Series I: Correspondence

id
1898896
level (num)
1
level (text)
series
identifier (local_mss)
932538
max depth
2
boost queries
add/edit
created
2026-06-24 17:27:16 UTC
updated
2026-06-24 17:28:07 UTC

Description data TOP

unitid
{"value"=>"932538", "type"=>"local_mss"}
unitdate
{"value"=>"1930s-2023", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1930/2023"}
unittitle
{"value"=>"Series I: Correspondence"}
physdesc
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"70 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"28.33 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"418 computer files", "unit"=>"computer_files"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"540.0 kilobytes", "unit"=>"kilobytes"}]}
scopecontent
{"value"=>"<p>Duberman was a prolific letter writer throughout his life, which is illustrated through correspondence that cover everything from major life events to routine details. The majority of letters in Series I are incoming, but a significant number of copies of Duberman's outgoing letters and replies are also included. Outgoing letters especially display Duberman's writing style, communication skills, political stances, personal relationships, professional collaborations, and emotional cycles. This series documents the progression of Duberman's academic career, his activity as a playwright, and his work on behalf of LGBTQ+ rights. Correspondence is with fellow scholars, writers, students, editors, publishers, theatrical producers and directors, numerous gay rights organizations and activists, personal friends, romantic partners, and members of the general public.</p> <p>The bulk of the family, personal, and academic/professional correspondence grouped at the start of Series I dates from the 1930s through the early 1960s. Family correspondence contains letters Duberman wrote as a child to his parents from summer camp stays; post-cards and letters Duberman sent from various summer trips including an American Youth Hostels cross-country bicycle tour in 1948; and letters to and from his family during his time as an undergraduate at Yale. Family correspondence after 1961 is sparse, consisting of letters from his mother, his aunt Teresa \"Tedda\" Bauml, and his sister Lucile Belden (later Milberg). Academic/Professional correspondence in this section documents the beginning of Duberman's writing, academic, and theatrical careers. Correspondence with Richard Challener, Laurence Stone, R.R. Palmer, and Edward Sullivan detail Duberman's clash with the Princeton administration and history department over his experimental seminars. See also Series IV: Teaching. Correspondence with Duberman's editors at Houghton-Mifflin, Random House, E.P. Dutton, and Chelsea House and his literary agent at the Sterling Lord Agency is present. See also the publishers section of Series II: Writings. Other later family, personal, academic or professional correspondence is not separated topically and is arranged chronologically. Printed emails comprise most correspondence from about 2006 onward.</p> <p>Significant topics addressed in the chronologically arranged group of correspondence include: pedagogical discussions and the development of his own teaching methods; the many productions of his play, <span class=\"title\">In White America</span>, and public reaction to it; his published critiques of the history profession; and his essays defending student radicalism. There is also correspondence with Eugene Genovese, Christopher Lasch, Howard Zinn, and other radical historians discussing the New Left, each other's work, and attempts to organize as a force within the American Historical Association. After 1972, much correspondence concerns Duberman's efforts on behalf of gay rights, gay publications and organizations, such as the National Gay Task Force and Gay Academic Union; his writing on homosexuality and related topics in the popular press; and initiatives to combat discrimination against gay people in academia.</p> <p>Letters from scholars concern the sharing of information on common research topics; commentary on each other's work; the climate at different colleges; and requests to contribute essays to books, participate in symposia, or arrange speaking engagements. Numerous letters from students contain requests for personal and academic advice, and job and school recommendations. There are also letters from students regarding the progress of their research and their struggles to find jobs. These letters evidence the friendly, supportive and informal relationship Duberman had with many of his students.</p> <p>Other notable correspondents include: Dennis Altman, Eric Bentley, John Boswell, Fawn Brodie, Howard Brown, Charlotte Bunch, L.H. Butterfield, Louis Crompton, David Davis, David Donald, Leon Edel, Larry Gara, Frank Gatell, Richard Goldstein, Richard Hall, Oscar Handlin, Bertha Harris, James Leo Herlihy, Laura Z. Hobson, Richard Hofstadter, John Holt, Holly Hughes, Karla Jay, Judson Jerome, Jonathan Ned Katz, Larry Kramer, Jesse Lemisch, Ellen Levine, Staughton Lynd, Lawrence Mass, James McPherson, Robert Middlekauff, Pauli Murray, Joan Nestle, Robert Patrick, Richard Plant, John Preston, David Potter, Willie Lee Rose, Louis Ruchames, Vito Russo, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., Greta Schiller, Alisa Solomon, Catharine Stimpson, Thomas Stoddard, John Stoltenberg, C.A. Tripp, Carole Vance, William Ward, George Whitmore, Jonathan Williams, Alfred Young, Allan Young, and Perry Deane Young.</p>"}
arrangement
{"value"=>"<p>The first group of files is arranged topically into family, personal, and academic/professional correspondence. The rest of the series is arranged chronologically, and alphabetically within each year.</p>"}
date_start
1930
keydate
1930
date_end
2023
date_inclusive_start
1930
date_inclusive_end
2023
extent_statement
28.33 linear feet (70 boxes). 540.0 kilobytes (418 computer files)

Repository Assets

No UUIDs attached.

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File attachments

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Child components TOP

  1. Family [3/1]
  2. Personal [5/1]
  3. Academic/Professional [3/1]
  4. 1962
  5. 1963
  6. 1964
  7. 1965
  8. 1966
  9. 1966-1997
  10. 1967
  11. 1968 [4/1]
  12. 1969 [3/1]
  13. 1970 [3/1]
  14. 1971 [2/1]
  15. 1972
  16. 1973 [2/1]
  17. 1974 [3/1]
  18. 1974-1980
  19. 1975 [3/1]
  20. 1976 [3/1]
  21. 1977 [3/1]
  22. 1978 [2/1]
  23. 1979 [2/1]
  24. 1980-1981 August
  25. 1981 September-1982 July
  26. 1982 August-1983 May
  27. 1983 June-1984 February
  28. 1984 March-1985 March
  29. 1985 April-1986 April
  30. 1986 May-1987 October
  31. 1987 November-1988 September
  32. 1988
  33. 1988 October-1989 May
  34. 1989-1992
  35. 1989 June-1990 July
  36. 1990 August-1991 February
  37. 1991-1992
  38. 1991 March-November
  39. 1991 December-1992 July
  40. 1992 August-1993 February
  41. 1992
  42. 1993 March-November
  43. 1993 December-1994 October
  44. 1994 November-1995 October
  45. 1995 November-1996 September
  46. 1996 October-1997 December
  47. 1998 January-1999 April
  48. 1999 May-2000 December
  49. 2001 January-2002 July
  50. 2002 August-2003 December
  51. 2004 January-2006 September
  52. 2006 October-2007
  53. 2008
  54. 2009
  55. 2010
  56. 2011
  57. 2012
  58. 2013
  59. 2014
  60. 2015
  61. 2016
  62. 2017
  63. 2018
  64. 2019
  65. 2020
  66. 2021
  67. 2022
  68. 2023