Collection Documents Early Twentieth Century Literary Relationships

“You, Freida and I don’t make a happy combination now. The best is that we should prepare to separate: that you should go your own way. I am not angry; except that I hate ‘situations’ and feel humiliated by them…I am grateful for the things you have done for me. But we must stand apart.”

In a letter dated January 1925 and sent from English novelist and short story writer D.H. Lawrence while in Oaxaca, Mexico, to Dorothy Brett, who was living on his ranch in Taos, New Mexico, Lawrence let his feelings be known about the sometimes tense relationship he and his wife, Frieda, shared with Brett. The multiple letters that comprise the Dorothy Brett papers, housed at the Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB), provide an insight not only into Brett’s relationship with the Lawrences, but with other literary and art figures during the early twentieth century. Newly organized with an online finding aid, the Brett papers provide a wealth of information about Brett and her social circles.

Close up image of a handwritten letter
Detail of a January 1925 letter from D.H. Lawrence to Dorothy Brett

British by birth and raised near Windsor, Dorothy Brett’s father was influential in the affairs of England and the royal family. After attending the Slade School of Art, Brett began her career as an artist. In 1924, she accepted an invitation by D.H. Lawrence to move to the United States to join the artistic and bohemian community that had formed there. She remained in the United States for the remainder of her life and eventually became a U.S. citizen.

Her papers consist of approximately 200 letters, dating from 1916-1948, from several major early twentieth century literary figures including D.H. Lawrence, Frieda Lawrence, John Middleton Murray, J.M. Barrie, Muriel Draper, A.R. Orage, Sigried Sassoon, and Virginia Woolf. Additional correspondents include artist Augustus John and economist John Maynard Keynes.

The bulk of the letters are written by D.H. and Frieda Lawrence between 1924 and 1930. The Lawrence letters provide insight into the sometimes inviting and sometime contentious relationship between Brett and the Lawrences. Topics include the Lawrences’ travels to Europe and Mexico and in the United States; D.H. Lawrence’s illnesses; his writing and publishing activities; an exhibition of D.H. Lawrence’s photographs; the Lawrences’ ranch in New Mexico; and the disposition of his manuscripts.

Printed advertisements for D.H. Lawrence's book, Lady Chatterley's Lover
Printed advertisements for D.H. Lawrence’s book, Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

The letters from John Middleton Murray, a friend of Brett and husband of writer Katherine Mansfield, form the second largest group of letters. They concern Murray’s relationship with Brett prior to and after his marriage, his support of her work as an artist, Katherine Mansfield’s writing and health, and Murray’s own writing and editing of Mansfield’s letters, as well as his thoughts on D.H. and Frieda Lawrence.

Printed obituary from a newspaper for the author Katherine Mansfield.
Printed obituary from a newspaper for the author Katherine Mansfield. The obituary was included in a letter from Mansfield’s husband, John Middleton Murray, to Dorothy Brett.

The letters from other correspondents, while not as extensive or expressive, provide a view toward Brett’s social and artistic relations. Others mentioned in passing throughout the letters in this collection include Nancy Cunard, Aldous Huxley, S.S. Koteliansky, Lady Ottoline Morrell, Vita Sackville-West, and Carl Van Vechten, making the Dorothy Brett Papers a valuable collection for any student or researcher interested in British literature during the early decades of the twentieth century. The collection complements a small number of D.H. Lawrence manuscripts and additional sets of correspondence he exchanged with others, which are also housed at ARB. Those interested in consulting the collection can schedule a research appointment at ARB by emailing archives@ucmail.uc.edu.

Bronson v. Board of Education: A settlement is reached  

Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s. 

As ARB wraps up the project to process the records of the Cincinnati Branch of the NAACP regarding the 1974 lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati, we look at the 1984 settlement agreement that brought to an end the decade-long legal struggle to end racial isolation in Cincinnati’s public schools. 

Photograph of school board and NAACP lawyers sitting in courtroom.
Image from Cincinnati Enquirer, February 17, 1984

On April 6, 1984, the ten-year lawsuit ended when a final settlement was approved by all parties and fairness hearings were conducted. Although the case did not go to trial, it is clear through the thousands of exhibits, dozens of deposed individuals and numerous lawyers that the case had a lasting impact on the city of Cincinnati. The settlement called for Cincinnati Public Schools to lessen racial isolation in the school system by 1991. The four major sections of the settlement stated: 

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Announcement of Archives Career Panel, October 6th

Are you the family historian? Do you like to look at old photographs? Like solving puzzles and bringing a little order to unorganized things? Then a career in archives may be just what you are looking for!

The Archives and Rare Books Library would like to cordially invite all UC students to attend our Archives Career Panel in celebration of American Archives Month this October.

This moderated, hour-long talk will feature conversation between archivists from UC Libraries, as well as local Cincinnati archivists, as they discuss their career paths, reflect on the current and future state of the profession, and answer audience questions in a Q&A.  

The event will be held on Monday, October 6th from 1:30-2:30pm in Room 471 of Langsam Library. 

Please direct any questions about the event to Catherine Cubera at cuberace@ucmail.uc.edu or Christopher Harter at hartercr@ucmail.uc.edu.

We hope to see you there!

Read Source, the online newsletter, to learn about the news, events, people and happenings in UC Libraries.

source

Read Source, the online newsletter, to learn about the news, events, people and happenings in UC Libraries.

In this issue of Source, Liz Kiscaden, dean and university librarian, welcomes Bearcats to campus and we highlight what we did over the summer. We announce a new digital collection, The Daniel S. Young Archives of Medical Illustrations, as well as a collaboration to digitize rare manuscripts. We invite readers to the upcoming Cecil Striker Annual Lecture, “Pharmacy Education in the Queen City,” and to learn more about other Library Events. Chris Platts, assistant professor of art history and frequent collaborator with the Libraries, talks about some of his projects and research interests. And Katie Foran-Mulcahy writes about efforts to re-make the MakerLab in the CECH Library.

Read these articles, as well as past issues, on the website. To receive Source via e-mail, contact melissa.norris@uc.edu to be added to the mailing list.

Langsam exhibit celebrates the past, present and future of the Arlitt Center

picture from the arlitt exhibit

For 100 years, the Arlitt Center has been a cornerstone of early childhood education, founded as one of the nation’s first laboratory preschools and continuously championing the rights and potential of young children. The center was founded by Ada Hart Arlitt, PhD, University of Cincinnati faculty member and a prominent figure in early childhood psychology and the child study movement.

An exhibit on display on the fourth floor of the Walter C. Langsam Library celebrates the past, present and future of the Arlitt Center. Included in the exhibit are images from the Archives and Rare Books Library and a bibliography of published works by Ada Hart Arlitt.

picture from the arlitt exhibit

The Archives and Rare Books Library holds the Ada Hart Arlitt Papers, containing correspondence related to her professional activities as a faculty member in the Department of Child Care and Training at UC, as well as her involvement with the National Congress of Parents and Teachers. A finding aid about the collection is available.

The exhibit was a collaboration between with Arlitt Center and UC Libraries. Reece Guthier, communication design co-op student, designed the exhibit.

The role of alternative programs in Cincinnati school desegregation 

Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s. 

History of alternative programs and schools

Alternative programs and schools in Cincinnati Public Schools existed prior to the Bronson v. Board of Education lawsuit and continued to grow in numbers as the case proceeded. These programs were designed to give students more opportunities in the classroom compared to the standard taught subjects. These were voluntary programs and open to students of all ages.

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Preparing and conducting a research trip

Field research is an exciting time, filled with travel, discoveries, and hope of breaking new ground. I recently traveled southwest Michigan, visiting four repositories in four days to research an event known as the Kentucky Raid, an attempt in 1847 by slavecatchers to kidnap African Americans residing in Cass County, Michigan thwarted by nonviolent resistance. This was a successful effort thanks to strong preparation and planning that allowed for thorough research of many resources.

Sanctuary and Deliverance mural, Cassopolis, MI
Credit: Dowagiac Daily News, 12-7-2007

First off, what was the Kentucky Raid? It remains little known or documented outside of Cass County. Kentucky plantation owners and bounty hunters sought to kidnap escaped slaves residing in a county that was also a hotbed of the Underground Railroad. However, the alarm was raised, free African Americans and whites confronted the slavecatchers and forced them through a hurried court trial to release the victims.

To start, I determined what I was going to research: not what happened but how memories and histories have shaped perspectives of the raid. This may appear simple, but it determined what repositories to visit, what collections to research, and what information to look for. This made for a more efficient effort on limited time.

Credit: WMU Regional History Collections, A-4254

This was especially important as records relating to the raid are scattered across southwest Michigan. Establishing the research goal allowed me to narrow the search to four repositories: the Cass District Library Local History Branch, the James E. Bonine House, the Lemmen Library & Archives at Grand Valley State University, and the Regional History Collections at Western Michigan University.

Credit: Michigan Bar Journal, July 2005

Before visiting any repositories came several steps. The first was presenting the goal and receiving supervisor permission. These helped secure funding for travel, meals, and living arrangements. Once they were approved and funded, I developed a schedule to ensure I used my limited time efficiently. As I was traveling every day between sites, I selected a hotel with a location central to them and a rental car for travel. One last step prior to visiting was contacting each repository a month in advance to give staff sufficient time to search collections for the necessary records.

Credit: Lemmen Library & Archives, Grand Valley State University, RHC-34

The volumes of records yielded in these searches varied among the repositories. Which was why I had to decide on whether I had time to research them or make copies to research later. Two repositories had fewer records than the other two, giving me time to research them. The volume of records at the other two forced me to focus less on research and more on looking for records that could be worth researching and marking them for reproduction.

All these efforts served to make this a successful research trip in hope of showing how perspectives have changed of the Kentucky Raid over time. Yet all this would not have been possible without setting that goal, doing proper preparation, and determining where to visit and what to research.

Busing and the battle for equal education in Bronson v. Board of Education

Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s. 

Newspaper image of young girls (one Black and one White) playing a hand game sitting across from each other on the bus.
Image from Cincinnati Enquirer, November 14, 1978

The struggle of busing

During the legal proceedings of the Bronson case, one of the examples of discrimination within Cincinnati schools cited by the NAACP was the policy of busing students to school further away rather than allowing them to attend a much closer school in order to prevent integration at particular schools. 

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Understanding the content of the NAACP Bronson v. Board collection

Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s.   

Archival records from organizations may contain an array of documents and an incredible amount of those documents, such as correspondence, meeting minutes and case files. When this occurs, archivists may arrange the material into series and subseries in order to assist researchers in accessing the collection. The NAACP Bronson v. Board records is an example of this practice. Due to the extensive material within the collection, it is vital to note the different types of documents and what they mean in the context of the case. This includes files created and kept by the school districts and documents that originated in the court. For both document types, ARB has consulted with the Office of General Counsel to determine if any records need to be restricted or redacted.

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Emergence of the suburban school districts in Bronson v. Board

Last November, the University of Cincinnati Libraries announced the award of an Archives Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to the Libraries’ Archives and Rare Books Library (ARB). This grant supports the archival processing of records related to the lawsuit Bronson v. Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Cincinnati maintained by the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and donated to the University of Cincinnati in the 1980s.      

Map of Hamilton County School Districts provided by Metropolitan Association Religious Coalition of Cincinnati, undated
Map of Hamilton County School Districts provided by Metropolitan Association Religious Coalition of Cincinnati, undated

The suburban school districts 

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