Walter Dean Myers Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection contains written production material for children's and young adult books by Walter Dean Myers, including typescripts, page proofs, correspondence, notes, and reviews.
Dates
- 1974 - 2007
Creator
- Myers, Walter Dean, 1937-2014 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use in the Elmer L. Andersen Library reading room.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.
Biographical / Historical
Author Walter Dean Myers was born August 12, 1937, in Martinsburg, West Virginia and raised in Harlem, New York by Florence and Herbert Dean, after the death of his mother when he was a child. After dropping out of high school and serving in the Army, Myers eventually became a writer. Myers noted that, "A turning point for me was the discovery of a short story by James Baldwin about the black urban experience. It gave me permission to write about my own experiences. Somehow I always go back to the most turbulent periods of my own life. I write books for the troubled boy I once was, and for the boy who lives within me still." In 1969 he won a contest from the Council on Interracial Books for Children, which led to the publication of his first children's bookWhere Does the Day Go?
Myers published more than 100 books, was awarded five Coretta Scott King Awards, and two Newbery Honors. His novel Monster was awarded the Michael L. Printz award. From 2012 to 2013 he served as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, appointed by the Library of Congress. Myers died in 2014.
Biographical Source:
"About Walter Dean Myers." Walter Dean Myers personal website. Accessed February 2022. https://walterdeanmyers.net/about/
Extent
10.5 Cubic Feet (11 boxes [10 record cartons, 1 hollinger box])
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The collection contains papers and production material related to the creation of children's and young adult books by author Walter Dean Myers.
Arrangement
Collection guide arranged alphabetically by book title, with miscellaneous reviews at the end.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Walter Dean Myers.
- Adventure stories Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- African Americans -- History -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- African Americans -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Authors, American -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Basketball stories Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's literature, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's poetry, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's stories, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Families -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Fathers and sons -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Harlem (New York, N.Y.) -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- High schools -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Manuscripts for publication Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Picture books Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- School violence -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Short stories Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Young adult fiction, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Young adult literature, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Walter Dean Myers Papers, 1974-2007
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jim Eyer, CLRC Staff
- Date
- 2004, 2008, 2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- December 2016: Collection reprocessed and finding aid updated
- February 2022: Description updated by Caitlin Marineau.
Collecting Area Details
Contact The Children's Literature Research Collections Collecting Area
