Fleda Brown papers

The Fleda Brown papers comprise early works, poem drafts and notes, journals, correspondence, and materials related to Brown’s professional life as a poet and educator. Spanning circa 1950-2014, the collection contains poem drafts, manuscripts, research notes, interviews, journals, letters, printed email, scholarly essays, reviews, travel itineraries, publication announcements, and event ephemera documenting Brown’s career as a poet and professor of English at the University of Delaware. The collection is arranged into five series: I. Early works, II. Poem drafts and notes, III. Journals, IV. Correspondence, and V. Professional.

Series I. comprises early creative works by Fleda Brown from circa 1950 to 1981. Arranged chronologically, the series contains typed and handwritten poem drafts, notes, and a small amount of prose. Items of note include a short play Brown wrote as a child entitled “A Turkey for Thanksgiving,” as well as two selections of poems labelled as “Very Early Poems,” and “Second-Rate Poems.” The series additionally includes early poems and articles Brown wrote for the cultural and literary newspapers Grapevine and Cedar Rock from 1976 to 1981.

Series II. comprises Brown’s poem drafts and notes (1992-2014, undated) for her book publications, as well as drafts and notes unassociated with specific titles. Many of the drafts contain Brown’s handwritten edits and revisions. The series includes drafts of poems published in her books The Eleusinian Mysteries; Devil’s Child; Breathing In, Breathing Out; The Women Who Loved Elvis All Their Lives; and Reunion. Drafts throughout the series include written feedback and commentary by Brown’s friends/fellow poets, including University of Delaware colleague Jeanne Murray Walker. Several poem drafts are additionally accompanied by research materials, notebooks, clippings, and small amounts of correspondence. The series is arranged chronologically.

Series III. comprises fifteen of Brown’s journals dating from 1994-2014 and arranged chronologically. Journal entries contain reflections and observations, poetry drafts, notes on poets, writing exercises, and memoranda. Occasional laid-in poems and clippings are found throughout.

Series IV. comprises Brown’s correspondence in letters, cards, postcards, and printed email from 1980-2013. Though largely social correspondence, the series contains a small amount of publisher correspondence Brown labelled “Book Business.” Correspondents included poets Donald Hall, W.D. Snodgrass, Phillip Levine, and author Billie Travalini. The series also contains a significant amount of email correspondence with author Stephen Meats.

Series V., arranged chronologically, comprises various materials related to Brown’s professional life as a poet and educator from 1989-2009, including scholarly essays; reviews and publication announcements for some of her works; itineraries, press, and ephemera related to her poetry readings; and materials relating to her awards and honors including her poet laureateship. Brown toured Great Lakes College Association (GCLA) colleges in 1989-1990 after her book Fishing With Blood won the GCLA new writer’s award for best first volume of poetry. The series includes clippings, flyers, itineraries, correspondence, and ephemera from these GLCA-related readings. Additionally, the series contains Brown’s proposal for an educational award benefitting the “Poetry in the Schools” program, which she founded and directed for twelve years while teaching at the University of Delaware.