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Correspondence

Here we present our growing digital edition of the correspondence of Charles W. Chesnutt. Chesnutt’s letters illuminate the expansive social and literary network of this prominent African American writer, lawyer, and voting rights activist, and shed light on his times. The letters, dating from 1883 to 1932, range widely, relating to personal, political, business, civic, and literary matters. Our edition includes transcriptions of incoming as well as outgoing letters, and Chesnutt’s drafts, along with images of the original documents whenever possible. Our editorial policies can be found here.

The edition includes a catalog of all of Chesnutt’s known correspondence, incoming and outgoing.


Full Correspondence Catalog


Correspondence

634 items

Charles W. Chesnutt to Harry J. Warwick, 6 September 1932

  • Date: September 6, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Mayo Fesler, 16 October 1931

  • Date: October 16, 1931
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Langston Hughes, 12 January 1932

  • Date: January 12, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to William Monroe Trotter, 3 March 1932

  • Date: March 3, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Jessie B. Parks, 17 November 1931

  • Date: November 17, 1931
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Frank X. Cull, 13 October 1931

  • Date: October 13, 1931
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Mildred Chadsey, 21 September 1932

  • Date: September 21, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to The Cleveland Museum of Art, 21 September 1932

  • Date: September 21, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Vlasta Vavra, 24 October 1932

  • Date: October 24, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Lessie Ophelia Toler, 25 April 1932

  • Date: April 25, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Harvey M. Williamson, 25 April 1932

  • Date: April 25, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Wendell P. Dabney, 11 May 1932

  • Date: May 11, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Ethel Chesnutt Williams, March 29, 1932

  • Date: March 29, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to John Patterson Green, 7 December 1897

  • Date: December 7, 1897
  • Creator(s): Charles W. Chesnutt | Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: John Patterson Green Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3380, box 4, folder 1-4

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 29 October 1900

  • Date: October 29, 1900
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 10 November 1900

  • Date: November 10, 1900
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B. Du Bois, 27 June 1903

  • Date: June 27, 1903
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W. E. B. Du Bois Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries, MS 312

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 11 August 1903

  • Date: August 11, 1903
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 524, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 5 March 1904

  • Date: March 5, 1904
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 9, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 31 October 1903

  • Date: October 31, 1903
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 524, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 27 October 1904

  • Date: October 27, 1904
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 524, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 8 June 1904

  • Date: June 8, 1904
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 524, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 5 February 1906

  • Date: February 5, 1906
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 9 October 1906

  • Date: October 9, 1906
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 3 November 1906

  • Date: November 3, 1906
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 11 July 1907

  • Date: July 11, 1907
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 23 March 1907

  • Date: March 23, 1907
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Library of Congress, Manuscript Divisions, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 1 August 1907

  • Date: August 1, 1907
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 22 November 1907

  • Date: November 22, 1907
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 1 June 1908

  • Date: June 1, 1908
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 28 August 1908

  • Date: August 28, 1908
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 8 October 1901

  • Date: October 8, 1901
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 13 March 1901

  • Date: March 13, 1901
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 5 November 1901

  • Date: November 5, 1901
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 16 November 1901

  • Date: November 16, 1901
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 25 November 1901

  • Date: November 25, 1901
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 12 March 1906

  • Date: March 12, 1906
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Charles W. Chesnutt to John P. Green, 10 February 1899

  • Date: February 10, 1899
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: John Patterson Green Papers,, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3379, box 5, folder unknown

Charles W. Chesnutt to Cassie Mae Reed, 25 April 1932

  • Date: April 25, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858–1932
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Charles W. Chesnutt to Richard W. Gilder, 1 January 1901

  • Date: January 1, 1901
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Century Company records, Berg Collection, New York Public Library, MssCol 504

Charles W. Chesnutt to Robert Underwood Johnson, 15 May 1900

  • Date: May 15, 1900
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Century Company records, Berg Collection, New York Public Library, MssCol 504

Charles W. Chesnutt to Booker T. Washington, 19 October 1908

  • Date: October 19, 1908
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Victor K. Chesnut to Charles W. Chesnutt, 23 July 1924

  • Date: July 23, 1924
  • Creator(s): Chesnut, V.K. (Victor King), 1867–1938
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 4

Mildred Chadsey to Charles W. Chesnutt, 22 September 1931

  • Date: September 22, 1931
  • Creator(s): Chadsey, Mildred
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 2

Joyce H. Caldwell to Charles W. Chesnutt, 13 February 1931

  • Date: February 13, 1931
  • Creator(s): Caldwell, Joyce H.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Joyce H. Caldwell to Charles W. Chesnutt, 13 January 1931

  • Date: January 13, 1931
  • Creator(s): Caldwell, Joyce H.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

Joyce H. Caldwell to Charles W. Chesnutt, 24 March 1931

  • Date: March 24, 1931
  • Creator(s): Caldwell, Joyce H.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6

George Washington Cable to Charles W. Chesnutt, 17 June 1890

  • Date: June 17, 1890
  • Creator(s): Cable, George Washington
  • Format: letter
  • Source: George Washington Cable Papers, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, LaRC-2

George Washington Cable to Charles W. Chesnutt, 9 May 1890

  • Date: May 9, 1890
  • Creator(s): Cable, George Washington
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane, box 82, folder 47

Edgar S. Byers to Charles W. Chesnutt, 20 September 1932

  • Date: September 20, 1932
  • Creator(s): Byers, Edgar S.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 6