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John A. Williams reads a selection from CLIFFORD'S BLUES
John A. Williams addresses the 2003 graduating class at the University of Rochester.
Alicante, Spain. 10 May 1969.
The sun was shining, the wine was flowing, the traffic roared by and John and Chester rapped on about Paris, Richard…
The sun was shining, the wine was flowing, the traffic roared by and John and Chester rapped on about Paris, Richard…
An interview with Williams about CAPTAIN BLACKMAN: Williams discusses race and World War II
An interview with Williams about CAPTAIN BLACKMAN:
Screenshot of original Writings of Consequence: The Art of John A. Williams, digital exhibit
"WE PALS," comic strip by Morrie Turner (1992).
"NEVER BEFORE OR SINCE," The Sunday Herald Tribune Magazine (25 April 1965).
From PROFILES OF NEW YORK AUTHORS, by Mildred Buchanan Flagg. New York: Carlton Press (1972).
"A GOOD SEASON," The Urbanite: Images of the American Negro. Vol. 1, No. 3 (May 1961).
"JOHN A. WILLIAMS: AGENT PROVOCATEUR," Black Creation, First Anniversary Edition (Summer 1971).
"AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN A. WILLIAMS," by Dennis A. Williams, Forkroads (Winter 1995).
INTERVIEWS WITH BLACK WRITERS, edited by John O'Brien. New York: Liveright (1973).
"UNIT ONE: MINORITIES IN THE CITY," The City Today, edited by George L. Groman. New York: Harper & Row (1978).
John and Lori Williams in Huntington, N.Y. (1983?).
Promotional shots in his office at Rutgers University, 1982.
Williams, Lori, and Adam, Fuengirola, Spain. Summer 1977.
Williams at his desk, Teaneck, N.J. 1977.
Williams at Sarah Lawrence College, 1973.
Williams and wife, Lori, at Carnegie Center, 1972.
Williams speaking at a conference in honor of Chester Himes, Carnegie Center, 1972.
Williams with sons Adam, Greg, and Dennis. Worcester, N.Y., 1968.
PHILLIS WHEATLEY AWARD FOR INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO AFRICAN AMERICAN LETTERS AND CULTURE, QBR The Black Book Review, 19 July 2002.
Program from a luncheon where Williams was honored with the "President's Preservation Award," 6 October 2001.
Honorary Degree, State University of New York, Old Westbury, Doctor of Letters, 20 May 2001.
"Citation accompanying the awarding of the degree," Syracuse University, 14 May 1995.
Honorary degree, Syracuse University, Doctor of Letters, 14 May 1995.
Black Writers Hall of Fame, Chicago State University, 1998.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, appointing Williams to the position of Professor Emeritus, June 1994.
McNATT, Norman H. Autographed letter, signed, to Williams, 12 February 1990, announcing the appointment of Williams as the Paul Robeson Professor of…
LINDBACK AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED TEACHING. Presented by the president of The State University of New Jersey at Rutgers in recognition of Williams's…
Southeastern Massachusetts University Seventy-Eighth Commencement, Dartmouth, Mass., 4 June 1978. Williams received an Honorary Doctor of Literature…
Syracuse University Centennial Medal for Outstanding Achievement, 1970.
A STREET GUIDE TO AFRICAN AMERICANS IN PARIS. Belleville, Mich.: Belleville Lake Press (1996). Co-edited with Michel Fabre. First edition.
WAY B(L)ACK THEN AND NOW: A STREET GUIDE TO AFRICAN AMERICANS IN PARIS. Michel Fabre and John A. Williams. Center for American Culture Studies,…
FABRE, Michel. Typed letter signed, to Williams. 11 January 1991.
The Art of Romare Bearden: The Prevalence of Ritual. New York: Abrams (1973). Introduction by Williams.
BEARDEN, Romare. Autograph letter (postcard), signed, to Williams. 1969.
REFLECTED IN MALCOLM: LIVING IN THE TIME OF X. Original typescript of unpublished young adult book.
FOR OURSELVES: THE IMAGES OF MALCOLM X (1992?). Proposal for a book of photographs to accompany the television documentary produced by Blackside…
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, U.S. Senate Building, Washington, D.C., March 1964. Photograph from Williams's personal collection.
"TALENT LET LOOSE," Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 8, No. 2 (March 1992).
COOKE, Dana L. Typed letter signed to Dennis and John A. Williams. 13 March 1992.
IF I STOP I'LL DIE: THE COMEDY AND TRAGEDY OF RICHARD PRYOR. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press (1991). First edition, signed by Williams and Dennis…
IF I STOP I'LL DIE: THE COMEDY AND TRAGEDY OF RICHARD PRYOR. Original typescript, with author's corrections and additions.
Typed letter signed. From Williams to Richard Pryor. 10 April 1983.
INTERVIEW WITH BILL COSBY. Original typescript of interview for Amistad 2. Unpublished.
"PORTRAIT IN THE BLUE NOTE," in New York Stories, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Fall 2001).
Miller Brewing Company's promotional brochure for GALLERY OF GREATS: BLACK AUTHORS, A VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE, 1990.
PAINTING IN SOUND, Sam Middleton. Original typescript with author's corrections.
MIDDLETON, Sam. Autograph letter signed, to Williams. 7 October 1981.
MIDDLETON, Sam. Autograph letter signed to Williams. 6 December 1982.
Sam Middleton: Mischief and Melancholy (1998).
Sam Middleton (1987). Williams wrote the introduction to the catalog for a Middleton retrospective in the Netherlands.
"MIDDLETON," in An Ocean Apart: American Artists Abroad (exhibition) October 8, 1982 - January 9, 1983, The Studio Museum in Harlem. New York: The…
POWERMAN 5000. Tonight the Stars Revolt. Los Angeles: Dreamworks Records (1999). CD-ROM.
Williams with Lori and Adam Williams, Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 1999.
Williams with son Adam, Los Angeles, May 1997. Adam Williams is lead guitarist for Powerman 5000.
ASSESS THE MESS." Original typescript of song lyrics (2003).
QUEENIE PIE. Original manuscript libretto, with Williams's corrections shown.
QUEENIE PIE. Original manuscript libretto, with Williams's corrections shown.
Typed letter from Williams to Mercer Ellington. 10 December 1982.
Certificate of Honor and Recognition, Columbus City Council. Williams was presented this certificate for Vanqui and Clifford's Blues in 1999.
Opera Columbus program for Vanqui premiere. (October 1999).
VANQUI. Original printed score with libretto by Williams and music by Leslie Savoy Burrs (1998). "Women's Deep Song," with Williams's corrections…
COLLEAGUES. Original typescript for the unpublished novel.
Original drawing by Williams of the campus setting for Colleagues.
Typed letter from Williams to Glenda Kuneman, 14 June 2000.
CLIFFORD'S BLUES. Minneapolis, Minn.: Coffee House Press (1998). First edition.
CLIFFORD'S BLUES. Minneapolis, Minn.: Coffee House Press (1998). Uncorrected galley, showing the first version of the cover art.
LOVE. Derry, N.H., Ridgewood, N.J.: Babcock & Koontz (1988). Copy 18 of edition 200. Signed by Williams, excerpt from The Book Without Title.
"THE VISITORS," Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 3 (June 1988).
Original typescript, The Book Without Title became Clifford's Blues.
"Chapter 21" of CLIFFORD'S BLUES published in Black American Literature Forum, Vol. 23, Number 2 (Summer 1989).
Article from publication announcing the American Book Awards, the Before Columbus Foundation, 1998.
American Book Award, the Before Columbus Foundation, 1998.
"THE WAY IT IS," from Safari West, original typescript.
SAFARI WEST. Montreal, Canada: Hochelaga Press (1998). First edition.
Typed letter, Raymond Beauchemin to Williams. 27 June 1997.
Printed paper jacket for Safari West. Designed by Raymond Beauchemin.
Bust of Williams by James Reed, 6 September 1988. A reproduction of the bust was used for the Safari West jacket art.
N'GOMA, Eugene. "Les Personnages Expatries Chez trois Romanciers Afro-Americains d'Apres-Guerre: James Baldwin, John A. Williams, William Gardner…
WILLIAMS, Lori and John A. DEAR CHESTER, DEAR JOHN. (A work in progress.)
Original photograph of Himes and Williams. Taken by Lori Williams in New York. 1968.
HIMES, Chester. The Third Generation. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press (1989). Foreword by Williams.
HIMES, Chester. Typed letter, signed. 30 May 1972.
Chester Himes and John A. Williams at the Black Academy of Arts and Letters induction, September 20, 1970.
HIMES, Chester. Carbon typescript, The Quality of Hurt: Book 1 (1972).
HIMES, Chester. The Quality of Hurt: The Autobiography of Chester Himes. Vol. 1. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday (1972). First edition, inscribed to…
Chester Himes. Alicante, Spain. June 1969.
HIMES, Chester. Typed letter signed, to Williams. 13 June 1969.
HIMES, Chester. Typed letter, signed, to Williams. 22 July 1969.
Original photograph of Chester Himes with his cat, Deros. Taken by Williams at the Hotel Albert in New York. Summer 1968.
"CHESTER HIMES IS GETTING ON," clipped from Book Week. Vol. 2, No. 5 (11 October 1964).
HIMES, Chester. Typed letter signed, to Williams. 3 December 1962.
WAYS IN: APRROACHES TO READING AND WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE AND FILM. Co-edited with Gilbert H. Muller. New York: McGraw-Hill (2003). Second edition.
BRIDGES: LITERATURE ACROSS CULTURES. Co-edited with Gilbert H. Muller. New York: McGraw-Hill (1994). First edition.
WAYS IN: APPROACHES TO READING AND WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE. Co-edited with Gilbert H. Muller. New York: McGraw-Hill (1994). First edition.
THE MCGRAW-HILL INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE. Co-edited with Gilbert H. Muller. New York: McGraw-Hill (1985). First edition, original wrappers.
MULLER, Gilbert H. John A. Williams. Boston: Twayne Publishers (1984). First edition.
DICKINSON, Gloria Harper. "Self-Concept in the Novels of John A. Williams and Chinua Achebe." 18 January 1978. Howard University doctoral…
CASH, Earl A. John A. Williams: The Evolution of a Black Writer. New York: The Third Press (1975). First edition, in dust jacket.
Men on Divorce: The Other Side of the Story. New York: Harcourt Brace (1997). Edited by Peggy Kaganoff and Susan Spano.
"ENDING WELL," in Men on Divorce. The Other Side of the Story. New York: Harcourt Brace (1997). Edited by Peggy Kaganoff and Susan Spano. Williams…
"ONE FOR NEW YORK," excerpted in The Payback Sampler. Edinburgh: Payback Press (Autumn 1996). Payback Press issued One for New York in 1996.
"JACOB'S LADDER," in Essence. Vol. 18, No. 3 (July 1987). An excerpt from the novel, accompanied by an interview with Williams.
JACOB'S LADDER. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press (1987). First edition, in dust jacket. Signed by Williams and dated 10 August 1987.
JACOB'S LADDER. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press (1987). First edition, copy proof.
A CONDITION OF CONFLICT. Original typescript, with author's corrections and additions. Uncollated sheets. An early version of Jacob's Ladder.
THE BERHAMA ACCOUNT. Far Hills, N.J.: New Horizon Press (1985). First edition, in dust jacket.
LAST FLIGHT FROM AMBO BER. Pelham, N.Y.: American Association for Ethiopian Jews (1983). First edition. Original wrappers.
LAST FLIGHT FROM AMBO BER. Program of production presented by People's Theater, in Cambridge, Mass., for the Theatre in Process series of new plays.…
LAST FLIGHT FROM AMBO BER. Acting Script (offset from typescript).
!CLICK SONG. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press (1987). First paperback reprint edition.
Advertisement for Williams's speech on 25 March (1983?) as a part of the Hall of Fame Celebrity Series at Bronx Community College.
Advertisement for Williams's speech on 24 February (1983?) as a part of the Paul Robeson Scholar Project at Livingston College, Rutgers University.
American Book Award, 1983. Presented to Williams by the Before Columbus Foundation for "excellence in Literature."
!CLICK SONG. Boston: Houghton Mifflin (1982). First edition, in dust jacket. Signed by Williams.
Houghton Mifflin's promotional flyer for !Click Song.
!CLICK SONG. Boston: Houghton Mifflin (1982). First edition, proof copy.
!CLICK SONG. Original typescript, with author's corrections and additions. Uncollated sheets.
Contact sheet (clipped) of five original photographs of Williams with his son Adam, Teaneck, N.J. (1975).
Original typescript of collaborative effort by Williams and his wife, Lori. (1979)
Promotional photograph showing the cast of "The Sophisticated Gents" (1981).
Advertising brochure for the television drama "The Sophisticated Gents" (1981), adapted from The Junior Bachelor Society.
O'CONNOR, John J. "TV: Blacks on Way Up in "Sophisticated Gents," offprint from the New York Times. 29 September 1981
THE JUNIOR BACHELOR SOCIETY. Original typescript, with author's corrections and additions. Uncollated sheets.
THE JUNIOR BACHELOR SOCIETY. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday (1976). First edition.
THE JUNIOR BACHELOR SOCIETY. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday (1976). First edition, uncorrected proof copy.
MOTHERSILL AND THE FOXES. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday (1975). First edition.
MINORITIES IN THE CITY. New York: Harper and Row (1975). Signed by Williams, original wrappers.
FLASHBACKS: A TWENTY-YEAR DIARY OF ARTICLE WRITING. Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Press/Doubleday (1973). First edition.
LP RECORD. Special radio programming material for Captain Blackman, featuring Williams. Released by Garrison Systems Radio Network. Undated (1972?).
CAPTAIN BLACKMAN. New York: Bantam Books (1974). First paperback edition.
CAPTAIN BLACKMAN. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday (1972). First edition.
CAPTAIN BLACKMAN. Original typescript with the author's corrections and additions.
WRIGHT, Richard. Carbon typescript of "Blueprint for Negro Literature" (1937).
AMISTAD 2. Co-edited with Charles F. Harris. New York: Random House (1971). First edition, copy proof.
AMISTAD 1. Co-edited with Charles F. Harris. New York: Random House (1970). First edition. Cover art by Romare Bearden
AMISTAD 1. Co-edited with Charles F. Harris. New York: Random House (1970). First edition, copy proof.
REED, Ishmael. Mumbo Jumbo. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday (1972). First edition, signed by Reed.
REED, Ishmael. Typed letter, signed. 24 September 1975.
![HUGHES, Langston. Original telegram, to Williams. [1965].](https://rbscpexhibits.lib.rochester.edu/files/fullsize/d1bf62d5ac19c41c7f6f6caccae3ab08.jpg "HUGHES, Langston. Original telegram, to Williams. [1965].")
HUGHES, Langston. Original telegram, to Williams. [1965].
ROTH, Henry. Typed letter signed. 25 July 1966.