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Creator
Boone, Kurt
Call number
Sc MG 989
Physical description
0.42 linear feet (1 box)
Language
English
Preferred Citation
[Item], Kurt Boone Unpublished Manuscripts, Sc MG 989, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library
Repository
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Kurt Boone (1959-), also known as Kurt B Boone or Messenger 841, is an author and photographer with a deep interest in documenting street culture. He is best known for his work as a New York City foot courier and for his books that highlight urban subcultures through poetry and photography. The Kurt Boone Unpublished Manuscripts (1989-2023) contains outlines, drafts, and correspondence related to the following unpublished manuscripts: "Cortlandt Street: Remembering the World Trade Center", "A Kid Dream: The Chase for the Black Athlete", and "Hands Up Don't Shoot".

Biographical/historical information

Kurt Boone (1959-), also known as Kurt B Boone or Messenger 841, is an author and photographer with a deep interest in documenting street culture. He is best known for his poetry and photography books that highlight aspects of urban subcultures such as skateboarding, busking, graffiti, and bike messengers. Boone was born on September 24, 1959 in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. He attended Andrew Jackson High School in Queens, New York, where he ran track, served as manager of the basketball team, and began writing with the goal of becoming a freelance journalist.

In the early 1980s, Boone spent six years in Los Angeles, CA, where he began writing poetry as a student at LaGuardia Community College and later graduated with his associate degree in business administration from Los Angeles City College. When Boone returned to New York City, he worked as a foot courier and worked closely with bike messengers. This work inspired Boone to publish books about aspects of street culture that he and his collleagues witnessed in their work. It also inspired Boone's streetwear brand, the Messenger 841 Project.

Scope and arrangement

The Kurt Boone Unpublished Manuscripts primarily consist of outlines, drafts, and correspondence regarding the following unpublished manuscripts: "A Kid Dream: The Chase for the Black Athlete", "Cortlandt Street: Remembering the World Trade Center", and "Hands Up Don't Shoot". The collection is arranged chronologically.

The "A Kid Dream: The Chase for the Black Athlete" section of the collection includes an initial outline and synopsis, handwritten and typed drafts, a marketing plan, and correspondence related to Boone's attempts to publish the manuscript. This section also contains Boone's acting/media and athletic resumes, which he sent to publishing companies and literary agencies.

The "Cortlandt Street: Remembering the World Trade Center" section of the collection mostly comprises a handwritten draft and a typed draft of the manuscript. This section also includes a typed draft of the manuscript with edits from Dr. Stephanie Y. Wilson and a brief interview over email about Boone's reflections on the September 11 attacks.

The "Hands Up Don't Shoot" file in the collection comprises handwritten poem drafts.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Purchased from Kurt Boone in 2023.

Processing information

Processed by Denise Mantey in 2026.

Using the collection

Location

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801
Second Floor