Academy of American Poets Archive
FAIN: PG-271716-20
Academy of American Poets (New York, NY 10038-4610)
Jennifer Benka (Project Director: January 2020 to present)
A preservation assessment of the archives of the Academy of American Poets, founded in 1934 and with members in all 50 states. The assessment would enable the organization to prioritize collection care and access in advance of its 90th anniversary in 2024. The collection of over 500 linear feet dates from its establishment to the present and includes writings and correspondence of notable American poets, such as E. E. Cummings, Lucille Clifton, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, and Sylvia Plath, as well as issues of the organization’s magazine, American Poets, photographs of poets, and audio recordings of poetry readings.
The Academy of American Poets seeks $10,000 to support our hiring a consultant to assess our unique collection so we might ensure its preservation and prepare to make it available to the public.