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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

170 items

Warren Logan to Charles W. Chesnutt, 30 November 1915

  • Date: November 30, 1915
  • Creator(s): Logan, Warren
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 524, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Walter White to Charles Chesnutt, 27 March 1931

  • Date: March 27, 1931
  • Creator(s): White, Walter Francis, 1893-1955
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Collection 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Walter White to Charles Chesnutt, 2 February 1932

  • Date: February 2, 1932
  • Creator(s): White, Walter Francis, 1893-1955
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Walter White to Charles Chesnutt, 13 March 1931

  • Date: March 13, 1931
  • Creator(s): White, Walter Francis, 1893-1955
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Walter F. White to Charles W. Chesnutt, 4 September 1930

  • Date: September 4, 1930
  • Creator(s): White, Walter F.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370

Walter F. White to Charles W. Chesnutt, 19 October 1931

  • Date: October 19, 1931
  • Creator(s): White, Walter Francis
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370

Walter F. White to Charles W. Chesnutt, 17 November 1930

  • Date: November 17, 1930
  • Creator(s): White, Walter F.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Walter F. White to Charles Chesnutt, 2 March 1931

  • Date: March 2, 1931
  • Creator(s): White, Walter Francis, 1893-1955
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

W. E. B. Du Bois to Charles W. Chesnutt, 8 September 1924

  • Date: September 8, 1924
  • Creator(s): Du Bois, W. E. B.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W. E. B. Du Bois Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries, MS 312

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

  • Date: Between May 3 and June 27, 1903
  • Creator(s): Du Bois, W. E. B.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: W.E.B. Du Bois Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries, MS 312

W. E. B. Du Bois to Charles W. Chesnutt, 16 July 1903

  • Date: July 16, 1903
  • Creator(s): Du Bois, W. E. B.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: James Lowell Gibbs collection of African-American documents, 1865-1918, Rare and Manuscript Collection, Cornell University, 4506, box 1, folder 16

Richard W. Gilder to George Washington Cable, 28 May 1890

  • Date: May 28, 1890
  • Creator(s): Gilder, Richard W.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University

Keppler & Schwarzmann (Behalf of Puck Magazine) to Charles W. Chesnutt, 27 April 1889

  • Date: April 27, 1889
  • Creator(s): Keppler & Schwarzmann
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 2, folder 1

Keppler & Schwarzmann (Behalf of Puck Magazine) to Charles W. Chesnutt, 18 July 1889

  • Date: July 18, 1889
  • Creator(s): Keppler & Schwarzmann
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 2, folder 1

Kelly Miller to Charles W. Chesnutt, 5 October 1903

  • Date: October 5, 1903
  • Creator(s): Miller, Kelly
  • Format: letter
  • Source: James Lowell Gibbs collection of African-American documents, 1865-1918, Cornell University, 4506, box 1, folder 17

Henry Cuyler Bunner to Charles W. Chesnutt, 4 April 1889

  • Date: April 4, 1889
  • Creator(s): Bunner, H. C. (Henry Cuyler), 1855-1896
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370, box 2, folder 1

Helen M. Chesnutt to Charles W. Chesnutt, 5 March 1900

  • Date: March 5, 1900
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Helen M.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370

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

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

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, February 7, 1906

  • Date: February 7, 1906
  • Creator(s): Scott, Emmett Jay
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, 6 May 1903

  • Date: May 6, 1903
  • Creator(s): Scott, Emmett J.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, 6 January 1908

  • Date: January 6, 1908
  • Creator(s): Scott, Emmett J.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 524, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, 27 November 1907

  • Date: November 27, 1907
  • Creator(s): Scott, Emmett J.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, 27 March 1905

  • Date: March 27, 1905
  • Creator(s): Scott, Emmett J.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, 22 March 1909

  • Date: March 22, 1909
  • Creator(s): Scott, Emmett J.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, 21 December 1904

  • Date: December 21, 1904
  • Creator(s): Scott, Emmett J.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 39, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, 21 August 1906

  • Date: August 21, 1906
  • Creator(s): Scott, Emmett J.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Booker T. Washington papers, 1853-1946, Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, MSS44669, box 524, folder Chesnutt, Charles Waddell

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, 2 May 1923

  • Date: May 2, 1923
  • Creator(s): Scott, Emmett J. (Emmett Jay), 1873-1957
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society, MS 3370

Emmett J. Scott to Charles W. Chesnutt, 12 October 1906

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

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

  • Date: February 3, 1900
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • Format: letter
  • Source: William Dean Howells, Gilded Age Collections, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums, GA-20

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 6 September 1930

  • Date: September 6, 1930
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 25 March 1931

  • Date: March 25, 1931
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • 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. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • 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. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Charles Waddell Chesnutt Papers 1889-1932, Western Reserve Historical Society

Charles W. Chesnutt to Walter White, 10 February 1932

  • Date: February 10, 1932
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • 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.
  • 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 W. E. B. Du Bois, 27 June 1903

  • Date: June 27, 1903
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W.
  • 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, 20 June 1928

  • Date: June 20, 1928
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W.
  • 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. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • 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, 16 September 1924

  • Date: September 16, 1924
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W.
  • 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, 1 March 1916

  • Date: March 1, 1916
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W.
  • 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 July 1909

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

Charles W. Chesnutt to the Editor of Family Fiction, 15 May 1890

  • Date: May 15, 1890
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: George Washington Cable Papers, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane, LaRC-2, box 17

Charles W. Chesnutt to S. W. Rutherford, 27 March 1923

  • Date: March 27, 1923
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W.
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Carter Godwin Woodson Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, MSS46342, box I:5

Charles W. Chesnutt to Richard W. Gilder, 11 April 1895

  • Date: April 11, 1895
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Century Company Records, Berg Collection, New York Public Library, MssCol 504

Charles W. Chesnutt to Mary Adelene Moffat, 2 September 1889

  • Date: September 2, 1889
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • 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. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • 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. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • 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 Jerome B. Howard, 15 December 1899

  • Date: December 15, 1899
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • 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 Horace Traubel, 6 November 1905

  • Date: November 6, 1905
  • Creator(s): Chesnutt, Charles W. (Charles Waddell), 1858-1932
  • Format: letter
  • Source: Horace Traubel and Anne Montgomerie Traubel Papers, Manuscripts Division, Library of Congress, MSS43141, box 58
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