{"value"=>"<p>The subseries University of Illinois Press, <span class=\"title\">Blacks in the New World</span>, 1967-1998 (8 lin. ft.) is the most extensive in this series, documenting Meier's role as editor of approximately sixty five books published by this press, averaging two books a year. The subseries has been divided into two units -- Books Published and Manuscripts Not Published. The latter includes files for proposals that were rejected at the outset as being outside the scope of the series or for other reasons. In some instances, a contract was signed but after substantial revisions were made to the manuscript with numerous editorial suggestions by Meier, either the writer or Illinois Press decided against completing the manuscript under Meier's direction. Occasionally a different press actually published these works.</p> <p> Because Atheneum discontinued its <span class=\"title\">Negro in American Life</span> series in 1971 and the University of Illinois Press had inaugurated a black series publication in 1972, Meier approached Richard L. Wentworth, Editor and Associate Director of the University of Illinois Press, with the idea of the latter press establishing a series focusing on black history with Meier as editor. Announcements indicated that this was a continuation of the series Meier had edited for Atheneum. In all cases, if Meier had begun the editorial process for a book in the Atheneum series, he then completed the work for the University of Illinois Press. Examples of books published during this transitional period are Walter B. Weare, <span class=\"title\">Black Business in the New South: A Social History of the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company</span>, 1973, and David Katzman, <span class=\"title\">Before the Ghetto: Black Detroit in the Nineteenth Century</span>, 1973, and Carl R. Osthaus, <span class=\"title\">Freedman, Philanthropy, and Fraud: A History of the Freedman's Savings Bank</span>, 1976. In 1991 John H. Bracey joined Meier as co-editor of the series, and after twenty-five years of service to this press, Meier retired in 1998.</p> <p>The University of Illinois Press subseries includes correspondence between Meier, Wentworth and Bracey, concerning manuscript solicitations, policy issues, and the Elliot Rudwick Award. Both the Books Published and Manuscripts Not Published units of the subseries contain correspondence among the authors, Meier, and Wentworth, and sometimes other scholars who served as readers, discussing the submission of manuscripts for publication, Meier's suggestions to authors to improve the manuscripts, and Meier's recommendations whether or not to publish. Occasionally, Meier advised publication but if authors could not revise the manuscript according to Meier's standards, he later advised against publication. Files may also contain the table of contents or proposal for the book, as well as a few of the author's reprints. While the total number of books published as represented in this series is over sixty titles, there are files for hundreds of proposals rejected or contracts signed which did not result in published books.</p>"}