Edits in the Margins: Archive Find of the Week #2

First draft of “A Week-end in Austin/A Poet, the People, & the KKK” – dated 21 February 1983; labelled “not proofread” and “express property of Village Voice…”.

I am interested in evidence of Shange’s self-revision and growth in her papers. Much of her archived work includes edits in the margins–notes, highlights, scratches, and communication with editors and readers. These images represent just some of the many edits and revisions in the Shange Papers, and point to just a few examples of her growth as an artist. In particular, she seems to be focused on including more italics here, which may point to themes or language she is hoping to emphasize in this piece, or more broadly at this time in her artistic development.

I appreciate that the archive allows us to have access to Shange’s work even in its “not proofread” format. It not only reveals  the often overlooked work of artists, but also the journey that artists like Shange experience, both in the process of publishing a singular piece and over the course of their artistic career/livelihood.

My final project will highlight more examples of Shange’s growth as an artist by celebrating her process of editing and revising. I hope to juxtapose these examples alongside evidence of editing, revising, and growing within the Black Arts Movement via the Larry Neal and Amiri Baraka Papers at the Schomburg Center.