Richard M. Wilson (1940- ) Papers

Richard M. Wilson's papers are contained within one box and mostly consist of teaching materials and student papers from his African literature courses. The papers also include biographical materials, Program of African Studies materials, and some of Wilson's publications and correspondence. The papers span the years 1968-1972.

Biographical materials are limited to a copy of Wilson's resume and personal references from circa 1970.

Correspondence is limited to a 1971 letter from the International Creative Center about an upcoming Futurology conference, a 1972 mailing from the American Committee of the International Defense and Aid Fund for Southern Africa, and a few notes thanking Wilson for free copies of his “Index” and for speaking to an Africa group.

Teaching materials consist of student papers, syllabi, examinations, handouts, and reading materials for his courses about African literature. The handouts include class announcements, discussion sheets, and bibliographies, while the reading materials consist of African poetry and secondary information and articles about the African literature and authors studied in the courses. There are also some general Africana materials included, such as conference essays and articles about African issues, photographs of African art, and an anti-African Studies pamphlet. Finally, there is a proposal to the Curriculum Planning committee of Northwestern's short-lived “New University” for a class in Arabic literature.

One file pertains to the Advisory and Publications committees of Northwestern's Program of African Studies. This file includes the minutes and agendas of committee meetings, committee-related correspondence, information about the Program of African Studies and the new periodical he worked to create, and a list of committee members from 1970-1971.

Publications include both analytical articles or reports and creative literature and projects. Two of Wilson's publications are Africana-related: his “Working Index to African Literature” (1970) and his report “Themes and the Relevance of African Literature” (1970). Other materials found here include a draft of his novel “The Gilded Fly” (1968), poetry, a literary article about seventeenth-century English poems, and a rough outline of the film about poet Andrew Marvell, for which Wilson provided background information and narration.