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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

469 items

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

Draft letter from W. E. B. Du Bois to Charles W. Chesnutt, 30 October 1926

  • Date: October 30, 1926
  • Creator(s): Du Bois, W. E. B.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W.E.B. Du Bois Papers, 1803–1999 (bulk 1877–1963), Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries

Draft letter from W. E. B. Du Bois to Charles W. Chesnutt, 18 November 1926

  • Date: November 18, 1926
  • Creator(s): Du Bois, W. E. B.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W.E.B. Du Bois Papers, 1803–1999 (bulk 1877–1963), Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries

D. L. Murray to Charles W. Chesnutt, 1 October 1921

  • Date: October 1, 1921
  • Creator(s): Murray, D. L.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 1

Clara M. Henderson to Charles W. Chesnutt, 10 September 1921

  • Date: September 10, 1921
  • Creator(s): Henderson, Clara M.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 1

Chester K. Gillespie to Charles W. Chesnutt, 9 March 1923

  • Date: March 9, 1923
  • Creator(s): Gillespie, Chester K. (Chester Karl), 1897–1985
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 3

Chester K. Gillespie to Charles W. Chesnutt, 3 March 1923

  • Date: March 3, 1923
  • Creator(s): Gillespie, Chester K. (Chester Karl), 1897–1985
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 3

Charles William Anderson to Charles W. Chesnutt December 3, 1902.

  • Date: December 3, 1902.
  • Creator(s): Anderson, Charles William
  • Format: letter
  • Source: James Lowell Gibbs collection of African-American documents, 1865-1918., Cornell University Rare and Manuscript Collection, 4506, box 1, folder 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to William T. Mitchell (on behalf of State Mutual Life Assurance Company), 12 December 1921

  • Date: December 12, 1921
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 1

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 William Frederick Mackay, 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 William Eglin Ambler, 10 June 1918

  • Date: June 10, 1918
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: James Lowell Gibbs collection of African-American documents, 1865-1918, Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library, 4506, box 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to William Dean Howells, [3 February 1900]

  • Date: February 3, 1900
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: William Dean Howells, Gilded Age Collections, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums, GA-20

Charles W. Chesnutt to William D. Vincent, 22 December 1922

  • Date: December 22, 1922
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 2

Charles W. Chesnutt to William Brace Pratt, 20 January 1921

  • Date: January 20, 1921
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to William Brace Pratt, 17 November 1921

  • Date: November 17, 1921
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to William B. Pratt, 9 March 1922

  • Date: March 9, 1922
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 2

Charles W. Chesnutt to William B. Pratt, 8 October 1921

  • Date: October 8, 1921
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to William B. Pratt, 24 May 1922

  • Date: May 24, 1922
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 2

Charles W. Chesnutt to William B. Pratt, 19 September 1921

  • Date: September 19, 1921
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to William B. Pratt, 18 February 1921

  • Date: February 18, 1921
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to William B. Pratt, 12 December 1921

  • Date: December 12, 1921
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to Wendell Phillips Dabney, 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 Wendell Phillips Dabney, 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 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 Walter White, 6 September 1930

  • Date: September 6, 1930
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 28 December 1926

  • Date: December 28, 1926
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Western Reserve Historical Society

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 25 March 1931

  • Date: March 25, 1931
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 16 October 1931

  • Date: October 16, 1931
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Collection 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 15 November 1930

  • Date: November 15, 1930
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 11 March 1931

  • Date: March 11, 1931
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Collection 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 10 February 1932

  • Date: February 10, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Collection 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 1 March 1930

  • Date: March 1, 1930
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Carl Van Vechten Papers Relating to African American Arts and Letters, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter M. Hill, 28 October 1922

  • Date: October 28, 1922
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 1, folder 2

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B. Du Bois, 3 February 1917

  • Date: February 3, 1917
  • 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 W. E. B. Du Bois, 3 August 1925

  • Date: August 23, 1925
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B. Du Bois, 27 October 1926

  • Date: October 27, 1926
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W.E.B. Du Bois Papers, 1803–1999 (bulk 1877–1963), Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries

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 W. E. B. Du Bois, 25 July 1925

  • Date: July 25, 1925.
  • 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 W. E. B. Du Bois, 25 July 1925

  • Date: July 25, 1925.
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B. Du Bois, 25 February 1929

  • Date: February 25, 1929
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W.E.B. Du Bois Papers, 1803–1999 (bulk 1877–1963), Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B. Du Bois, 20 June 1928

  • Date: June 20, 1928
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W. E. B. Du Bois Papers, 1803–1999 (bulk 1877–1963), Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B. Du Bois, 1928

  • Date: 1928
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W.E.B. Du Bois Papers 1868-1963, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries Special Collections and University Archives

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

  • Date: 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 W. E. B. Du Bois, 17 June 1926

  • Date: June 17, 1926
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W.E.B. Du Bois Papers, 1803–1999 (bulk 1877–1963), Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B. Du Bois, 16 September 1924

  • Date: September 16, 1924
  • 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 W. E. B. Du Bois, 16 September 1924

  • Date: September 16, 1924
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Paper 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B Du Bois, 16 July 1909

  • Date: July 16, 1909
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W. E. B. Du Bois Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MS 312

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B. Du Bois, 15 October 1926

  • Date: October 15, 1926
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W.E.B. Du Bois Papers, 1803–1999 (bulk 1877–1963), Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries

Charles W. Chesnutt to W. E. B. Du Bois, 14 April 1931

  • Date: April 14, 1931
  • 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
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