Scope and Content Note
The papers of Gustav Davidson (1895-1971) span the years 1909-1992, with the bulk of the material dating from 1931 to 1971. The papers consist primarily of correspondence, writings, research material, and items related to the Poetry Society of America. The papers are organized in the following series: General Correspondence , Personal Name File , Writings , Subject File , and Oversize . The Oversize consists of scrapbooks of articles and reviews published in The Daily Mirror, 1931-1932.
The General Correspondence consists of miscellaneous personal and routine professional correspondence, primarily incoming.
The Personal Name File holds material Davidson collected concerning his frequent correspondents, personal friends, fellow poets, theological scholars, and professional associates. Correspondence with these individuals is located in this series, in addition to news clippings, writings, photographs, and printed matter. Notable correspondents include Charles Angoff, Joseph Auslander, Clarence Raymond Decker, Alfred Dorn, Max Eastman, Harry Meyer Orlinsky, Theodore Roethke, Ernest R. Trattner, and Louis Untermeyer.
The Writings series contains drafts and published copies of Davidson's writings as well as publicity, reviews, and correspondence with publishers. Davidson wrote in many genres: poetry, plays, reviews, newspaper columns, and academic writings primarily about angels. Included in the collection are annotated copies of books. A file labeled “Pseudonymous writings” contains items written by Davidson under the name W. Gordon Drake for the Free Thought publication The Age of Reason Magazine.
The Subject File is organized topically and includes biographical material, items pertaining to Davidson's “Fine Editions Press” and other publication projects, material from his youthful trips to the South Sea islands, research files, correspondence from various organizations and publications, photographs, and news clippings. Of particular note is a large file on the Poetry Society of America, an organization that Davidson served for many years. Poetry Society awards, dinners, trips, membership lists, publication projects, board meetings, and elections are documented in the file.