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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

Charles W. Chesnutt to Mildred Chadsey, 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 Michigan Public Service Company, 16 June 1931

  • Date: June 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 Micheaux Film Corporation, 28 April 1922

  • Date: April 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 Micheaux Film Corporation, 25 September 1922

  • Date: September 25, 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 Micheaux Film Corporation, 23 May 1922

  • Date: May 23, 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 Micheaux Film Corporation, 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 Micheaux Book & Film Company, 2 August 1920

  • Date: August 02, 1920
  • 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 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 Mary Haven Thirkield, 16 May 1932

  • Date: May 16, 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 Mary Dickerson Donahey, 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 Mary Dickerson Donahey, 1 November 1921

  • Date: November 1, 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 Mary Adelene Moffat, 2 September 1889

  • Date: September 2, 1889
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: George Washington Cable Papers, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, LaRC-2, box 17, folder 8

Charles W. Chesnutt to Mary Adelene Moffat, 14 November 1889

  • Date: November 14, 1889
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: George Washington Cable Papers, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, LaRC-2, box 17, folder 8

Charles W. Chesnutt to M. A. De Wolfe Howe, 31 October 1899

  • Date: October 31, 1899
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt letters, 1899-1900, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University, 1969-0092R VF Lit

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 Laurens Maynard (on Behalf of Small, Maynard & Co.), 26 December 1900

  • Date: December 26, 1900
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt letters, 1899-1900, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University, 1969-0092R VF Lit

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 L. L. Winkelman & Company, 28 September 1921

  • Date: September 28, 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 Judson Douglas Wetmore, 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 John Patterson Green, 7 October 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 John Patterson Green, 30 August 1882

  • Date: August 30, 1882
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: John Patterson Green Papers, 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3379, box 1, folder 1-5

Charles W. Chesnutt to John Patterson Green, 16 October 1931

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

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 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 Jerome B. Howard, 15 December 1899

  • Date: December 15, 1899
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: African American History collection (1729–1970, bulk 1800–1865), William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan, M-454 et al., box 5, folder 21a

Charles W. Chesnutt to Ida and Fannie Henderson, 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 Hugh M. Browne, 26 February 1909

  • Date: February 26, 1909
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington correspondence, 1903-1916, 1933 and undated, Duke University Libraries; David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, RL.01347, box 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to Hugh M. Browne, 21 November 1907

  • Date: November 21, 1907
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington correspondence, 1903-1916, 1933 and undated, Rubenstein Library, Duke University, RL.01347, box 1

Charles W. Chesnutt to Houghton Mifflin Company, 8 October 1921

  • Date: October 8, 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 Houghton Mifflin Company, 2 September 1922

  • Date: September 2, 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 Houghton Mifflin Company, 13 September 1921

  • Date: September 13, 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 Horace Traubel, 6 November 1905

  • Date: November 6, 1905
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141, box 58

Charles W. Chesnutt to Horace Traubel, 3 July 1903

  • Date: July 3, 1903
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141

Charles W. Chesnutt to Horace Traubel, 29 December 1915

  • Date: December 29, 1915
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141, box 58

Charles W. Chesnutt to Horace Traubel, 25 March 1902

  • Date: March 25, 1902
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141, box 58

Charles W. Chesnutt to Horace Traubel, 24 October 1907

  • Date: October 24, 1907
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141, box 58

Charles W. Chesnutt to Horace Traubel, 2 June 1905

  • Date: June 2, 1905
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141, box 58

Charles W. Chesnutt to Horace Traubel, 19 December 1902

  • Date: December 19, 1902
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141, box 58

Charles W. Chesnutt to Horace Traubel, 16 September 1905

  • Date: September 16, 1905
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141, box 58

Charles W. Chesnutt to Horace Traubel, 16 August 1902

  • Date: August 16, 1902
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141

Charles W. Chesnutt to Horace Traubel, 1 February 1908

  • Date: February 1, 1908
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141, box 58

Charles W. Chesnutt to Herbert Small, 6 November 1899

  • Date: November 6, 1899
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt letters, 1899-1900, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University, 1969-0092R VF Lit

Charles W. Chesnutt to Herbert Small, 26 October 1899

  • Date: October 26, 1899
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Waddell)
  • Format: letter
  • Source: African American History collection (1729–1970, bulk 1800–1865), William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan, M-454 et al., box 5, folder 20a

Charles W. Chesnutt to Henry Clay Tyson, 20 December 1921

  • Date: Decemberer 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 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 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 Harry J. Warwick, 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 Harry E. Davis, 5 October 1922

  • Date: October 5, 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 Harry C. Gahn, 1 November 1921

  • Date: November 1, 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 Harcourt, Brace and Company, 12 November 1921

  • Date: November 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
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