Ida Cullen Cooper papers

The Ida Cullen Cooper papers date from 1928 to 1986 and consist mainly of materials that reflect Cooper's marriage to poet Countee Cullen late in his life and Cooper's efforts to promote his legacy following the poet's death. A smaller amount of material reflects Cooper's own personal life, including items related to her interest in African American and African art. This collection contains correspondence, photographs, new clippings, invitations and programs, publications, financial records, printed ephemera, and audiovisual material. The collection is divided into three series. The first reflects Ida Cullen Cooper's personal and family life, while the second concerns Cooper's efforts to promote Countee Cullen's legacy. The third contains audio recordings, mainly of interviews with Ida Cullen Cooper reflecting on her life with Countee Cullen. Correspondents of note include: Benny Andrews, Maya Angelou, Houston A. Baker, Romare Bearden, Arna Bontemps, Sterling A. Brown, Dick Campbell, Robert Cooper, Charles Cullen, Countee Cullen, Ruby Dee, Owen Dodson, Ormand Drake, David Driskell, Michel Fabre, Donald Gallup, Don and Vilma Harrington, Vivian Hewitt, Eva Jessye, Charles S. Johnson, Clifton H. Johnson, Vernon Jordan, , Richard Long, Charles B. Rangel, James R. Rhone, Sonia Sanchez, Carl Van Vechten, Hale Woodruff, Andrew Young, and representatives of Broadside Press, Harper & Row, and Leah Salisbury, Inc. A partial correspondence index is available.