Manuscripts
Department of Special Collections
Washington University Libraries
Washington University in St. Louis
Finding-Aid of the Fannie Hurst Papers
(WTU00058)Finding aid prepared by:
Special Collections Staff
Summary Information
The Fannie Hurst Papers.
Fannie Hurst, 1889-1968.
259 items
WTU00058
Language: English
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO 63130
Access and Use:
Bequest of Fannie Hurst.
Open.
None
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for the use of manuscript collection materials.
Users of the collections who wish to use items from this
collection, in whole or in part, in any form of publication (as
defined in the form) must sign and submit to the Washington University
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All publication not covered by fair use restricted to those who
have permission of the copyright holder.
Processed by Washington University Department Special Collections
Staff.
Biography
Fannie Hurst was an American novelist who was also very prominent in
philanthropic and civic affairs. Raised in St. Louis, she received her
B.A. from Washington University in 1909, and then went to New York to do
graduate work at Columbia University. Hurst began writing short stories
for popular magazines in 1914, and went on to produce many best-selling
novels, the best known of which are Back Street
(1931), and Imitation of Life
(1933). Many of her novels were made into films, and she herself
wrote 12 filmscripts, including “Humoresque” and “Symphony of Six
Million.” Hurst was also a frequent contributor to magazines and
regularly appeared on radio and television programs.
Hurst was an active philanthropist and leader in civic affairs. She
served on many boards and committees, particularly during Franklin D.
Roosevelt's presidency. She was chairman of the National Housing
Commission (1936-1937), a member of the National Committee to The Works
Progress Administration (1940-1941), and, later, a delegate to the World
Health Organization Assembly (1952). Upon Hurst's death a large part of
her estate came in a bequest to Washington University, a portion of
which was used to create the Hurst Professorship in the Department of
English for visiting writers.
Collection Scope and Content Note
Scope and Contents Note
The Hurst Papers consist of a small quantity of correspondence (most
of it between Hurst and her school friend Lois Toensfeldt), the
manuscript for her novel Quiet Street, some
diary material, and a group of clippings and memorabilia. Special
Collections also holds Hurst's personal collection of her published work
which includes a complete set of first and variant editions,
translations, and other copies of her books.
Contents List
| |
Title |
| |
Fannie Hurst Papers, Accrual 1
|
| box-folder 1/1-5 |
|
I. Correspondence [series]:
(166 items)
Scope: Consists of the personal and business correspondence of Fannie
Hurst, spanning 1913-1968. Much of the
correspondence is between Hurst and Lois Toesfeldt, a friend, and
Hurst and her secretaries.
|
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Ascner, Mary.
|
| |
1958:
|
| |
December 15
((ALS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Barratt, Watson, friend.
|
| |
[n.d.],
|
| |
((ALS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Berkowitz, William, American author.
|
| |
1965:
|
| |
December 14,
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Berrien, Edith Heal, Vogue.
|
| |
1958:
|
| |
August 12
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Bidart, Gay-Darlene, Girl Talk [television
show].
|
| |
[n.d.],
|
| |
((TN, 1p), Auto. notes by Hurst on recto) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Blackwell, T. E., Vice Chancellor-Washington
University.
|
| |
To Scheer, Alexander
|
| |
1954:
|
| |
February 19
((TL (cb), 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/3 |
|
Canfield, Cass, Harper & Bros..
|
| |
1938:
|
| |
August 29
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Clemens, Cyril, Mark Twain
Journal.
|
| |
1964:
|
| |
February 16
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
1966:
|
| |
April 5
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
August 4
((ALS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
David, Hannah, friend.
|
| |
1962:
|
| |
September 6
((ALS, 2p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Dressen, Helen McCloy.
|
| |
1961:
|
| |
September 28
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Ernst, Morris L, American author.
|
| |
1962:
|
| |
November 8
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/2 |
|
Fadiman, Clifton B., editor, Simon &
Schuster.
|
| |
1935:
|
| |
May 7
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Fitzpatrick, G. W., Cleveland Center for the
Arts.
|
| |
1964:
|
| |
December 18
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Froelich, Mary, friend.
|
| |
1960:
|
| |
January 4
((TLS, 1p), With enclosures) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Greenberg, Irma E, Random House.
|
| |
1954:
|
| |
January 28
((TNS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Hoaglund, Hudson, American Academy of Arts &
Sciences.
|
| |
1964:
|
| |
February 21
((TLS, 1p), With enclosures) |
| box-folder 1/2 |
|
Humbles, Bess, Hurst's secretary.
|
| |
To Toensfeldt, Lois Meier
|
| |
1932:
|
| |
May 10
((TL, 2p)) |
| |
1933:
|
| |
November 17
((TLS, 1p), With enclosures) |
| |
[1934]:
|
| |
May 18
((TL, 1p)) |
| |
June 3
((TL, 2p)) |
| |
June 7
((TL, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/1-5 |
|
Hurst, Fannie, 1889-1968, American
author.
|
| |
To Cottle, Mrs. P D
|
| |
[1915]:
|
| |
November 9
((TLS, 5p)) |
| |
To Johnston, Margaret
|
| |
[1915]:
|
| |
((ANS, 1p)) |
| |
1924:
|
| |
August 15
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
To Oursler, Will
|
| |
[n.d.],
|
| |
((AL, 1p)) |
| |
To Spreen, J.O.
|
| |
1946:
|
| |
January 22
((TL (cb), 1p)) |
| |
To Toensfeldt, Lois Meier
|
| |
[n.d.],
|
| |
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
((ALS, 1p)) |
| |
((ALS, 1p)) |
| |
((ALS, 1p)) |
| |
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
((TL, 1p)) |
| |
1913:
|
| |
September 11
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
[1914]:
|
| |
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
May 28
((TL, 2p)) |
| |
[July] [16]
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
[September]
((ALS, 4p)) |
| |
[December] [2]
((ALS, 5p)) |
| |
[1915]:
|
| |
[February] [24]
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
[September]
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
[1917]:
|
| |
[February] [18]
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
[February] [27]
((ANS, 1p)) |
| |
[July] [28]
((ANS, 1p)) |
| |
[1918]:
|
| |
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
[1919]:
|
| |
April 24
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
1920:
|
| |
July 25
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
[1921]:
|
| |
[May] [14]
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
[1923]:
|
| |
[August] [29]
((ALS, 2p), With enclosures) |
| |
1924:
|
| |
July 28
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
[1925]:
|
| |
April 27
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
August 12
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
November 5
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
[1927]:
|
| |
[January] [2]
((TL, 1p)) |
| |
[1928]:
|
| |
[May] [14]
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
December 12
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
1929:
|
| |
February 26
((ALS, 3p)) |
| |
April 29
((TLS, 3p)) |
| |
1930:
|
| |
January 15
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
[May] [19]
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
July 22
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
November 18
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
[1931]:
|
| |
February 5
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
1933:
|
| |
June 8
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
[July] [31]
((TL, 1p)) |
| |
[October [20]
((ALS, 1p)) |
| |
1934:
|
| |
March 6
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
April 23
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
May 18
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
1935:
|
| |
February 28
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
May 7
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
June 20
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
1936:
|
| |
February 2
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
August 31
((TL, 2p)) |
| |
[1937]:
|
| |
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
April 24
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
September 3
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
September 27
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
1938:
|
| |
December 17
((ALS, 1p)) |
| |
1943:
|
| |
January 6
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
October 20
((TL, 1p)) |
| |
1952:
|
| |
March 14
((ALS, 1p)) |
| |
[1953]:
|
| |
[February] [13]
((AN, 1p)) |
| |
September 21
((AC, 1p)) |
| |
[1955]:
|
| |
((AC, 1p)) |
| |
1959:
|
| |
February 28
((TL, 1p)) |
| |
[1964]:
|
| |
January 12
((AL, 2p)) |
| |
January 23
((AL, 2p)) |
| |
February 22
((TL, 1p)) |
| |
July 19
((ALS, 2p)) |
| |
July 31
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
[1965]:
|
| |
[March] [13]
((AL, 2p)) |
| |
June
((AL, 2p)) |
| |
June 27
((AL, 1p)) |
| |
[July] [23]
((AL, 2p), With enclosures) |
| |
[October [22]
((AL, 2p)) |
| |
December
((AC, 1p)) |
| |
[1966]:
|
| |
((ANS, 1p)) |
| |
January 10
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
[January] [22]
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
February 23
((ALS, 4p)) |
| |
September 1
((ACS, 1p)) |
| |
1967:
|
| |
April 27
((TLS, 2p)) |
| box-folder 1/2 |
|
Knopf, Blanche, Alfred Knopf.
|
| |
1935:
|
| |
May 7
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Kornitzer, Bela, American author.
|
| |
1957:
|
| |
September 28
((ALS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Last, Timothy, G.P. Putnam's Sons.
|
| |
1968:
|
| |
January 22
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/3 |
|
Leyrrae, Paul.
|
| |
1938:
|
| |
April 19
((ALS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/3 |
|
Lustig, Lillian, Hillman-Curl Publ.
|
| |
1937:
|
| |
September 8
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Macfadden, Johnnie Lee, friend.
|
| |
1963:
|
| |
October 8
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Maguire, Sally, Hurst's secretary.
|
| |
To Toensfeldt, Lois Meier
|
| |
1965:
|
| |
November 19
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Mason, Madeline, American author.
|
| |
1958:
|
| |
July 9
((ALS, 2p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
More, Miller, President, Missouri Society (New
York).
|
| |
To Toensfeldt, Lois Meier
|
| |
1963:
|
| |
April 4
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Morganthau, Ruth, friend.
|
| |
[n.d.],
|
| |
((ANS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Mosse, Eric P, physician.
|
| |
[n.d.],
|
| |
((AN, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Murray, Ruth Brown, Viking Press.
|
| |
1961:
|
| |
March 15
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Newberry, John Stoughton, American
author.
|
| |
[n.d.],
|
| |
((AN, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/3 |
|
Nizer, Louis, attorney.
|
| |
1940:
|
| |
October 30
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Pellet, Betty, American author.
|
| |
1965:
|
| |
March 25
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Picou, Molly, American author.
|
| |
[n.d.],
|
| |
((ALS, 2p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Pool, Tamar de Sola, Spanish and Portuguese
Synagogue, (Israel).
|
| |
1966:
|
| |
March 27
((ALS, 2p)) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Purdy, James, American author.
|
| |
1956:
|
| |
October 8
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/2-3 |
|
Rabin, Ethel, Hurst's secretary.
|
| |
To Toensfeldt, Lois Meier
|
| |
11:
|
| |
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
1934:
|
| |
October 6
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
November 19
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
1935:
|
| |
February 12
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
April 16
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
May 21
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
June 14
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
June 22
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
October 30
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
November 5
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
1936:
|
| |
February 5
((TLS, 2p), With enclosures) |
| |
March 9
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
June 17
((TCS, 1p)) |
| |
June 18
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
July 10
((TLS, 2p), With enclosures) |
| |
1937:
|
| |
January 9
((TLS, 2p)) |
| |
January 15
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Ritchell, Rella, American author.
|
| |
1955:
|
| |
March 23
((TL, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Scheer, Alexander, attorney.
|
| |
1951:
|
| |
March 16
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
1954:
|
| |
February 23
((TLS, 1p)) |
| |
To Blackwell, T.E.
|
| |
1954:
|
| |
February 17
((TL, 2p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Schenkman, Alfred S, Schenkman Pub. Co.
|
| |
1964:
|
| |
February 26
((TLS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 3/- |
|
Shleer, Gertrude, friend.
|
| |
1960:
|
| |
December 5
((ALS, 2p), filed with Series III, Box 3, diary for
1960) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
Slattery, Arthur Jackson.
|
| |
1964:
|
| |
February 9
((TLS, 2p)) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Thomas, W.
|
| |
1958:
|
| |
((ALS, 1p)) |
| box-folder 1/5 |
|
[unidentified].
|
| |
[n.d.],
|
| |
((ACS, 1p), Christmas card; laid in Van Vechten,
Carl, Excavations, (Spec., PS
3515, U 7851, V 35).) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Williams, Doris.
|
| |
[1952]:
|
| |
((ANS, 1p), With enclosures) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Worden, Helen, friend.
|
| |
1952:
|
| |
October 17
((TLS, 1p), With enclosures) |
| box-folder 1/4 |
|
Ziff, Dolores, J.B. Lippincott.
|
| |
1959:
|
| |
October 29
((TLS, 1p), With enclosures) |
| box-folder 1-2/6-8 |
|
II. Manuscripts [series]:
(4 items)
Scope: Includes Ts draft of Quiet Street
[novel], and miscellaneous prose fragments.
|
| box-folder 1-2/6-7.3 |
|
II. 1. Quiet Street 1966: November
27.
(Ts, Ts(x), Ts(cb).)
Scope: Consists of one draft of the novel, with Auto. notes
indicating that it is the original draft.
|
| box-folder 2/8 |
|
II. 2. Miscellaneous prose
(3 items.)
Scope: Consists of three prose fragments by Hurst.
|
| |
Humoresque [play].
[n.d.].
(TL(cb). 1p. one page fragment from Humoresque, with
ANS by Hurst, dated 1919:May 10.) |
| |
[unidentified prose fragments].
[n.d.].
(Ts, Ts(cb). 2p. includes paste-up of
clipping.) |
| box-folder 3/- |
|
III. Diaries [series]:
(7 items)
Scope: Includes 7 annual diaries for the years 1956-60, 1962 and 1968.
Entries consist of names, addresses, appointments and memoranda.
Entry for each Monday in all Volumes contains a brief note
concerning her late husband, Jacques Danielson. Some of the
volumes are inscribed, and include sales receipts and
announcements for meetings and performances. A 3 page guest list
is included in the 1957 volume; an ALS from Gertrude Shleer,
dated 1960: Dec 5, is affixed to the back
cover of the 1960 volume.
|
| box-folder 4/9-13 |
|
IV. Printed materials and magazines [series]:
(17 items)
Scope: Includes essay collections and periodicals containing articles
by and about Hurst, offprints and transcripts of radio programs
for which Hurst was a panelist.
|
| box-folder 4/9-13 |
|
IV.1 Magazines
|
| |
America's Town Meeting of the Air. New York,
NY.
|
| |
No. 9. (December 26, 1935).
Transcript with introductory notes for America's
Town Meeting of the Air [radio program], for which Hurst was
a panelist. |
| |
Family Weekly. New York, NY.
|
| |
(June 25, 1967). Contains
article by Hurst entitled What's behind the teen
takeover?. |
| |
Guideposts. New York, NY.
|
| |
Vol. 8, no. 8. (October 1953).
Contains article by Hurst entitled Do you like
you?. |
| |
Les Oeuvres Libres. Paris.
|
| |
Vol. 56, no. 282. (January 1951).
Contains abridged French translation of Hurst's
Humoresque. |
| |
Perfect Home. Cedar Rapids, IA.
|
| |
(August 1959). Contains
Hurst's article entitled This is my house. |
| |
(May 1967). Contains Hurst's
article entitled This is my house. |
| |
The Sight-giver. New York, NY.
|
| |
Vol. 3, no. 2. (February 1934).
Contains Hurst's article entitled World of the
Taken-For-Granted. |
| |
Tuesday. The Bronx, NY.
|
| |
Vol. 39, no. 17. (October 25, 1955).
Contains article about Hurst as program speaker
for next meeting. |
| |
Yale University Library Gazette. New Haven,
CT.
|
| |
Vol. 26, no. 3. (January 1952).
Contains article by Carl Van Vechten mentioning
Hurst; inscribed by Van Vechten. |
| |
Vol. 35, no. 1. (July 1960).
Contains Hurst's article entitled Zora Hurston: a
personality sketch. |
| box-folder 4/9-12 |
|
IV.2 Printed materials
|
| |
A panel discussion on Dumbarton Oaks. Washington,
DC: Women's Division, Democratic National Convention,
1945. booklet. Transcript of panel
discussion, containing Hurst's presentation, Women's
responsibility and the International Court of
Justice. |
| |
Presenza della Donna nella civilta attuale. Turin:
Civilta delle macchine, 1963. offprint.
Offprint from Civilta delle macchine,
No. 4, 1963: July-Aug; contains
article by Hurst in English and translated into
Italian. |
| |
The Works Progress Administration's nationwide
staff meeting of the air. Washington, DC: U.S. Government
Printing Office, 1936. booklet.
Transcript of radio program for which Hurst was a
panelist. |
| |
Hurst, Fannie.
|
| |
This is my house. Cedar Rapids, IA: Stamats
Publishing Co., 1959. offprint. Framed
offprint, inscribed to Lois and Ralph Toensfeldt, signed and
dated 1966. |
| |
Visitor in the afternoon. New York, NY:
Montefiore Hospital for Chronic Diseases, [1939].
booklet. Tear sheet of article, with cover from
Montefiore Digest from Montefiore Hospital for Chronic
Diseases. |
| |
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers,
1928. wrappers. contains Auto. notes by
Lois Meier Toensfeldt. |
| |
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers,
[n.d.]. offprint pamphlet. Sketch is
essay from the collection, Fannie
Hurst, New York: Harper and Brothers,
1928. |
| |
Fannie Hurst Visits Montefiore. New York, NY:
William Bradford Pressbooklet. Contains essay by Hurst with
same title as collection. |
| box-folder 5/14-18 |
|
V. Miscellany [series]:
(ca. 164 items)
Scope: Includes newspaper clippings, an album with mounted clippings,
photographs, programs, invitations, personal documents,
bibliographies and notes.
|
| box-folder 5/14 |
|
V. 1. Clippings. Consists of newspaper clippings and
tear-sheets from magazines containing articles by and about
Hurst, spanning 1909-1968. Included are
society columns, articles, interviews, obituaries, photographs
and an essay about Hurst by Zora Neale Hurston, dated
1937: Oct 9. An album, approximately 15? by 24?
containing mounted newspaper clippings is also included and is
filed on top of the Hurst Papers.
(ca. 135 items.) |
| box-folder 5/15 |
|
V. 2. Photographs. Consists of photographs of Hurst,
some inscribed, one framed.
(9 items) |
| box-folder 5/16 |
|
V. 3. Programs, invitations. Consists of invitations
and programs for receptions, dinners, etc., with some Auto.
notes.
(11 items) |
| box-folder 5/17-18 |
|
V. 4. Personal documents, notes, biographical
material.
(14 items)
Scope: Includes Hurst's honorary doctorate from Washington
University; her will; Ts(x) draft of her entry in Contemporary Authors; Ts(x) of article
about Hurst in American Women Writers
(Unger, 1980); publication
announcement for her novel, Hallelujah
(1944), with poster; Ts(x) of
excerpt of letter to Hurst from James Newton, dated
1966: Feb 16, which concerns the itinerary for her
visit to Hamilton, OH; and 4 poems by Lillian Selber: Answer at
eventide, Does crime pay?, Manhattan in evening gown,
Imperishable faith.
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| box-folder 5/19 |
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Fannie Hurst Papers, Accrual 2
(4 items)
Scope: Accession 1782
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| box-folder 5/20 |
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Fannie Hurst Papers, Accrual 3
(1 item)
Scope: Accession 1783
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|
