Jeffrey Knapp collection

Identity elements

Name and location of repository

Level of description

Collection

Title

Jeffrey Knapp collection

Date(s)

  • 1926-2016 (Creation)

Extent

4.46 linear feet (2 record storage boxes and 2 flat archival boxes)

Name of creator

Knapp, Jeffrey
(1949-2010)

Biographical history

Jeffrey Knapp (March 2, 1949 - February 17, 2010), born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, was a poet, artist, translator, and art-collector based in Miami-Dade. He was responsible for multiple projects that sought to engage Miami-Dade's larger community, especially its school population, to get involved with producing and consuming poetry. One of his major initiatives was the Florida's Poetry in the Schools program, which allowed children across Miami-Dade to experiment with poetry and see it published. He was also part of the itinerant project "Bicycle Poets," aimed at sharing poetry beyond Miami-Dade and across the state of Florida. He was also responsible for and the editor of the Dial-a-Poem project. Additionally, he served on the board of directors of Tigertail Productions, a pioneering organization dedicated to fostering visual, performing, and literary arts in Miami.

He was a faculty member of Florida International University starting in 1989 and later occupied several administrative positions. A prolific and professional writer, he presented his works at a number of international conferences, receiving many prizes in recognition of his work as a writer and instructor. His poems were also published in many well-known journals, including the Boston Review of the Arts.

He passed away at home, after a years-long battle against cancer, leaving his wife and his two daughters, his daughters Ariel Knapp and Astra Schwartz Dorf. He was married to Dina Knapp, a visual artist with whom he co-authored a number of fine-arts works, as well as Jewish heritage.

–Vanessa Rodrigues Barcelos da Silva
Graduate Student Assistant for Manuscripts and Archives Management, Summer 2025

Sources:

(1) Obituary - https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/herald/name/jeffrey-knapp-obituary?id=13275297
(2) Tigertail Productions - https://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/article161396893.html

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

This collection contains typed manuscripts, drafts, poems, periodicals, publications, correspondence, news clippings, photographs, slides, negatives, VHS tapes, audiocassette tapes, CDs and other archival materials from the local South Floridian poet, Jeffrey Knapp (1949-2010). Also included in the collection are photographs and research materials on the South Floridian artist, Betti Bernay (also known as Betty Godlfarb; 1926-2010).

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

The collection is open for research.

Physical access

Items from this collection are kept on-campus and may be requested from the first floor Kislak Center in the Otto G. Richter Library at University of Miami.

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

Requests to reproduce or publish materials from this collection should be directed to asc.library@miami.edu.

Languages of the material

  • English

Scripts of the material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

Finding aids

Acquisition and appraisal elements

Custodial history

Immediate source of acquisition

This collection was purchased from Kevin Arrow, 09-05-24.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

Accruals

Related materials elements

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related archival materials

The following for books were added to the Special Collections bibliographic catalog and may be requested at the Kislak Center:

  • I'm the One with the Blue Cap on by Jeffrey Knapp, 2011
  • Haitiad & Oddities by Félix Morisseau-Leroy, 1991
  • Re:Creation by Nick Giovanni, 1970
  • Dread: The Rastafarians of Jamaica by Joseph Owens, 1976

Related descriptions

Notes element

Specialized notes

Alternative identifier(s)

Description control element

Rules or conventions

Sources used

Archivist's note

Collection processed by Yvette Yurubi, Processing Archivist, 10-25-24.

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