Scope and Content Note
The Papers of James A. Michener (1907-1997) span the years 1906-1992, with bulk of the material concentrated between 1945 and 1992. Arranged in three parts, the collection is composed largely of writings and correspondence series which document Michener's career through the early 1970s. The papers include legal and financial records, miscellany, and oversize. Since the collection was received in numerous installments, related material is included in all three parts.
Part I
The Correspondence File in Part I reflects Michener's activities from the late 1940s to the late 1960s. Much of the correspondence for this period relates to the publishing and literary fields and to a lesser extent the transformation of Michener's works into plays and motion pictures. Correspondence with the Macmillan Company regarding the publication of Tales of the South Pacific is found in files for 1945-1946. The adaptation of Michener's novels to the stage and screen is the subject of correspondence from Oscar Hammerstein, Joshua Logan, Richard Rodgers, and David O. Selznick primarily in the period 1949-1961. A frequent correspondent is Michener's literary agent, Helen M. Strauss. Michener's association with the Asia Foundation in the 1950s, his active support of John F. Kennedy during the 1960 presidential election and his own campaign for the United States House of Representatives in 1962, and his interest in collecting works of art are documented in his correspondence.
The Writings File in Part I principally contains typed drafts and related material for Michener's books, essays, and stories from the 1940s through the early 1970s. In most instances, Michener's book files, both fiction and nonfiction, include several drafts with no readily identifiable order of creation. Many of the drafts include his handwritten changes and corrections. Correspondence, notes, photographs, maps, clippings, printed matter, and related material reflect Michener's background research and the actual production of the books. His interest in Asia is evidenced by the many works he produced pertaining to that region in the 1950s. Among the items in the file are typed drafts and fragments of stories for Tales of the South Pacific and a typescript of an unpublished and untitled book on racial prejudice. Other material relates to his autobiographical novel The Fires of Spring, his novels Hawaii and The Source, and The Floating World, which explores Japanese art and prints. The file also contains typescripts and printed copies of many of Michener's essays and stories, including reports from Korea in 1952 contained in a series of newspaper articles entitled "The Real Story of Korea."
Among the scripts and synopses for plays and motion pictures based on Michener's works are Return to Paradise and Sayonara and scripts for a motion picture, "A South Sea Story," and a play, "Tahiti," neither of which appears to have been produced. Synopses and treatments of television programs and miscellaneous interviews of Michener, notes, speeches, and reviews complete the file.
The Legal and Financial File contains contracts, correspondence, material related to Michener's financial investments, South Pacific box office statements, and items pertaining to the William Morris Agency. Prominent in the Miscellany series is a file concerning to the James A. Michener Foundation Collection and Michener's art collection. The Miscellany series also includes appointment books, biographical material, clippings, military records, photographs, printed matter, and scrapbooks. A scrapbook containing photographs from Michener's travels in the South Pacific and Asia is located in the Oversize series.
Part II
The Correspondence File in Part II, concentrated in the period 1968-1973, reflects Michener's activities in the publishing and literary fields and his continued interest in politics and collecting art. Frequent and prominent correspondents include David Adickes, Pearl S. Buck, Bennett Cerf, Albert Erskine, Oscar Hammerstein, Teddy Kollek, Hobart Lewis, Helen M. Strauss, and Herman Wouk.
The Writings File in Part II includes extensive files created by Michener while researching and writing Kent State: What Happened and Why. The files contain typed drafts, correspondence, interviews, reference files, photographs, clippings, printed matter, and other background material. Material for The Drifters, written at about the same time, is also in the file. Typed and printed copies of essays and stories as well as miscellaneous interviews, speeches, notes, and a television script constitute the remainder of the file.
Among the Miscellany series is material relating to Michener's art collections and his association with Pennsylvania's Commission for Legislative Modernization. The travel file documents his trip to China with Richard Nixon in 1972 as a member of the press reporting Nixon's visit. Other items include biographical material, clippings, photographs, and printed matter. The Oversize series contains background material from the Writings File pertaining to Kent State University.
Part III
The Correspondence File in Part III ranges primarily from 1971 to 1976 and is subdivided into sections of general and special correspondence. The general correspondence pertains chiefly to Michener's professional and personal life, with a group of letters from 1971 relating to his writings on student deaths at Kent State University in 1970. The special correspondence was collected and arranged by Michener to represent a typical day's correspondence and how he administered it. His detailed description of the process is included.
The Writings File in Part III contains fragments of typescripts and other items separated from book files in Parts I and II. Significant items include a typescript of an unpublished novel entitled "Livermore," circa 1950, and an incomplete typed draft of an unfinished work entitled “The Triumph of Christianity.” The file also includes typescripts and printed copies of essays and stories.
The Financial and Legal File complements similar material in Part I and includes correspondence, a ledger, legal documents, and wills. The Miscellany series contains appointment calendars, awards, clippings, photographs, and printed matter.
Michener's journal, 1946-1992, comprises the largest part of the Formerly Closed Material series in Part III. The Oversize series includes awards, posters, drawings, maps, photographs, and printed matter.