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Thomas McGrath Papers, 1940-2003
Collection Overview
Title: Thomas McGrath Papers, 1940-2003
ID: OGLMC308
Primary Creator: McGrath, Thomas (1916-1990)
Extent: 7.5 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 08/22/1975. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Literary - Poetry, University of North Dakota - Alumni
Languages: English
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Thomas McGrath Papers have been divided up into seven series:
Series 1: Biographical Materials
Series 2: Correspondence
Series 3: Written Works
Series 4: Screenplays/Scripts
Series 5: Audio and Video Cassette Tapes
Series 6: Photographs
Series 7: Oversized Materials
Collection Historical Note
"Thomas McGrath was born in 1916, the oldest son of James and Catherine (Shea) McGrath. There were four younger brothers, Jim (killed in World War II), Joe, Martin, and the youngest, Jack. His sister Kathleen was born between Joe and Martin. His parents were farmers, the second generation of them, working the land in Ransom County, North Dakota, near the town of Sheldon, about forty miles west of the Minnesota border, between the Maple and Sheyenne Rivers.
McGrath went to grade and high school in Sheldon, and then started somewhat delayed and intermittent University studies at Moorhead State University. Eventually, he attended the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks, where he earned a B.A. in 1939. Awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, he found that he could not use it immediately, because of the outbreak of World War II. He had received offers from a number of universities to begin work on an advanced degree - as had other Rhodes Scholars that year - and accepted an offer from Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge. There he studied, most intensely with Cleanth Brooks, was involved in radical political activity, wrote, and met Alan Swallow, who published McGrath's first book of poems as part of the development of The Swallow Press.
In the 1940-1941 academic year McGrath taught at Colby College in Maine, but did not find teaching there entirely satisfactory and thus left at the end of the academic year to go to New York City. There he wrote, organized, did legal research for attorneys engaged in "political" cases, and worked at the Kearney Shipyards, until he entered the armed forces in 1942. Most of his time in the service was spent on Amchitka Island. He was discharged with the rank of sergeant in 1945. After a period of adjustment he was finally able to undertake the year of study provided by the Rhodes Scholarship and spent 1947-1948 at New College, Oxford, England.
Returning from the United States after some travel, McGrath engaged in various occupations and eventually found a faculty position at Los Angeles State University, where he taught from 1951 to 1954. His dismissal from this institution was directly connected with his appearance as an unfriendly witness before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, when that infamous body brought its hearings to Los Angeles in 1953.
From 1954 to 1960 McGrath worked variously as a secondary school teacher at a private institution, for a company that manufactured carved wooden animals, and at other jobs that might earn him his keep. He wrote film and television scripts from time to time, several of the former for director Mike Cimino. In 1960 he resumed his academic career, teaching at C.W. Post College (now part of Long Island University) in New York. At about this time he founded, with his wife Genia, the journal Crazy Horse.
In 1962 he returned to North Dakota, where he taught for five years at North Dakota State University at Fargo. In 1969 McGrath accepted a faculty position at Moorhead State University where he had first begun his studies as an undergraduate. At the end of the 1982-1983 academic year he retired from Moorhead State and moved to Minneapolis, where he now lives. [Note: Thomas McGrath died on 19 September 1990 in Minneapolis]
McGrath has held a variety of significant editorial positions and has been awarded a variety of distinguished prizes and fellowships for his work as a poet. Among the former, in addition to his founding editorship of Crazy Horse, he has been a contributing editor of Mainstream (later Masses and Mainstream) and has served on the editorial board of the California Quarterly. He has held an Amy Lowell Travelling Fellowship in Poetry (1965), has twice been awarded National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships (1974, 1982), was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1967, and was twice a Bush Fellow (1976, 1981). In May 1981 the University of North Dakota awarded him a Doctorate of Letters. In 1977 he received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Society for Western Literature. In 1986, The Associated Writing Programs presented McGrath an award at a dinner in Chicago, at which tributes to him were presented by author "Studs" Terkel and poets Philip Levine and Michael Anania. In the same year, a "Ceili" was held by Minneapolis's "the Loft," at which many distinguished poets and writers celebrated McGrath's seventieth birthday.
McGrath has been married three times, to Marion, Alice, and Eugenia (Genia), all of whom appear in his poetry. He is the father of a son, Tomasito, to whom much poetry from McGrath's later work is addressed and dedicated."
Source:
Stern, Frederick. "A Biographical Sketch of Thomas McGrath." In The Revolutionary Poet in the United States: The Poetry of Thomas McGrath, edited by Frederick Stern. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1988.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Numerous donations to the collection have been received:
1970s: 8 January 1976; 1 April 1976; 1978 (78-492); 22 January 1979 (79-563)
1980s: Robert Lewis, English Department, University of North Dakota, in June 1985 (85-1394) and March 31, 1989 (89-1648); Dale Jacobson on 30 March 1987 (87-1526); James McKenzie, English Department, University of North Dakota on July 11, 1988 (88-1605); Robert Lewis, on March 31, 1989 (89-1648)
1990s: Lois Vossen, The Loft, St. Paul, Minnesota via Robert Lewis, English Department, University of North Dakota, on May 8, 1991 (91-7147); Jack Beeching, Menton, France, on April 16, 1992 (92-1816) and June 25, 1992 (92-1836); Robert Lewis, English Department, University of North Dakota, on August 15, 1991 (92-1818), March 24, 1992 (92-1817), on June 28, 1993 (93-1893), February 9, 1996 (96-2056) March 20, 1996 (96-2068) and June 16, 1999 (99-2318); Robert Edwards, St. Paul, Minnesota, on July 30, 1991 (92-1819); Naomi Stern, Gary, Indiana, on November 23, 1992; Richard F. Hampsten, English Department, University of North Dakota, on June 16, 1993 (93-1885); David Martinson, English Department, North Dakota State University, on 10 September 1993 (93-1910); Alice McGrath, Ventura, California, via Robert Lewis in January 1994 and February 9, 1996 (96-2055); Enid Smeall on September 29, 1994 (94-1998); Glenn Sheldon, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in October 1994 (94-1975); Lawrence Spingarn via Dale Jacobson on September 17, 1996; Richard Nickson of New York via Robert Lewis on May 13, 1996 (96-2075); James McKenzie, English Department, University of North Dakota, in May 1999 (99-2335); Richard Nickson, English Department, University of North Dakota, on July 27, 1999 (99-2358) and September 1, 1999 (99-2373)
2000s: Ellen Erickson, College of Art and Sciences, University of North Dakota, on July 5, 2000 (2000-2484); John Bye, Institute for Regional Studies at North Dakota State University on June 11, 2001 (2001-2505); Dr. Robert Lewis, English Department, University of North Dakota, on November 16, 2001 (2002-2543); Alice McGrath, Ventura, California, on May 27, 2004 (2004-2693) and August 31, 2004 (2005-2760); Mary Margaret Frank, Grand Forks, North Dakota, on August 17, 2006 (2006-2848); Glenn Sheldon, Department of Interdisciplinary and Special Programs, University of Toledo, on August 25, 2006 (2006-2849); Bjarne Male Chorus Records, on August 28, 2006 (2006-2847)
2010s: Holly Woolson, Ojai, California, on September 20, 2010 (2011-3074); Margo Robbins, Washington D.C., on January 23, 2017 (2017-3349)
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Source: Thomas McGrath
Acquisition Method: Donation; the original acquisition records are unavailable
Related Publications: Please search the library catalog for a complete list.
Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Thomas McGrath Papers. OGLMC 308, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Finding Aid Revision History: Re-processed by Hannah Naylor, Special Collections Intern, in Summer 2017.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Biographical Materials],
[Series 2: Correspondence],
[Series 3: Written Works],
[Series 4: Screenplays/Scripts],
[Series 5: Audio and Video Cassette Tapes],
[Series 6: Photographs],
[Series 7: Oversized Materials],
[All]
- Series 6: Photographs
- Box 6
- Folder 35: Photographs 308-1 through 308-20
OGLMC 308-1: Unknown
OGLMC 308-2: Thomas McGrath and Alice Greenfield McGrath
OGLMC 308-3: Unknown
OGLMC 308-4: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-5: Unknown
OGLMC 308-6: Unknown
OGLMC 308-7: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-8: Thomas and Alice McGrath
OGLMC 308-9: Thomas McGrath with his parents, James and Catherine McGrath
OGLMC 308-10: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-11: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-12: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-13: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-14: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-15: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-16: Unknown
OGLMC 308-17: Unknown
OGLMC 308-18: Thomas McGrath and Alice McGrath
OGLMC 308-19: Thomas McGrath and Alice McGrath
OGLMC 308-20: Thomas McGrath and Alice McGrath
This folder also contains assorted negatives.
- Folder 36: Photographs 308-21 through 308-39
OGLMC 308-21: Thomas and Alice McGrath
OGLMC 308-22: Unknown, January 1952
OGLMC 308-23: Thomas and Alice McGrath
OGLMC 308-24: Unknown
OGLMC 308-25: Unknown
OGLMC 308-26: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-27: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-28: Thomas McGrath, 1521 Sargent Place, Los Angeles 1958
OGLMC 308-29: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-30: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-31: Thomas McGrath, California, ca. later 50's
OGLMC 308-32: McGrath as a student at LSU
OGLMC 308-33: Thomas McGrath ca. 1955
OGLMC 308-34: McGrath's older brother Martin
OGLMC 308-35: (From left to right, top to bottom) Alice McGrath, Laura (niece of Tom), Dan, ca. Summer of 1953
OGLMC 308-36: Tom with Laura, 1955
OGLMC 308-37: Tom with Laura, 1955
OGLMC 308-38: Tom with Laura, 1955
OGLMC 308-39: Tom (left), Mason Roberson (right), ca. 1950s
- Folder 37: Photographs 308-40 through 308-59
OGLMC 308-40: Tom, Alice, and Kay McTerman
OGLMC 308-41: Richard Nickson, Tom, and Alice; November 1984
OGLMC 308-42: Robert Lewis, Tom McGrath, Fred Whitehead; Fargo, ND, August 9, 1983
OGLMC 308-43: Alice and Tom McGrath at Publication of North Dakota Quarterly, Vol. 50, No. 4 for McGrath; Hunan Restaurant, August 9, 1983
OGLMC 308-44: Thomas and Alice McGrath
OGLMC 308-45: Unknown
OGLMC 308-46: Thomas and Alice McGrath, March 1985
OGLMC 308-47: Thomas McGrath, March, 1985
OGLMC 308-48: Harry Merer (friend of Tom); "Amchitka, Aleutian Islands" passed by U.S. Army (WWII)
OGLMC 308-49: Dr. Edwin G. Olmstead and Tom McGrath; UND, March 1974
OGLMC 308-50: Thomas McGrath; UND, March 1974
OGLMC 308-51: Unknown
OGLMC 308-52: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-53: Thomas McGrath; UND, March 1974
OGLMC 308-54: Unknown
OGLMC 308-55: Thomas McGrath photo taken at Alice McGrath's home in Venteira, California
OGLMC 308-56: Meridel le Sueuer and Tom McGrath; Fargo, Summer 1983
OGLMC 308-57: Thomas McGrath and Richard Nixon, "Little Tom," and Eugenia; 1968
OGLMC 308-58: Thomas McGrath with Richard Nixon and "Little Tom"; 1968
OGLMC 308-59: Thomas McGrath with Richard Nixon and "Little Tom"; 1968
- Folder 38: Photographs 308-60 through 308-81
OGLMC 308-60: Thomas McGrath with Alice and Richard Nixon
OGLMC 308-61: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-62: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-63: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-64: Thomas McGrath; 2714 Marsh Street
OGLMC 308-65: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-66: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-67: Thomas and Alice McGrath shortly before divorce
OGLMC 308-68: Unknown
OGLMC 308-69: Thomas McGrath and Alice Greenfield McGrath
OGLMC 308-70: Thomas McGrath with Alice in Seattle before Columbus Awards
OGLMC 308-71: McGrath with Laura
OGLMC 308-72: McGrath with Dan
OGLMC 308-73: Unknown
OGLMC 308-74: Unknown
OGLMC 308-75: Unknown
OGLMC 308-76: Unknown
OGLMC 308-77: Unknown
OGLMC 308-78: Unknown
OGLMC 308-79: Unknown
OGLMC 308-80: Alice Greenfield McGrath with guitar
OGLMC 308-81: Alice Greenfield McGrath with guitar
- Folder 39: Photographs 308-82 through 308-93
This folder contains assorted photographs, including correspondence that further describes several of the photographs.
OGLMC 308-82: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-83: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-84: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-85: Thomas McGrath
OGLMC 308-86: Tomasito and Ann L. Diament; Fargo, 1975
OGLMC 308-87: Thomas McGrath, Tomasito, and Ann L. Diament; Fargo, 1975
OGLMC 308-88: Tomasito and Ann L. Diament; Fargo, 1975
OGLMC 308-89: Tomasito and Thomas McGrath; Fargo, 1975
OGLMC 308-90: Thomas McGrath and Tomasito; February, 1970
OGLMC 308-91: Unknown photograph of Alice McGrath
OGLMC 308-92: Tomasito's age-three portrait in April, 1972
OGLMC 308-93: Dean Bernard O'Kelly, Tom McGrath, and Edward Olmstead, M.D.; McGrath being honored by UND with a Doctorate of Letters; May 1981
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Biographical Materials],
[Series 2: Correspondence],
[Series 3: Written Works],
[Series 4: Screenplays/Scripts],
[Series 5: Audio and Video Cassette Tapes],
[Series 6: Photographs],
[Series 7: Oversized Materials],
[All]