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Woody Guthrie Archives
MANUSCRIPTS

1935-1958 (1940-1958, bulk)
4.6 linear feet (11 boxes)

Scope and Content:  Books, articles, poems, essays, notes, aphorisms and liner notes covering the activities and interests of Woody Guthrie.  The manuscripts include autobiographical material; political writings; musings on love, sex, relationships and family; material on Guthrie's Merchant Marine service during World War II; and writings about music. Published versions of manuscripts are not included.

Arrangement note: Manuscripts are arranged chronologically (Manuscripts-1); undated items are arranged alphabetically
(Manuscripts-2).

Guthrie's completed and unfinished books constitute the major exceptions to strict chronological arrangement.  Segments of each book have been grouped together, even if written over a lengthy period of time.  Those books are:

        I Want To Be Right (Box 1, Folders 4-9)

        Bound for Glory and its earlier version, Boomchasers
        (Box 1, Folder 15 through Box 3, Folder 18)

        Silver Mine (originally part of Bound for Glory and precursor of
        Seeds of Man)  [Box 3, Folders 19-21]

        House of Earth (Box 4, Folders 39-42)

        Seeds of Man and its earlier versions, Study Butte and Foolish Gold
        (Box 4, Folder 61 through Box 6, Folder 24)

        Ship Story (Box 10, Folders 1-40).

CONTAINER LIST

BOX 1  
01 Alonzo M. Zilch's own collection of original songs and ballads April 1935
02 eight items 1940; 1940[?]
03.1

The Railroad Cricket

January 30, 1941
  The Singing Cricket              February 2, 1941
  Dialogue -- Sue and Teeny    March 3, 1941
03.2 "Every single human being..."; "Today is lonesome and sad..." 1941[?]
Folders 04-09: I Want To Be Right  
04 Chapters 1,2; unnumbered chapter March 11, 1941
05 pp. 16-70 c. 1941-43
06 pp. 71-121   c. 1941-43
07 pp. 122-170 c. 1941-43
08 Sarah Butcher section (Version 1) c. 1941-43
09 Sarah Butcher section (Version 2) c. 1941-43
10 Jump The Frog Spring 1941
  The Place Thats Known as Tara July 10, 1941
  Almanacs Almanac: With the NMU Boys in Cleveland 1941
11 Hard Hitting songs for Hard Hit People c. 1941
12 Union Show Troup   c. 1941
13 Woody Says (four items) c. 1941
14.1 Anybody March 13, 1942
  The Wide Awakes March 16, 1942
14.2 Motor Idling April 17, 1942
14.3 five items July, Oct.1942;1942[?]
Box 1, Folder 15 -
Box 3, Folder 18
Boomchasers, Bound for Glory  
15-22 Boomchasers  
15 Boom Chasers - A synopsis of the Book 1940[?]
16 Boomchasers - portions of Ch. 1; Ch. 2 c. 1942
17 Boom Chasers - Chapter 1 (pp. 1-18) c. 1942
18 Boom Chasers - Chapter 1 (pp. 1-25) c. 1942
19 Extry Selects (pp. 35-42) c. 1942
20 The London House (pp. 29-75, 124) c. 1942
21 The Boomchasers - Ch. 1: Soldiers In The Dust, pp. 2-13 c. 1942
22 The Boomchasers - notes and assorted pages c. 1942
Box 1, Folder 23-
Box 2, Folder 05
Bound for Glory (carbon 1) c. 1942
23 Chapter I   
24 Chapter 2  
25 Chapter 3  
26 Cyclone and London House  
27 Oil Comes to Okemah  
28 Big Jim  
29 Ganghouse War  
30 Oklahoma City  
31 Return to Okemah  
32 Sick in the Ganghouse  
33 Pampa  
34 Trouble Busting  
BOX 2
01 Off to California  
02 Dam Job  
03 Skid Row  
04 Stormy Night  
05 Soldiers In The Dust  
Folders 06-24: Bound for Glory (carbon 2) c. 1942
06 Chapter 1  
07 Chapter 2, pp. 1-6  
08 remainder of Chapter 2  
09 Chapter 2, various pages  
10 Chapter 3  
11 Cyclone and London House  
12 Oil Comes to Okemah  
13 Big Jim  
14 Ganghouse War  
15 Oklahoma City  
16 Return to Okemah  
17 Sick in the Ganghouse  
18 Pampa  
19 Trouble Busting  
20 Off to California  
21 Dam Job  
22 Skid Row  
23 Stormy Night  
24 Soldiers In The Dust  
25 Bound for Glory - It's A Long Ways
Back To The U.S.A.
c. 1942
26 Bound for Glory - Assorted pages c. 1942
27 Bound for Glory - notes and assorted pages c. 1942
BOX 3
01 Bound for Glory - Assorted pages April 17, 1942 ; c. 1942
02-18 Bound for Glory - "Copy for the Press" Nov. 30, 1942
02 Title page, contents  
03 Chapter I - Soldiers in the Dust  
04 Chapter II - Empty Snuff Cans  
05 Chapter V - Mr. Cyclone  
06 Chapter VI - Boomchasers  
07 Chapter VII - Cain't No Gang Whip Us Now  
08 Chapter VIII - Fire Extinguishers  
09 Chapter IX - A Fast-Running Train Whistles Down  
10 Chapter X - The Junking Sack  
11 Chapter XI - Boy in Search of Something  
12 Chapter XII - Trouble Busting  
13 Chapters XIII, XIV - Off to California ; The House on the Hill  
14 Chapter XV - The Telegram That Never Came  
15 Chapter XVI - Stormy Night  
16 Chapter XVII - Extry Selects  
17 Chapter XVIII - Crossroads  
18 Chapter XIX - Train Bound for Glory  
*Note: Woody Guthrie Artwork Series 15, #16 includes a listing of Bound for Glory
  "Chapters in Order" attached to drawing of "Railroad Pete" (c. 1942)
Folders 19-21: Silver Mine c. 1942
19 pp. 1-15  
20 pp. 1-80  
21 pp. 81-160  
22 War Songs And Work Songs c. 1942
23 World Hope c. 1942
24 "Your words of wisdom" June 10, 1943
BOX 4
01 five items Nov. 3-29, 1943
02 Life¹s Other Side - Chapter 2 1943[?]
03 seven items c. 1943-1944
 

(re: Merchant Marine, sea)

 
04 Words On These Waters February 27, 1944
  I Go Singing Of Bellies March 11, 1944
  Gunners Card Game March 21, 1944
05 re "Songs by Leadbelly" April 16, 1944
06 re Merchant Marine, D-Day June 17, 1944
  re Merchant Marine living, working conditions June 18, 1944
  Barn Loft June 21, 1944 [?]
  re folk music, WWII, politics July 18, 1944
  Postage Stamp July 19, 1944
07 Folk Music July 25, 1944
08 Songs For Victory: music for political action August 8, 1944
09 Singing Troopship August 30, 1944
10 Train Smoke September 26, 1944
11 I've Got to Write A Wild Axe Handle Blues October 1944
12 I Went By Myself; Pictures October 1944
13 Cathy and Dinny November 27, 1944
14 WNEW - 1st Program December 3, 1944
15 Write It Right December 14, 1944
16 eight items 1944
17 Asch Recordings - liner notes[?] 1944[?]
18 Britain 's Hardwall c. 1944
19 Folksay Album #1 c. 1944
20 Folksay: Asch Album Number 432 c. 1944
21 re the sea c. 1944
22.1 three items c. 1944
22.2 Ten Songs c. 1944-45
  [Ship Story -- see Box 10 , Folders 1-40 c. 1944-47]  
23.1 six items 1945; c. 1945
23.2 Cavalcade of American Song; WWII (c. 1942-45)
  "The main thing is fun."  
24 seven items March 13-17, 1946
25 Peoples Songs and Its People March 19, 1946
26 On Ballad Singers March 20, 1946
27 six items March 25-31, 1946
28 fifteen items April - May, 1946
29 Cathy Puts Sandman To Sleep June 1946
30 Stackabones June 1946
  (with related correspondence) July-August 1946  
31 Songs, People, Papers ... September 1, 1946
32 five items Sept - Nov., 1946
33 Child Sitting Dec. 14, 1946
34 Me and Ingrid Dec, 30, 1946
35 Big Papers Dig Own Graves 1946
36 Hoodis 1946
37 I Married A Dancer 1946
38.1 My People 1946
38.2 love story re dancer c. 1946
Folders 39-42: House of Earth  
39 scene from novel October 3, 1946
40 Chapter One - Termites January 10, 1947
41 original folder containing Chapter One - Termites January 10, 1947
42 House of Earth - final[?] version
(item received from the Irving Lerner Estate)
c. 1947
43 The Reckless Observer January 1, 1947
  loveless [.....] January 6, 1947
44 The Bowery and Me January 14, 1947
45 George Thomson's "Marxism and Poetry" c. January 1947
46 Singing High Balladree January 23, 1947
47 Passports And Me January 25, 1947
48 Rozzy The Sea Girl January 26, 1947
49 My Best Songs February 6, 1947
50 seven items Feb. 8- March 3, 1947
51 Midnite Special March 4, 1947
52 eight items March 5-14, 1947
53 More Than Places; All of You March 31, 1947
54 Seaman's Fone Call March 21, 1947
55 thirty items May - June 23, 1947
56.1 Three Ballads by Abraham Lincoln June 24, 1947
56.2 re: Cathy Guthrie, Phelps-Dodge strike June 29, 1947
56.3 Mike Quin
Here's A Tale A Feller Told Me (see also August 31, 1947 Manuscripts 2, Box 1 , Folder 14, Item 1)
August 17, 1947
57 "You can never judge honest labour people by how pretty or by how ugly they look." December 27, 1947
58 And More Talk 1947
59 Cathy Ann Guthrie 1947
60 three items 1947
Box 4
Box Folder 61 -
Box 6, Folder 23
Foolish Gold, Study Butte, Seeds of Man   
61 Foolish Gold c. 1947-48
BOX 5
01 - 26 Study Butte/Seeds of Man: typescript (with editor's markings) c. 1947-48, 1953
01 Drip Gas, pp. 1-64  
02 Squawling Fiddle, pp. 47-131  
03 Last Supper, pp. 132-211  
04 Rocky Run, pp. 212-308  
05 Windy Road, pp. 309-323  
06 Ranch Of The Sun, pp. 324-412  
07 Old Man Rio , pp. 450-457  
08 Wine Bucket Girl, pp. 458-473  
09 The Study Butte , pp. 474-485  
10 Mud & Sticks, pp. 486-493  
11 Wine Bucket Girl, pp. 458-473 (carbon copy)  
12 The Study Butte , pp. 474-485 (carbon copy)  
13 Mud & Sticks, pp. 486-500 (carbon copy)  
14 Leather Books, pp. 501-516  
15 High Rocks, pp, 517-536  
16 Moon Walking, pp. 537-556  
17 Salty Peter, pp. 557-594  
18 Big New Boss, pp. 595-637  
19 Foolish Gold, pp. 638-675  
20 Tight Blanket, pp. 676-699  
21 Long Haul, pp. 700-726  
22 Big Visit, pp. 727-748  
23 Thorny Days, pp. 749-770  
24 Thirsty Nights, pp. 771-801  
25 Solid Meat, pp. 802-825  
26 Laffing Nuggets, pp. 826-843  
Box 5, Folder 27 -
Box 6, Folder 02
Study Butte/Seeds of Man: photocopy, with editor's markings 1953
27 Chapter 1 - Drip Gas, p. 1; pp. 1-64  
BOX 6
01 Chapter 2 - Detour (1 of 2), pp. 65 - 134  
02 Chapter 2 - Detour (2 of 2), pp. 134A-182  
03-24 Study Butte/Seeds of Man: carbon copy c. 1947-48, 1953
03 Drip Gas, pp. 1-43  
04 Squawling Fiddle, pp. 43-131  
05 Last Supper, pp. 133-208  
06 Rocky Run, pp. 212-308  
07 Windy Road, pp. 309-324  
08 Ranch Of The Sun, pp. 325-448  
09 Old Man Rio , pp. 449-456
 
  (see Box 5 , Folders 11-13 for pp. 458-493)  
10 Mud & Sticks, pp. 494-500  
11 Leather Books, pp. 501-516  
12 High Rocks, pp, 517-536  
13 Moon Walking, pp. 537-556  
14 Salt Peter, pp. 557-594  
15 Big New Boss, pp. 595-637  
16 Foolish Gold, pp. 638-675  
17 Tight Blanket, pp. 676-699  
18 Long Haul, pp. 700-726  
19 Big Visit, pp. 727-748  
20 Thorny Days, pp. 749-770  
21 Thirsty Nights, pp. 771-801  
22 Solid Meat, pp. 802-825  
23 Laffing Nuggets, pp. 826-843  
24 Study Butte , pp. 1-3 c. 1947-48, 1953  

The following items in Box 3 of Woody Guthrie's outgoing correspondence
(Correspondence-1) are written on the backs of pages from Study Butte:
Folder Recipient and date Study Butte chapter and pages

03 Mazia, May 6, 1952 Rocky Run, pp. 244-247
Mazia, May 6, 1952 Rocky Run, pp. 233-234
 
04 (last item) Mazia, 1952[?] Last Supper, pp. 209-211  
24 Seegers, c. 1952-53 Squawling Fiddle, p. 120  
BOX 7
01 "If all of the good things Cathy done..." January 15, 1948
  Busting Bubbles January 17, 1948
02 Comics That Ain't Funny January 17, 1948
03 It's Not Because January 19, 1948
  Ranian's Finbow: A Letter to Pearly Lang. January 25, 1948
  Baldness January 24, 1948
  Nite of Love January 26, 1948
  Pot of Life January 29, 1948
  [oversize box The Seed of Man] January 28,1948
03.1 Love Letters February 25, 1948
04 High Balladry February 1948
05 About Marjorie Mazia (Guthrie) (2 versions) c. February 1948
06 How To Make Up A Balladsong And Get Away With It March 8, 1948
07 twenty-one items March 15-26, 1948
08 forty-two items Mar. 30 - May 31, 1948
09 three items June 1-7, 1948
10 Us Kids June 8, 1948
  (with related correspondence) (July 13, 1948)
11 fifteen items June 9-17, 1948
12 eleven items July 7-24, 1948
13 Songs To Grow On July, August 1948
14 Ditzy Greenblatt pieces (four pieces by "Ditzy Greenblatt") July, August 1948
15 eighteen items August-October 1948
16 six items 1948
17 My Ideas About the Use of Peoples Songs in the Progressive Party Movement to Elect Henry Wallace and Glen Taylor January 9, 11, 1949
18 My Ideas About the Use of Peoples Songs in the Progressive Party Movement to Elect Henry Wallace and Glen Taylor
(ms. submitted to Peoples Songs, with editors' note)
[item sent by Pete Seeger to Harold Leventhal, 1990] 
January 9, 11, 1949
19 fourteen items Jan. 11 - May 9, 1949
20 Presidents For Peaceful Peace May 11, 1949
21 Dirty Dishes May 16, 1949
22 The Maddox Brothers & Rose May 20, 1949
23.1 twenty-seven items May 24 - June 1949
23.2 Ethnic Folkway Library -- record reviews May - June 1949
24 The People Of The United States vs. Woodrow Wilson (Woody) Guthrie in regard to: Obscene Letters mailed to: Mary Ruth Crissman, Orland , California - A Statement Of The Facts July 6, 1949
25 re "old hurried notes" July 19, 1949
26 To Emma Lazarus [oversize box My Man; Out of Work July 31, 1949] July 22, 1949
27 Lock Jaw July 31, 1949
  New London Lady August 12, 1949
28 Cowboy Ranch (with cover letter) (November 24, 1949) September 19, 1949
29 Little Thoughts About Atoms September 1949
30 Day Lost 1949
  "These are all things I don't know..." 1949
31  four items 1950
32 three items 1951
33 five items February - March 1952
34 Funny Money c. April 14, 1952
35 Damp Eyes April 17, 1952
36 Seeds of Man April 17, 1952
37 Some More Alcohol April 26, 1952
38 Alcohol And Me And All of You Around Okemah April 1952
39 Kings County Hospital writings July 1952
Box 7, Folder 40 - Box 8, Folder 06 Brooklyn State Hospital manuscripts  
40 - 41 Brooklyn State Hospital manuscripts July - August 1952
42 Brooklyn State Hospital manuscripts August 1952
43 Brooklyn State Hospital manuscripts August 1952
BOX 8
01 - 02   Aug. - Sept. 1952
03   Aug. - Sept. 1952
04 "Dear Woody, Dear Marjorie: Dear Tony:" (pp. 1-124) September 1952
05 "Dear Woody, Dear Marjorie: Dear Tony:" (pp. 125-248) September 1952
06 "Earth spins below us ..." 1952
07 Tweedle Atcheson & Tweedle Eden November 1952
08 Why I Dont & Never Can Like Old NYC Anymore February 1953
09 Florida manuscripts (thirteen items) March - June 1953
10 Topanga Canyon manuscripts (five items) August - October 1953
11 Arlo's Whale 1953
  Documentary: French Canadian 1953
Folders 12 - 31: Scripts (1954)  
12 Buffalo Skinners January 1954
13 Ranger's Command January 1954
14 Harriet Tubman mid-March 1954
15 Furguson Brothers Killing March 1954
16 Skybally 1954
Folders 17-30: scripts received from Will Geer  
17 Bottom Doller January 23, 1954
18 Big Super January 1954
19 Billy The Kid January 1954
20 Gypsy Davy January 1954
21 My Whore February 12, 1954
22 Tom Joad February 14, 1954
23 Mathew Kimes February 1954
24 Whaley Tail February 1954
25 1913 Massacre c. April 10, 1954
26 Ludlow Massacre mid-April 1954
27 Axeploited April 1954
28 Pretty Boy Floyd 1954
29 Public Debt 1954
30 Worst Gun Battle 1954
31 Songs of Struggle and Protest, pp. 1-117 September 1954
32 Songs of Struggle and Protest, pp. 118-229, 261-267
(see also Manuscripts-2, Box 1 , Folder 28)
September 1954
33 "I think I listen my hardest and listen my loudest ..." October 1954
34 No Help Known November 1954
35 Seeds of Man December 11, 1954
36 My Bible

December 31, 1954

BOX 9

01

Howlin Hallyloo January 1,1955
  "What makes my bubbles[?]..." January 1, 1955
  A Very Merry Christmas January 1, 1955
  Chorea & Me 1955
  God¹s Voice 1955
 

[oversize box All in One April,1955]

 
02 Brooklyn State Hospital manuscripts n.d. [1953-55?]
03 The Forsaken Bible September 1956
04 assorted manuscripts 1956-57
05 assorted manuscripts (1 of 2) 1958
06 assorted manuscripts (2 of 2) 1958
BOX 10
Folders 01 - 40 Ship Story c. 1944-47

Ship Story was located when processing of the
manuscripts was nearly completed. It is housed in
Box 10; chronologically, it follows Box 4, Folder 22.

01-12 from envelope marked "Ship Story"  
01 Cover envelope (photocopy)  
02 outline  
03 The Story I Will Tell, pp. 1-12  
04

Chapter II -- Flash Back, pp. 44-122

 
05 Inserts -- Hoboken, The Willy Bee  
06  Baltimore, pp. 1-40  
07 Baltimore, pp. 1-13  
08 New Deal, pp. 1-51  
09 Baltimore, pp. 1-13  
10  Old Man, pp. 1-9  
11 Cactus Apples, pp. 1-30  
12 Insert -- Beauty's Self  
13-32 from box marked "Ship Story carbon copy"  
13

box (photocopy)

 
14 insert -- Hoboken  
15 You Talk Soap, pp. 1-7  
16 table of contents  
17 The Story I Will Tell, pp. 1-12  
18 Shelter Struck, pp. 1-43  
19 Flash Back, pp. 44-122  
20 Seaman's Papers, pp. 123-154  
21 The Willy Bee, pp. 155-207M  
22

Inserts -- Hoboken, The Willy Bee

 
23 The Stuka, pp. 1-4  
24

The Bomb, pp. 2-15

 
25 Newspaper, pp. 1, 3-4, 6  
26 Pantry Pranks, pp. 1-6  
 

Pranks in the Pantry, pp. 1-11

 
27 Torpedoes, pp. 8-14  
28 Rock of Gib, pp. 1-14  
29 Eighteen Days, pp. 1-10, 37-43  
 

Eighteen Days, pp. 1-15

 
 

Eighteen Days (unnumbered)

 
30

 "It was a rough night."

 
31

You Talk Soap, pp. 1-14

 
32 "Pat walked out of the bunk room ..."  
33-40 Ship Story material found with other manuscripts  
33 notes re "Conflicts"  
34 A Day on the Mediteranian, pp. 2-4  
35

"Around this ship...";

 
 

"A boy with a tattooed heart..."

 
36 "Around this ship..."  
37 The Story I Will Tell, pp. 11-13  
 

(sex scene insert)

 
38 The Order of the Chapters  
39 Tin Cans and Tin Spoons, pp. 50-52  
40

Sunset, pp. 1-2

 
OVERSIZE
 

The Seed of Man: notes January 28,1948

 
 

My Man; Out of Work July 31, 1949

 
 

All in One April,1955

 
 

MANUSCRIPTS-2
(undated; arranged alphabetically)

 
BOX 1    
01 Alley Kat  
02 Almanacs & Me, The  
03 Arlo's Whale  
04 Arvin Migratory Labor Camp (re)  
05

Aunt Molly Jackson (re)

 
06 Australia Here I Am  
07 Blest be thy man ...  
08 Blues  
 

Boston

 
09 Canadian Nickel, The  
10 Carmen  
11

Count Torreforchetti and the Bedbugs

 
12 Dear Australia  
12.1 Dear Guys  
13 Guitars And Me  
14

Here's A Tale A Feller Told Me (see also
Manuscripts-1, Box 4, Folder 56.3, Item 2)

 
 

"Hitch Hiking down the lonesome old road..."

 
 

"Hootenannys got all the play ..."

 
 

Hot trail

 
 

"I and my wife had a spat ..."

 
 

"I cannot help ..."

 
 

I Remember That Music

 
 

I Wanta Fag

 
 

If I Could Only Learn to Keep My Mouth Shut

 
15 Jerry P. (also titled Gid)  
16 Juke Box Or Junk Box  
16.1 Kiss of Me, The  
17

Last Man, The

 
18 Little New Comer  
19

Looks at Dancing

 
20 Man That, The  
 

"May your days..."

 
 

"Most poets like me should admit ..."

 
 

Most Times

 
 

Muddy Wader Man

 
21 My Dad and the Bullcart  
22

"My New Found Land" (re)

 
 

Mystic Book

 
 

National Debt

 
 

New York Trains

 
 

Notes About Music

 
23 Nursery School And The Saloon, The  
24

Of All The Country

 
 

Old Oakie

 
25 People And Classes  
 

prostitute (re)

 
 

"Race hate ..."

 
 

Redwoods

 
 

Seamen Say

 
 

Seasay

 
 

Ship Language

 
 

Snitches And Snatches

 
26 Society Is A Gim Goodle  
27

"Sometimes I think Im a gonna lose my mind ..."

 
28

Songs of Struggle and Protest (see also
Manuscripts-1, Box 8, Folders 31-32)

 
29

story fragments[?] -- two items re feelings, sex, love

 
30 Talk  
31 title sheets (three items -- six titles -- no text)  
32

To: Paul Robeson

 
33 To Tip Or Not; Hope; I'm Dead Set  
 

Voice

 
 

voting (re)

 
 

Weak Snappers

 
 

Western Worlds; stormy nest

 
 

Woody Guthrie

 
34 Woody Guthrie  
35 Woody Guthrie Album  
36 Word I Want To Say, The  
 

World's Best

 
 

World's Best

 
37

"You'll always taste as good as you look."

 

 

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