Guide to the Origin Archive
1951-1968

Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012

Phone: (212) 998-2596
Fax: (212) 995-3835
Email: fales.library@nyu.edu

URL: http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/fales/cdfa.htm

© 2003 Fales Library and Special Collections . All rights reserved.
New York University Libraries, Publisher
Processed by: Amber Creger, February 1999
Machine-readable finding aid created by Brian Stevens - derived from a text finding aid, 2002. Description is in English.
2003, Origin finding aid converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by one2two.xsl.

Descriptive Summary

Creator: Origin (Boston, Mass.)
Title: The Origin Archive
Dates: 1951-1968
Abstract: Origin was a small avant garde literary magazine that was published from 1951 to 1985. The Origin Archive consists of correspondence and manuscripts that were sent to its editor, Cid Corman, for the first 17 years of the magazine's existence.
Quantity: .5 linear feet (1 box)
Call Phrase: The Origin Archive
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Historical/Biographical Note:

Origin was a small avant garde literary magazine that was published from 1951 until 1985. Its editor, Cid Coreman, was a poet, writer and translator. In 1948, he endeavored to establish a "poetic community" and organized poetry events at public libraries around Boston as well as poetry readings on the radio. In the midst of this activity, in 1951, Corman started Origin which featured his works and other emerging poets of the day, including: Carol Berge´, Robert Creeley, Theodore Enslin, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Gary Snyder, Denise Levertov, Louis Zukofsky, Paul Blackburn, William Bronk, and Charles Olson, among many others. In the late 1950's, Corman moved to Japan where he continued to write and began translating works of Japanese poetry. He has also translated works from Italian and French. He now lives in Kyoto, Japan.

Sources:

Arnold, Bob and Susan. "Cid Coreman and Origin Press." Longhouse publishers and Booksellers. 22 Jan. 2003. [http://www.longhousepoetry.com/corman.html]

Cid Corman, Papers, 1942-76 [finding aid]. Kent State University Libraries. 30 January 2003 [http://speccoll.library.kent.edu/].

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Scope and Content Note

The Origin Archive is a part of the Avant Garde Collection at the Fales Library, New York University. The Fales Library is the primary special collections division of the NYU libraries, housing nearly 200,000 volumes of English and American literature from 1700 to the present. Strengths of the collection include the development of the English and American novel, with an emphasis on the Gothic and the Victorian novel.

The Origin Archive consists of the correspondence received by Cid Corman concerning the avant garde journal Origin. The collection comprises original manuscripts from: Carol Berge´, Robert Creeley, Theodore Enslin, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Denise Levertov, and Gary Snyder. Copies of Origin are not part of this archive but are available to view at the Fales Library.

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Arrangement

Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject/author heading.
The files are grouped into one series.
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Related Material at the Fales Library and Special Collections

Avant Garde Collection

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Separated Material

There is no information about materials that are associated by provenance to the described materials that have been physically separated or removed.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers. Appointments are necessary for the use of manuscript and archival materials.

Use Restrictions

Collection use is subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Director of Fales Library and Special Collections. For more information, contact
Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012

Phone: (212) 998-2596
Fax: (212) 995-3835
Email: fales.library@nyu.edu

URL: http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/fales/cdfa.htm

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Access Points

Subject Names:
Avison, Margaret.
Berge´, Carol, 1928-
Blackburn, Paul.
Corman, Cid, 1924-
Creeley, Robert, 1926-
Enslin, Theodore.
Ferlinghetti, Lawrence.
Levertov, Denise, 1923-
Snyder, Gary, 1930-
Subject Organizations:
National Poetry Foundation (U.S.)
Origin (Boston, Mass.)
Subject Topics:
American literature-- 20th century.
American poetry--20th century.
Authors, American--20th century.
Avant-garde (Aesthetics).
Boston (Mass.)--Intellectual life--20th century.
Literature, Experimental.
Poets, American--20th century.
Small presses.
Document Types:
Correspondence.
Manuscripts (for publication).
Postcards.
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Administrative Information

Provenance

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); The Origin Archive; MSS 21; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections , New York University Libraries.

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Container List

[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]

 

Series I: Correspondence

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Allen, Donald 1961-1964
1 2 Avison, Margaret 1953-1962
1 3 Barker, Richard 1961-1962
1 4 Berge´, Carol 1960-1961
1 5 Blackburn, Paul 1962-1964
1 6 Creeley, Robert 1961-1965
1 7 Enslin, Theodore 1964-1965
1 8 Enslin, Theodore 1966
1 9 Enslin, Theodore 1967-1968
1 10 Ferlinghetti, Lawrence 1962-1964
1 11 Hentoff, Nat. undated
1 12 Hirschman, Jack 1960-1963
1 13 Kitasono, Katue 1951-1956
1 14 Levertov, Denise 1962-1966
1 15 Logan, John 1953-1956
1 16 Randall, Margaret 1962
1 17 Risi, Nelo 1963-1964
1 18 Rothenberg, Jerome 1962
1 19 Scholl, Albert Arnold 1953-1955
1 20 Snyder, Gary 1964-1969
1 21 Sorrentino, Gilbert 1964
1 22 Weiss, Theodore 1961-1962
1 23 Williams, Jonathan 1953-1964

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