Seamus Cooney Black Sparrow Press Collection
This collection of Black Sparrow Press books, broadsides, manuscripts, and
ephemera was purchased from Seamus Cooney, Professor of English at Western Michigan
University. Professor Cooney was an editor for the Black Sparrow Press from 1969
until 2003 when the press shut down. Professor Cooney primarily edited the works
of Charles Bukowski and Charles Reznikoff.
The Black Sparrow Press was a small but distinguished Californian fine press
started by John Martin in 1966 and lasted until 2003 when the press shut down.
This collection includes of a variety of materials: the manuscripts from the
works Professor Cooney edited, along with the proofs, corrections, and of course
the final printed version of the book. Due to Cooney's long-standing relationship
with the Press, Special Collections has an almost complete archive of the press'
published works from 1966 to 2003. Every title from the Black Sparrow Press was
issued in four different states: a paper bound trade edition, a hard bound trade
edition, a limited edition signed by the author and/or illustrator, and an edition
hand bound with an original piece of artwork or poem in the hand of the author.
WMU Special Collections holds one of every state of each title the Black Sparrow
Press printed.
The books in this collection consist mainly of poetry and prose by writers
such as: Wanda Coleman, Edward Dorn, William Everson, John Fante, Robert Kelly,
Lyn Lifshin, Eve Shelnutt, Janine Pommy Vega, John Yau, and Diane Wakoski.
Finding Aid: Seamus Cooney Black Sparrow Press Collection
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