Erma D. Banks Collection (MC 278)

Biographical Sketch

Erma Davis Banks received her BSLS from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida in 1967 and received her MLS from Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970. In 1979, Banks became a member of the faculty at the Columbus State University as a Reference Librarian. Banks was an accomplished writer and Associate Professor, as well as Head of the Reference and Documents Department at Columbus State University-Simon Schwob Library.

Scope and Content

The Erma D. Banks Papers consists of 3 linear feet of material which documents the life and career of the South Georgian teacher and writer. The collection contains a wide range of materials from her early teachings in 1984 of library research techniques at Columbus State University-Simon Schwob Library to her collaboration in 1986, with colleague and friend Keith Byerman on the Alice Walker project.

It was during this time that Garland Publishing Company expressed an interest in the Alice Walker project. The completed work consists of 1000 citations by and about Alice Walker from a wide variety of sources. Materials in the Erma D. Banks Papers are arranged in three series:

Series I - Professional Correspondence, Biographical Files and Manuscripts, comprises one linear foot of materials which highlight the process and the bulk of Banks' research. Included are correspondence between Banks' and co-author and friend Keith Byerman, as well as correspondence between Banks and her publisher Garland Publishing Company. Also of particular interest are her initial attempts with other publishing companies to publish her work, Alice Walker: An Annotated Bibliography, 1966-1986. Also included are several drafts and copies of her the book. Series II - Periodical Literature contains one linear foot of materials which highlight the research that went into the making of Bank's work. Included are Periodical Literature files ranging from topics like feminism, African American Females, short stories, poetry, and race.

Series III - Reviews and Other Periodical Literature is comprised of .3 linear feet of materials such as reviews on the works of Alice Walker as well as the Color Purple. Researchers should note that this is not a collection on Alice Walker; but rather a collection of papers by Banks and her research on Alice Walker. 1984-2000s 3 boxes (2.3 l.f.)

Permission to Publish

Permission to publish material from the Erma D. Banks Papers must be obtained from Columbus State University Archives, Simon Schwob Library. Use of the following credit line for publication or exhibit is required. Erma D. Banks Papers Columbus State University Archives Columbus, Georgia

Provenance

Donated to the Columbus State University Archives by Erma D. Banks in 2011.

Box List

Series I - Professional Correspondence, Biographical Files, and Manuscripts.

This series contains correspondence between Banks and co­author/colleague Keith Byerman, as well as correspondence between Banks and her publishers, Garland Publishing Company. In addition, biographical files, which outline Banks' path in organizing her work on Alice Walker as well as correspondence between Banks and other publishing companies. Several draft copies of Bank's manuscript on Alice Walker.

Box 1

• Folder 1 - Garland Publishing Company Correspondence
• Folder 2 - Keith Byerman Correspondence
• Folder 3 - Other Publishing Company's Correspondence
• Folder 4 - Revisions and Edited Correspondence
• Folder 5 - Printed Material-pamphlets, brochures, circulars, flyers, etc.
• Folder 6 - Book-Black American Literature Forum
• Folder 7 - Checklist Manuscript
• Folder 8 -- Revised Manuscript, 1988
• Folder 9 - Revised Manuscript
• Folder 10 - Garland Publishing Draft Manuscript (copy)
• Folder 11 - Manuscript with Original Revisions
• Folder 12 - Printed Manuscript (copy)
• Folder 13 - Printed Manuscript (Erma's copy)
• Folder 14 - Index to Manuscript and Manuscript
• Folder 15 - Miscellaneous- Computer Correspondence

Series II - Periodical Literature

Arranged by title, this series contains periodical literature of the works of Alice Walker and other literary writers. This series also contains periodicals that deal with women, race, feminism, and.other African-American female literary writers.

Box 2

• Folder 1 - Periodical Literature: Feminism
• Folder 2 - Periodical Literature: African American Female Authors
• Folder 3 - Periodical Literature: African American Female Authors
• Folder 4 - Periodical Literature: African American Female Authors
• Folder 5 - Periodical Literature: Short Stories
• Folder 6 - Periodical Literature: Short Stories
• Folder 7 - Periodical Literature: Short Stories
• Folder 8 - Periodical Literature: Poetry
• Folder 9 - Periodical Literature: Poetry
• Folder 10 -- Periodical Literature: Children
• Folder 11 -- Periodical Literature: Grange Copeland
• Folder 12 - Periodical Literature: The South and Civil Rights
• Folder 13 - Periodical Literature: Race
• Folder 14 - Periodical Literature: Alice Walker
• Folder 15 - Periodical Literature: Alice Walker
• Folder 16 - Periodical Literature: Alice Walker

Series Ill - Reviews and Other Periodicals

The final series consists of several reviews of Alice Walker's work, especially the well-known Color Purple.

Box 3

• Folder 1 - Reviews: Alice Walker
• Folder 2 - Reviews: Alice Walker
• Folder 3 - Reviews: Alice Walker
• Folder 4 - Periodical Literature: The Color Purple
• Folder 5 - Periodical Literature: The Color Purple
• Folder 6 - Periodical Literature: The Color Purple
• Folder 7 - Periodical Literature: The Color Purple
• Folder 8 - Periodical Literature: The Color Purple