- unitid
-
{"value"=>"23209", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"b20890563", "type"=>"local_b"}
{"value"=>"MssCol 23209", "type"=>"local_call"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1838-2011", "type"=>"inclusive"}
{"value"=>"1930-1996", "type"=>"bulk"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1838
- date_inclusive_end
-
2011
- keydate
-
1838
- date_start
-
1838
- date_end
-
2011
- date_bulk_start
-
1930
- date_bulk_end
-
1996
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Joseph Mitchell papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"56.58 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"127 boxes, 4 volumes, 2 oversized folders", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"419.23 mb (504 computer files)"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"id"=>"MSS", "value"=>"Manuscripts and Archives Division"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Joseph Mitchell papers (1838-2011) primarily relate to Mitchell's career as a journalist and <span class=\"title\">New Yorker</span> writer and his proclivity to document life in New York City. The collection is comprised of correspondence, writings, research material, notes, ephemera, and photographs. Posthumous material relating to Mitchell is included as well as nineteenth and early twentieth century records amassed by Mitchell."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Joseph Mitchell papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Mitchell, Joseph, 1908-1996", "type"=>"persname", "role"=>"creator"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Joseph Mitchell (1908-1996) was a journalist and <span class=\"title\">New Yorker</span> writer. Mitchell was born on a Fairmont, North Carolina farm in 1908 to Averette Nance (A.N.) and Elizabeth Mitchell. Mitchell attended the University of North Carolina from 1925 to 1929. Although he had initially enrolled with the intention to study medicine, he did not receive a degree.</p> <p>Instead Mitchell left North Carolina in 1929 and moved to New York City to write for the <span class=\"title\">New York Herald Tribune</span> and later the <span class=\"title\">World-Telegram</span>, covering crime and writing profiles. <span class=\"title\">New Yorker</span> founder Harold Ross offered Mitchell a position at the magazine in 1938 and Mitchell became known for his intimate portraits and depictions of New York City people and places including the Fulton Fish Market, McSorley's Old Ale House, and Joe Gould. Despite not publishing after his 1964 profile \"Joe Gould's Secret,\" Mitchell remained on the staff of the <span class=\"title\">New Yorker</span> until his death.</p> <p>Mitchell's journalistic interests spanned the complexities of New York City life. Mitchell wandered the city, seeking to capture what he could, in both physical and written form, of New York City's ever changing cultural and physical landscape. His profiles often focused on local oddities, eccentrics, and colorful characters, and those on the fringes of society. He was particularly drawn to Lower Manhattan and the Fulton Fish Market. According to several published accounts, Mitchell felt at home in Lower Manhattan, and specifically at the Fulton Fish Market.</p> <p>Mitchell was active in several organizations and held leadership positions. The American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded Mitchell a grant in 1965, elected Mitchell to the Academy's Department of Literature in 1970, and in the 1970s Mitchell served as the organization's secretary. As the South Street Seaport transformed from an active port to a museum and historic district, Mitchell served on the South Street Seaport Museum's Advisory Council and Mayor Ed Koch appointed Mitchell to the Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1982. He was also an active member of the Gypsy Lore Society and held membership in the Century Association. Mitchell was a regular financial donor to a number of non-profit organizations.</p> <p>Mitchell was married to photographer Therese Mitchell (Therese Dagney Englested Jacobson) from 1931 until her death in 1980. Together they had two daughters, Nora (Sanborn) and Elizabeth. Joseph Mitchell died on April 27, 1996 in New York City.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Joseph Mitchell papers (1838-2011, bulk: 1930-1996) document his career as a journalist and writer, his professional and personal relationships (including those with his journalistic subjects), and his relationship with the city itself. The collection reflects Mitchell's interests in a range of overlapping subjects, many of which related to aspects of life in New York City. In addition to his writing and research projects, Mitchell was active in several organizations, recorded meticulous notes on nearly all aspects of his life, and collected artifacts.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Joseph Mitchell papers are arranged in thirteen series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1332893'>Series I: Correspondence</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1938-2000</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The correspondence series is arranged by correspondent or by the person who was the topic of the correspondence. Mitchell filed correspondence about an individual under that person's name, even if there is no direct correspondence to or from the individual. The correspondents are friends, fellow writers, those with whom Mitchell associated through his organizations, and others.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333002'>Series II: New Yorker</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1938-1996</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"title\">New Yorker</span>-related material primarily consists of correspondence with individuals associated with the magazine. The most well-represented figures are Brendan Gill, Jason Epstein, Ralph Ellison, A.J. Liebling, Phoebe Pettingell, Lillian Ross, Saul Steinberg, and Hedda Sterne. A 1938 letter from Harold Ross in which Ross hires Mitchell is located in b. 85 f. 3. Additionally there is information about Mitchell's salary history and pay disputes with the magazine.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333063'>Series III: Writings</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1865-2000</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Mitchell's writings are documented through correspondence (including correspondence with his subjects), contracts, royalty statements, drafts, and research notes. Of particular interest are drafts and fragments of his unpublished autobiography; correspondence with Joe Gould, the eccentric, self-proclaimed New York City oral historian; and documents related to the local history of Staten Island neighborhood Sandy Ground and the Rossville African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (located in the <span class=\"title\">Mr. Hunter's Grave</span> files). Additional material related to the people and places profiled by Mitchell is located in the subject files series.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333161'>Series IV: Organizations</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1961-1997</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Mitchell's work with and membership in organizations is documented by his organizational files. The bulk of these records relate to the American Academy of Arts and Letters (from whom Mitchell received an award in 1965 and was elected as a member in 1970), the Century Association, the Gypsy Lore Society, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333191'>Series V: Subject Files</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1838-1996</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The subject files (1830s-1990s) reflect Mitchell's interests, unrealized projects, and relationships with his writing subjects. Mitchell had in his possession a significant amount of records created by others, specifically Ann Honeycutt, Jean Stafford, and Herbert I. Hall. Presumably Mitchell had these records because he intended to use them for various writing projects and research.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333345'>Series VI: Notes</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1939-1996</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Mitchell wrote extensive notes to record his daily activities and conversations; describe the places and buildings he visited and the people he met in New York City and North Carolina; and log the travel expenses he incurred when traveling to North Carolina. Mitchell maintained his notes in two sections. One section of Mitchell's notes is arranged chronologically and the other is arranged by topic; there is some overlap in the content of both sections.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333408'>Series VII: New York City Ephemera</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1899-1996</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>While Mitchell had focused interests in the Fulton Fish Market and the South Street Seaport, he also collected ephemera and other documents related to the city of New York. These items provide evidence of changes in the city's commercial, cultural, and physical landscape, and include restaurant menus, brochures, handouts, fliers, calendars, business cards, and sales tags used by seafood and produce businesses. These ephemeral items concern flea markets, bookstores, psychics and gypsies, and transportation.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333436'>Series VIII: North Carolina</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1913-2011</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Although Mitchell left North Carolina in 1929, he traveled to North Carolina several times a year, owned property there, and received several local awards and recognitions. This series contains correspondence, notes, and general information about the area's history.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333468'>Series IX: Personal</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1890s-1996</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series IX: Personal documents Mitchell's family members, farming property he owned in North Carolina, his charitable donations, and his genealogical research. Scrapbooks, clippings about Mitchell, and other memorabilia are available.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333517'>Series X: Photographs</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1938-2006</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The photographs in the collection primarily depict Mitchell, his family, his memorial service, Fulton Fish Market, and Sloppy Louie's restaurant. Included is an image of Al Hirschfeld drawing a caricature of Joseph Mitchell (b.33 f.14). Additional photos are located in the subject files.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333560'>Series XI: Artifacts</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1973-2006</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Mitchell collected a variety of architectural remnants and other three dimensional objects such as bottles, signs, silver, hinges, door knobs, and mail slots. These artifacts are documented through photographs.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333564'>Series XII: Posthumous</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1996-2006</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Posthumous material was grouped into its own section. There is one sound recording of his memorial service, reviews for later editions of his writings, and correspondence. Other items dating to the time after Mitchell's death were placed in other portions of the collection by his heirs.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/23209#c1333578'>Series XIII: Miscellaneous</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1880s-1990s</div>\n</li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Purchased from Nora Sanborn, executer of the will of Joseph Mitchell, 2015.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"type"=>"processing", "value"=>"<p>Compiled by <span class=\"name\">Susan M. Kline</span>, <span class=\"date\">2015</span>.</p>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>The sound recording is unavailable pending digitization.</p>"}
- dsc_type
-
combined
- extent_statement
-
56.58 linear feet (127 boxes, 4 volumes, 2 oversized folders); 419.23 mb (504 computer files)