Contribute to Manuscript Collections

The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center collects original manuscripts in all formats, including personal papers, organizational records, and other historical materials.  These collections support the research and teaching programs of the University of Chicago and the interests of scholars and researchers who consult the collections. Special Collections welcomes inquiries regarding donations to strengthen and enhance the manuscript holdings.

Areas of Interest for the Manuscript Collections

• Early history of Kentucky and the Ohio River valley
• Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Civil War era
• American civil rights in the 20th century
• Poetry magazine and modern poetry
• Post-World War II atomic scientists political organizations
• Cold War intellectual politics and world constitutionalism
• Native American education and community organization
• Modern commercial printing
• Chicago labor and social reform
• Chicago medical history
• Chicago jazz
• History of Chicago's Hyde Park, Kenwood, and Woodlawn neighborhoods

Materials of Interest

• Letters and memoranda
• Diaries, journals, and notes
• Legal documents
• Minutes, ledgers, and other administrative records
• Drafts and manuscripts of essays and writings
• Speeches, lectures, and addresses
• Photographs
• Albums and scrapbooks
• Drawings, prints, posters, and maps
• Brochures, pamphlets, and ephemeral publications
• Film, audio and video recordings
• Memorabilia and artifacts

Arranging a Gift of Manuscripts or Historical Materials

Please contact the Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center to discuss a possible donation of manuscripts or historical materials.

Contact Information:
Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center
University of Chicago Library
Chicago, Illinois 60637
universityarchives@lib.uchicago.edu
773-702-8705