The Elizabeth Wright collection predominantly contains materials relating to Richard Wagner and family members. The materials cover a wide range, including memorabilia, such as a Wagner-themed card game and a ceramic plaque of Richard Wagner, an original note by Siegfried Wagner and facsimiles of letters by Wagner, original photographs of Wagner family members as well as facsimiles and prints of Richard Wagner and others, original advertisements and programs of Wagner's operas, a radio transcript and a typescript about Wagner's composition and staging, and a series of prints depicting scenes from Wagner's operas.
There are also several items not related to Wagner. These are a letter from W. Somerset Maugham, an autographed print of mezzo-soprano Mariana Paunova, and prints of other composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, Liszt, and Richter.
The A. Curtis Wilgus Papers document the pioneering efforts by historian and author A. Curtis Wilgus (1898-1981) in the area of Latin American studies and the emergence of "Pan Americanism." The correspondence, writings, research files, photographs and other materials also document the evolution of a trend in higher education during the 1920's and the 1970's, an increase in global awareness reflected in the introduction of "area studies" programs at many universities.
The Joseph Auslander and Audrey Wurdemann Collection consists predominantly of correspondence, programs, and scripts relating to their involvement with the CBS radio program Housewives' Protective League. The Housewives' Protectice League, airing from 1948 to 1962, was a daily CBS radio feature which explored a variety of issues from childrearing and health to fidelity and marriage troubles. The letters are either from publishers confirming the Auslander's permission to review or discuss their books on air, or from CBS executives discussing their scripts. Included also are several scripts not by Auslander or Wurdemann, and an untitled typescript. Finally, the collection contains a leasing agreement from the Auslanders for a house in New York City. several periodicals, 15 research notebooks, and 28 photographs (with French inscriptions) depicting trench warfare in Belgium during World War I.
The R. A. Cushman Papers contain the following items: (1) a U.S. flag, and letters from Arthur R. De Reyes, from the American Expeditionary Forces, to his mother written in 1917 and 1918; (2) three photographic prints from the U.S. Signal Corps; (3) 46 folders of reports, essays, transcripts, bibliographies, and pamphlets largely concerned with American foreign policy, touching on topics such as foreign trade, foreign concessions, foreign aid, U.S. exports, foreign banking, and immigration.
The Florida Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) Records document activities at the University of Miami in the Rare Books Project, a statewide effort initiated by the W.P.A. in 1940 to provide every library in the state with copies of rare books pertaining to Florida.
The Florida W.P.A. Records contain correspondence and transcribed copies of 13 monographs prepared by W.P.A. personnel. Most of the typewritten manuscripts bear the name of the W.P.A. worker that transcribed the monograph, along with information on the source library or sponsor. Some books that are represented in this collection may have been given to the University of Miami Library by the source library in exchange for books the University made available to the Rare Books Project. The collection includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, bibliographies, reports, transcripts, and public records.
The records include course descriptions, class schedules, enrollment reports, ground school records, materials related to civilian pilot training, Aeronautic Board War Training Services, Pan American Airways, Inc. Navigation Section, U.S. Naval Airways Navigation School, U.S. Naval Flight Preparation School, and transcripts.
The Clark Mixon Emery papers consists of materials regarding the 20th century modernist expatriate American poet Ezra Pound (1885-1972).
A total of 53 letters and postcards by Ezra Pound addressed mostly to Emery written from September 4th, 1951 to August 1st, 1959 are held in this collection, predominantly written during Pound's stay in the St. Elizabeth Hospital where he was treated for mental illness until 1958. Some letters by his wife Dorothy are included as well. Most of the letters are typed, and about half are signed. Many of the letters concern Emery's work on his 1958 monograph Ideas Into Action; A Study of Pound's Cantos. In others Pound writes about his complacency in the hospital and his eagerness to depart, and discusses the work of Emery's student Ronald Perry. In addition to the letters the envelopes are preserved as well. Photocopies of the letters and envelopes are included in the collection.
Other correspondence held in the collection concerns Ezra Pound and his Cantos. These include letters from Pound's daughter, Mary de Rachewitz, to Emery; letters from Sheri Martinelli and Ronald Perry, also 20th century American poets, to Emery; a letter from Walton Brooks McDaniel, former teacher and friend of Pound, to Archie McNeal, former university librarian of the University of Miami Libraries, regarding Emery's work on Pound; and photocopies of other letters by Pound not addressed to Emery. Some of Ronald Perry's poetry, and two photographs of Sherri Martinelli's paintings of Ezra Pound, are included as well.
The other materials in the collection are as follows: essays by and about Pound from the 1950s; transcripts of broadcasts by Pound from December 7, 1941 to June 28, 1942; The Analyst, "A Guide to Ezra's Cantos"; a January 1948 issue of "Four Pages," regarding Pound's poetry; an "Ezra Pound for President" pamphlet; The Pound newsletter #1-10 from January 1954 to April 1956; Strike periodical #1-3, #5-6, #8-10 from June 1955 to June 1956; Amagogic & Paideuminic Review #5-6 and an October 1959 issue; a 1952 typescript titled "Die Pisaner Gesänge" by Rainer M. Gerhardt; and other periodicals, newspapers, and clippings.
Thomas J. Wood was professor of government at the University of Miami. The Wood Papers document the move to consolidate the city of Miami and Dade county governments. Legislation introduced in 1945 represented the first effort to combine local governments and alleviate conflicts and confusion resulting from overlapping city and county functions. The various municipalities, however, opposed the bill. Although a similar effort was made in 1947, no change occurred until 1953 when the Metropolitan Miami Municipal Board organized to draft a new plan for municipal and county government in Dade County. As the Board's initial step, it hired the University of Miami Government Department to supervise a survey of Greater Miami governments. The university contracted a firm of professional government consultants, the Public Administration Service of Chicago, to begin research. Members of the Government Department reviewed the findings and reported to the 3M board. A special Charter Board of the 3M board drafted a charter and legislation to reorganize local government and initiated a campaign to promote metro government.
The Wood papers include political advertisements, correspondence, minutes of meetings, clippings, transcripts of radio broadcasts, survey forms and government reports.
The Richard Forbes Papers contains research documents for Richard Forbes's 1984 University of Miami dissertation titled Arya Samaj in Trinidad: An Historical Study of Hindu Organizational Process in Acculturative Conditions. The description of the dissertation is as follows: "Arya Samaj is a democratic Hindu reform movement founded in 1875. Though reflecting Western and Christian methods, it aims to revive ancient Vedic ideals. Brought to Trinidad after 1910 by Indian Missionaries, the Samaj spearheaded a Hindu renaissance and socio-religious reforms while also provoking an orthodox counter-reformation in the 1930s. While retarding assimilation of Hindus into the dominant Trinidad culture, the Samaj promoted inter-communal dialogue and was an effective and unified pressure group. Yet, despite emphasis on constitutional rule, the "Aryas" eventually suffered the same factionalism as other Hindus. Differential acculturation between competing groups within the movement was found to be the immediate source of conflict. Opposing factions differed significantly in their members' average educational level, exposure to Christianity, proximity to urban centers and acceptance of secular values."
Contained in the collection are a number of audio cassettes (and corresponding transcripts) of interviews with members of the Arya-Samaj, articles, typescripts, manuscripts, notebooks, reports, bibliographies, pamphlets, and photocopies.
The majority of the collection consists of official publications documenting a variety of facets of Perón's political career, including his involvement in the 1943-1946 military government, his first two presidential terms (1946-1955) and his third (1973-1974). Most of these official publications are reports on his policies and political activities, his own writings, or transcripts of speeches. Several of these record conjoined efforts by Perón and Eva, his well-known first wife, as well as with Chilean president Carlos Ibáñez Del Campo.
Also contained in the collection are pamphlets and other materials which treat Peronism (or Justicialism) and its critics; two series of satirical pro-Peronist periodicals called "Alpargatas Humorísticas" (6 issues) and "Descamisada" (31 issues); 8 postcards which depict aspects of Eva Perón's social work; two paper masks of Juan Domingo Perón and Eva Perón; two autographed photographs of Juan Domingo Perón and Eva Perón; and other ephemera.
