Research Subjects

This collection contains background research conducted by author Dick Russell for his book Black Genius which examines the historical contributions made by African Americans. Boxes 1-3 contains folders on research subjects such as Louis Armstrong, James Baldwin, and Frederick Douglass. The folders comprise of newspaper clippings, notes, interview transcriptions, and reference copies of books and articles. Some folders also feature research about additional people not named in the folder title. Box 3 contains extensive research on the topic of racism. Boxes 4-5 contain notes on the book, outline, contact information for interviewees, contracts, photographs, correspondences, and first and final drafts. Boxes 5-6 consist of audio recordings of interviews with research subjects or with people familiar with them conducted by Dick Russell. Many interviews feature transcriptions available in the folder corresponding to the research subject. In most cases, full interviews are not on the same cassette and may be split between at most 4 cassette tapes. Box 6 contains two VHS tapes “As I Remember It: A Portrait of Dorothy West” and “James Baldwin Memorial.” Audio recordings of interviews with research subjects or with people familiar with them conducted by Dick Russell and two VHS tapes are filed under the research subject. The following thirteen audio recordings could not be sorted by research subject: Alejandro, Mildred Baker, Charles Breed, Dr. Allen Counter, Charles Davidson, Chuck Hayes, Dr. Helen Johnson, Koerner Ray Glover Concert, Neighborhood Tour, Richard Newman, Jim Rothstein, Peter Seeger, and Michael Uorenbers. All dates prior to the 1990's are photocopies of original documents.