Steele, his family, and friends. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/12-14 PF-4314/12 PF-4314/13 PF-4314/14 | 1970s Includes images of Max Steele, his family, and friends, including Alice Adams. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/15-16 PF-4314/15 PF-4314/16 | 1980s Includes images of Max Steele, his family, his friends, and some of Steele's students; also includes pictures from a family vacation to Turkey. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/17-18 PF-4314/17 PF-4314/18 | 1990s Includes images of Max Steele, friends, and possibly grandchildren. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/19 | 2000s Includes images of Max Steele and friends. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/20-24 PF-4314/20 PF-4314/21 PF-4314/22 PF-4314/23 PF-4314/24 | Steele family Includes portraits of Mills Steele, as well as portraits by Mills Steele, and a photograph of the reception area of his studio. There are also photographs of Mary Steele Adams and Frances Steele, Virgina Steele Sorenion, from their childhoods to their adulthoods, including pictures of their families. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/26 | Alice Adams and Max Steele, circa 1970s-1980s |
| Image Folder PF-4314/27 | Identified subjects Includes Steele Phillips, Park Phillips, Lena and John (last name unknown), Susan Lee, and Jan Fleischer. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/28-30 PF-4314/28 PF-4314/29 PF-4314/30 | Unidentified subjects, 1930s-2000s Chiefly images of people, but some of buildings and antique furniture from someone's apartment, possibly one of Max Steele's siblings. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/31 | Negatives: circa 1940s-1984 Most of the negatives are from Mills Steele's studio or are official images from Mills' time in the Navy. Others images appear to be of Max Steele, building interiors, and vacations, including Steele's family vacation to Turkey in 1984. |
Expand/collapse Series 8. Jessie Rehder Papers, 1953-1967.
400 items.
Papers of Jessie Rehder, a fellow author and professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which were passed to Max Steele upon her death in 1967. This series contains personal and professional correspondence, drafts of Rehder's short stories, clippings, notes, photographs, and materials about the Writer-in-Residence program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There is also an unbound manuscript of Rehder's "Have Mercy," which was sent to Steele by a publisher following her death and drafts of a chapter of a novel and a short story written by Carl Cook, whose connection with Rehder is unclear.
| Folder 569-572 Folder 569 Folder 570 Folder 571 Folder 572 | Correspondence, 1953-1967 Correspondence appears to be with publishers, writers, and professors at other universities. |
|---|---|
| Folder 573-576 Folder 573 Folder 574 Folder 575 Folder 576 | Writer-in-Residence materials Notes, drafts, biographies, proposals, correspondence, contact lists, and other similar materials. |
| Folder 577 | Short story drafts Handwritten and typescript. |
| Folder 578-581 Folder 578 Folder 579 Folder 580 Folder 581 | "Have Mercy" Unbound manuscript and letter from a publisher to Max Steele about the manuscript, which was sent to him after Jessie Rehder's death. |
| Image Folder PF-4314/25 | Photographs, circa 1950s-1960s Images of Carl Cook and "David"; reprints of a photograph of Jessie Rehder on a boat trip from Africa. |
| Folder 582 | Clippings Includes tributes by Max Steele and eight other authors. |
| Folder 583 | Peace College speech, circa 1960s Notes and other materials for a speech by Jessie Rehder. |
| Folder 584 | Fragments Handwritten notes on loose paper and in a small notebook on topics ranging from daily activities to writing. |
| Folder 585 | Drafts by Carl Cook Drafts of a novel chapter and a short story. |
Expand/collapse Series 9. Collected Letters and Other Items, 1693-1963.
8 items.
Letters and documents from various famous figures, including Flannery O'Connor, Eleanor Roosevelt, and T.H. White. These materials may have been purchased by Max Steele; he was not the original recipient of any of these materials.
| Folder 586 | Deed, 1693 Concerns a sale of land to Richard Price and Mary Price of England. |
|---|---|
| Folder 587 | Flannery O'Connor letter and short story, 1963 A letter, 22 April 1963, written to "Elizabeth," and a typescript draft of the short story "Why Do the Heathen Rage?" |
| Folder 588 | Eleanor Roosevelt letter to Joseph Alsop, 12 December 1943 Introduces Lieutenant Purdy. |
| Folder 589 | Eleanor Roosevelt card to Lieutenant Purdy 11 March 1954 |
| Folder 590 | New York Sun inaugural issue, 1833 |
| Folder 591 | T.H. White, "Dawn Signature for Major Purdy" Handwritten document. |
| Folder 592 | Yale Dramatic Association letters, 1901-1924 Letters, 1901-1924, to either the Yale Dramatic Association or Professor William Lyon Phelps, from William Archer, William Dean Howells, Thomas Bailey Aldrich, Clyde Fitch, Alexander Woollcott, and Robert C. Benchley. |
| Folder 593 | Maude Adams letter, 1898 A short letter to an unidentified recipient. |
Expand/collapse Items Separated
- Oversize papers (OP-4314/1-2)
- Oversize volume (SV-4314/1)
- Image folders (PF-4314/1-31)
- Audiocassettes (C-4314/1-3)