Woody Guthrie Manuscript Collection
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2002522665
General International Standard for Archival Description
Archive of Folk Culture, American Folklife Center Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Encoded by Judy Ng, February 2006 ; Revised by Nora Yeh
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Woody Guthrie Manuscript Collection 1935-1950
Guthrie, Woody, 1912-1967
Archive of Folk Song (U.S.)
Biographical History for: Woody Guthrie Manuscript Collection 1935-1950
Biographical History and Administrative History Woody Guthrie, born in Okemah, Oklahoma in 1912 and raised in Texas, moved to California during the Depression, where he met actor and activist Will Geer and toured migrant labor camps documenting conditions and injustices in the camps for The Light newspaper. He also performed on Los Angeles radio KFVD-LA, singing old-time ballads, some of which he updated with lyrics about contemporary issues. Alan Lomax, assistant in charge of the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress, first heard Woody Guthrie at a concert in New York City in March of 1940, shortly after Guthrie had relocated there. Alan Lomax arranged for Guthrie to travel to Washington, D.C. to record an oral life history that included traditional and original songs, and encouraged him to write his autobiography. Guthrie performed on several "Folk Music of America" radio shows hosted by Alan Lomax on CBS's American School of the Air. In New York, Woody Guthrie joined Lomax's sister, Bess Lomax Hawes, Pete Seeger, and others in a singing group, the Almanac Singers, for which Guthrie wrote protest ballads and songs. More information on Woody Guthrie's life and career can be found through the Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives at http://www.woodyguthrie.org/. The Archive of American Folk Song was founded in 1928 at the Library of Congress to collect and preserve American folksongs. During the years when the earliest Guthrie collections were acquired, from 1940 to 1950, the Archive was directed by: John A. Lomax (1932-1942), Alan Lomax (assistant in charge, 1937-1942), Benjamin Botkin (1942-1945), and Duncan Emrich (1946-1954). It was through Alan Lomax's recording projects and his personal friendship with Woody Guthrie that these early materials were added to the Archive. When Alan Lomax's entire collection of papers and recordings was acquired by the American Folklife Center in 2004, additional Woody Guthrie manuscripts were included, which add to the Archive's Guthrie holdings. To reflect its broader mission and collections the Archive was re-named the Archive of Folk Culture in 1981 and is now a part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
Scope and Content Note Woody Guthrie was a prolific artist known for his achievements as a singer-songwriter and as an author. Guthrie toured and performed for a period of approximately twenty-five years, exhibiting a life-long dedication to social activism by playing his politically charged music for audiences around the nation. His output included nearly three thousand songs, several novels, and other writings in the form of articles, essays, poems, and letters. In addition, Guthrie also painted, drew cartoons, and often illustrated his writings. From 1940 to 1950, Guthrie corresponded with staff at the Library of Congress. The most significant and frequent correspondence occurred between 1940 and 1942, when Guthrie wrote regularly to the Assistant in Charge of the Archive of American Folk Song, Alan Lomax. Their correspondence explores political issues, current events, career and recording issues, and includes personal exchanges. In addition, Guthrie sent Lomax prose pieces and other creative writings, some of which are reminiscent of journal or diary entries in their stream-of-consciousness nature. Some pieces are written on paper bags and tissue paper, some include doodles or sketches. In addition, Guthrie sent lyrics of his songs in several formats, including one large hand-bound set, smaller unbound sets, and single pages enclosed in letters. Most of these songs are ballads that used familiar melodies but addressed contemporary situations. Some of the manuscripts were written prior to 1940 and were subsequently sent to Lomax during their correspondence. In some cases Guthrie reworked or annotated old manuscripts before sending them.
series
Correspondence, essays, prose, doodles, and song lyrics written by Woody Guthrie between 1935 and 1950.
item
file
Collection Finding Aid
Inventories and Case File
Correspondence: Letters (mostly to Alan Lomax, Duncan Emrich), 1940-50 and undated
Correspondence: Letters of Permission, 1942-48
Correspondence: Post Cards, 1941
Correspondence: Letters to Record Companies, 1940, and circa June 1942
Correspondence: Library of Congress to Guthrie, 1940-50 and undated
Correspondence: Library of Congress concerning Guthrie, 1940-42 and undated
Lyrics: "Alonzo M. Zilch's Own Collection of Original Songs and Ballads," 1935
Lyrics: "Farther Along," March 1941
Lyrics: "The Final Call," April 1941
Lyrics: Old Time Hill Country Songs, undated
Lyrics: Songs of Woody Guthrie, songbook, undated
Carbon copy. For original, see Box 2 of 3.
Lyrics: "Ten of Woody Guthrie's Songs: Book One," April 1945
Lyrics: Wartime Songs, 1940-42 and undated
Writings: "No Title," undated
Writings: "The Railroad Cricket," 1941
Writings: Undated essay on 8" x 12" envelope, circa Fall 1940
Writings: Three essays written between September and November 1940
Reference photocopy of oversize materials. For originals, see Box 3 of 3.
Lyrics: Songs of Woody Guthrie, original songbook, undated
Original