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Michael F. Parker Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 0148

Content Description

This collection consists of papers relating to Michael F. Parker, a UNCG professor of creative writing and fiction writer. Included in the collection are literary manuscripts, publisher's proofs, gallery proofs, unpublished stories, story drafts, books, poems, and notebooks.

The collection includes typed drafts of Parker's published books, typed and handwritten drafts of Parker's short stories, and accompanying editorial notes. It also includes promotional materials for his published works, such as book proofs, event flyers, and invitations to readings.

Materials relating to his professorship at UNCG include evaluations, Parker's curriculum vitae, student essays, and course materials.

The collection also contains personal materials, which includes correspondence, Parker's own school materials, medals, various handwritten notebooks, and a postcard signed by Kurt Vonnegut.

Dates

  • 1962 - 2021

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.

Extent

34.44 Linear Feet (82 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Michael Fleming Parker was a professor in the MFA Creative Writing program at UNCG from 1992-2019. He received his Bachelor of Arts from UNC Chapel Hill in 1984 and his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Virginia in 1988. Over the course of his career, Parker published ten books and dozens of articles and essays. He was the first to hold the UNCG Nicholas and Nancy Vacc Distinguished Professorship and won many awards, including the Mary Hobson Award in Arts and Letters, the North Carolina Award for Literature, the R. Hunt Parker Award, and the UNCG Senior Research Excellence Award. He also won the O. Henry Award for short fiction three times.

The Michael F. Parker Papers contains material related to Parker's personal life, career at UNCG, and professional career as an award-winning author. The collection contains his book drafts, teaching materials, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and book publicity materials.

Arrangement Note

The collection is arranged in six series: Book Drafts, Story Drafts, Class Materials, Personal Materials, Magazines/Newspapers, and Scrapbooks. Each series is arranged either alphabetically or chronologically.

Method of Acquistion

First accession gift of Michael F. Parker in July 1998. Additional materials given by Michael F. Parker in 2005, 2007, 2013, 2018, 2019, and 2021.

Condition Description

68 boxes containing papers relating to Michael F. Parker.

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.

List of Published Works

Michael F. Parker published seven novels and three collections of short stories throughout his career.

Novels: Hello Down There (New York: Scribner's, 1993) Towns Without Rivers (New York: HarperCollins, 2001) Virginia Lovers (Harrison: Delphinium Books, 2004) If You Want Me To Stay (Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 2005) The Watery Part of the World (Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 2011) All I Have in This World (Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 2014) Prairie Fever (Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 2019)

Short Story Anthologies: The Geographical Cure (New York: Scribner's, 1994) Don't Make Me Stop Now (Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 2007) Everything, Then and Since (Bull City Press, 2017)

Alternative Titles

Michael Parker used multiple titles for some of his works as he revised drafts and submitted for publication.

All I Have in This World: alternatively known as "Five Thousand Dollar Car", "5000 Dollar Car", or "Two Thousand Dollar Car"

The Watery Part of the World: alternatively known as "Touched"

Prairie Fever: alternatively known as "Only the Horse Knew the Way"

Virginia Lovers: alternatively known as "We Don't Have to Live This Way Forever"

Processing Information

Processed by Liz Konopka in October 2021.

Title
Michael F. Parker Papers
Status
Completed
Author
Liz Konopka
Date
October 2021
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

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