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Robert W. Watson Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 0084

Scope and Contents

The Robert W. Watson Manuscripts date from 1948 to 1980 and contain manuscripts, typescripts, publisher's proofs and galleys, clippings, correspondence, photographs, and reviews.

Dates

  • 1948 - 1980

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information. Please see our Sensitive Materials Statement.

Biographical or Historical Information

Robert W. Watson (1925-2012) was born in Passaic, New Jersey, and educated at Williams College and Johns Hopkins University, where he earned his doctorate in 1955. He was on the English Department faculty at UNCG from 1953 until his retirement in 1987. Some of Watson's awards and honors include: the American Scholar Poetry Prize (1959), a National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship (1974-1975), and the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters Award (1977). Watson was the main architect of UNCG's Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program, considered one of the best in the nation. In 1966 Watson and graduate writing student Lawrence Judson Reynolds began the Greensboro Review, a literary journal.

Watson died in 2012.

Extent

4.00 Linear Feet (10 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Robert W. Watson (1925-2012) was on the English Department faculty at UNCG from 1953 until his retirement in 1987. He received many literary honors and was the main architect of UNCG's Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program.

The Robert W. Watson Papers date from 1948 to 1980 and contain manuscripts, typescripts, publisher's proofs and galleys, clippings, correspondence, photographs, and reviews.

Arrangement Note

The arrangement of the manuscripts is that of their creator. First are poems, then collections of poems, followed by novels, lectures, essays, short stories, correspondence and reviews. Within each of these divisions the manuscripts are arranged either alphabetically by title or chronologically.

Method of Acquisition

Gift of Robert W. Watson, August 1985.

Offensive Language Statement

The UNC Greensboro University Libraries collects, preserves, and makes accessible unique and historical materials for learning and research. The nature of historical materials is such that some material may represent positions, norms, and values that are offensive and objectionable. These materials represent the opinions and actions of their creators. By providing access to these records in our reading room and through our digital collections, we recognize that archives and rare books can play a vital role in holding those creators accountable and in helping us learn from the past.

Our finding aids and other collection descriptions may occasionally re-use language provided by creators or former holders of the materials, but we strive to place outdated or offensive terminology in context. That said, we recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact us at scua@uncg.edu if you encounter problematic language in our finding aids or other collection description. We will review the language and, as appropriate, update it in a way that balances preservation of the original context with our ongoing commitment to describing materials with respectful and inclusive language.

Processing Information

Processed by Archives staff.

Title
Robert W. Watson Papers
Author
Archives staff
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

Revision Statements

  • April 20, 2021: This finding aid underwent changes in Spring 2021 after a reparative archives review. The following link leads to the legacy version of this finding aid: http://library.uncg.edu/info/depts/scua/legacyFA/04.MSS084.legacy.pdf

Repository Details

Part of the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives Repository

Contact:
P.O. Box 26170
320 College Ave.
Greensboro NC 27402-6170 US
336-334-5246