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Special Collections University of Delaware Library 181 South College Avenue Newark, DE 19717-5267 USA (302) 831-2229
Charles Henri Ford Letters to Ted Joans
1964 - 1987
(bulk dates 1964-1965, 1975-1987)
Manuscript Collection Number 292
Accessioned: Purchase, 1993.
Extent: 55 items (.1 linear ft.)
Content: Letters, posters, brochures, announcements, clippings, and poems.
Access: The collection is open for research.
Processed: January 1994 by Anita A. Wellner.
Biographical Notes
Charles Henri Ford
Poet, artist, filmmaker, and editor, Charles Henri Ford was born on February 10, 1913, in
Brookhaven, Mississippi. In 1929, having dropped out of high school, Ford began his literary career as co-editor, with Parker Tyler, of Blues: a magazine of new rhythms (1929-1930).
Published in Columbus, Mississippi, this literary magazine showcased the new schools of modern art and literature, publishing such contemporary writers as Gertrude Stein, William
Carlos Williams, Erskine Caldwell, Ezra Pound, and e. e. cummings.
By 1931 Charles Henri Ford had left the United States for France, the beginning of his world travels. During his first few years abroad, Ford wrote his only novel, the classic The
Young and the Evil (Obelisk, 1933). Since that time, Ford has lived in Morocco, Italy, France,
Crete, and New York City; and his poetry, films, and artwork have reflected his international travels and multicultural experiences.
From 1940 until 1947, Ford was editor and publisher of both the little magazine View and
View editions. Published in New York, View featured the works of avant-garde American and
European artists and writers, especially the surrealist artists.
View, recognized as one of the most important little magazines of the 1940s, bore covers designed by such artists are Man Ray, René Magritte, Marcel Duchamp, and Alexander Calder, and contained the prose, fiction, critical essays, stories, and art of Wallace Stevens, Edouard
Roditi, Max Ernst, Lincoln Kirstein, William Carlos Williams, Paul Bowles, James T. Farrell,
Marc Chagall, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus.
In addition to his editorial achievements, Charles Henri Ford is a recognized poet and an accomplished artist. Since his first book of poetry, A Pamphlet of Sonnets (Caravel Press, 1936), more than fifteen collections of his poems have been published, including his latest volume Out
of the Labyrinth: selected poems (City Lights, 1991). Ford, whose poetry reflects his fascination with words and his ability to interconnect them in imaginative ways, is regarded as America's first surrealist poet.
Charles Henri Ford is also a graphic artist, filmmaker and photographer. His photography, paintings, and drawings have been exhibited in London, Paris, and New York.
Frequently Ford's exhibitions have included collaborations with international craftsmen. For example, "The Kathmandu Experience" (New York Cultural Center, 1975) included sculptures in wood, embroideries in silk and appliques, all executed by Nepalese craftsmen from Ford's original designs; and his "An Operation Minotaur Manifestation" (The October Gallery, 1976) included the collages of Nepalese artists, Reepak Shakya and Indra Tamang.
Ford's motion pictures include Poem Posters (1966), which received the Fourth
International Avant-Garde Film Festival Award in 1966, and Johnny Minotaur (1972).
Recently, Ford has continued to write and explore artistic expression in a variety of formats, while dividing his time among residences in Paris, France; Xania, Crete; and New York
City.
Ted Joans
African-American poet, jazz musician, and surrealist painter Ted Joans was born July 4,
1938, in Cairo, Illinois. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Indiana University in
1951.
Through his associations with Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, in Greenwich Village during the 1950s, Ted Joans has been identified as part of the Beat generation. In 1957, his first book of poetry, Beat Poems, was published by Deretchin, which also published his Funky Jazz
Poems in 1959.
In the 1960s Joans became an expatriate, traveling the world, and later settling in Tangier,
Morocco. Continuing to paint and write poetry, Joans has supported himself primarily through the sale of African artwork, which he has collected during his travels in Africa. Some of his
African experiences are reflected in the poems in his Afrodisia: new poems (1971).
Joans was editor for Dies und Das (1984), the first surrealist magazine published in
Germany, and has contributed to Black World, Coda Jazz Magazine, Jazz, and Presence
Africaine.
In 1989 his works-in-progress included A Black Man Guides You to Africa, Spadework: the autobiography of a hipster, Niggers in Outer Space: a black power novel, and I Black
Surrealist.
Sources:
May, Hal and Deborah A. Straub (eds.) Contemporary Authors. New Revision Series, Volume 25. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1989, pp. 237-238.
Metzger, Linda (ed.) Contemporary Authors. New Revision Series, Volume 13. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1984. pp. 191-192.
Page, James A. and Jae Min Roh. Selected Black American, African and Caribbean Authors. Littleton, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1985. p. 146.
Note: Biographical information is also derived from material in the collection.
Scope and Content Note
This collection of forty-six letters written by Charles Henri Ford to Ted Joans, dates from
1964 to 1987. In them Ford describes his extensive world travels and his varied artistic and writing projects.
Ford discusses his works-in-progress, including his collections of poetry, Spare Parts
(Horizon Press, 1966), Om Krishna II (Cherry Valley Editions, 1981), and Om Krishna III (Red
Ozier Press, 1982); and exhibitions of his work at the Cordier Edstrom Gallery (New York,
1965), the Robert Samuel Gallery (New York, 1980), and The October Gallery (New York,
1984).
Charles Henri Ford also mentions other projects, such as filming Johnny Minotaur, compiling Blues 10, editing on a new edition of his only novel, The Young and the Evil, and composing a book titled Double Exposures. Ford also apprises Joans of his travels and their mutual friends, mentions fellow poets Allen Ginsberg and Harold Norse, and conveys information and greetings from his companion, Nepalese collagist and photographer Indra
Tamang.
The versos of some of the letters bear photocopies of collages (including images of Ford), an invitation to a party celebrating the publication of Om Krishna II, a review of Ford's film
Johnny Minotaur, an article describing a New York party hosted by Ford, haikus written by Ford, a page from a play, and articles about Ford.
Envelopes occasionally bear block prints or pasted on cutouts and cartoons which form mini collages.
In addition to Ford's letters, this collection includes two notes from Ted Joans to Ford, one of which includes a poem written by Joans and dedicated to Ford. There are also several notes from Indra Tamang (enclosed in Ford's letters), a photocopied collage by Nepalese artist
Reepak Shakya, two notes from Ruth Ford (Charles Henri Ford's sister) to Joans, and brochures for Ford's film, Johnny Minotaur, and a Paris museum.
The collection also includes a poster for Ford's exhibition, "Layouts and Camouflages," at the Robert Samuel Gallery (New York, 1980).
The letters are arranged in chronological order.
Other Collections Containing Material Related to Charles Henri Ford:
Ms 110 Archive of Pagany Ms 294 Charles Henri Ford Archive Relating to Om Krishna II Ford to Joans - 8 Folder Contents F1 1964-1965
1964 Apr 10 ACS 1p Apr 23 ACS 1p Jun 27 ACS 1p Sep 24 ALS 1p Oct 8 TLS 1p 1965 Feb 1 ACS 1p Jun 8 ACS 1p Nov 27 ALS 1p
F2 1971-1976
1971 Feb 15 ALS 1p Note: With ACS to Joans from Ford's sister Ruth. 1972 Sep 5 ALS 1p 1975 Feb 3 ACS 1p Dec 12 ACS 1p 1976 Jan 20 ALS 1p May 17 ACS 1p Jul 6 ACS 1p Sep 4 ACS 1p
F3 1978-1980
1978 Jul 1 ALS 2p Dec 2 TLS 2p 1979 Oct 7 ACS 1p [1980 Jan 23] ACS 1p 1980 Feb 8 ALS 1p Note: Enclosed is photocopy and ANS from Indra Tamang. Apr 15 ALS 2p Jun 14 ANS 1p
F4 1981-1982
1981 Aug 12 TCS 1p 1982 Apr 13 ALS 1p Apr 24 TLS 1p Note: Verso bears photocopy haiku by Ford and the autograph note: "artist's proof for Ted Joans chf." Also includes a photocopy of a three line haiku. Sep 1 TLS 1p Sep 17 ALS 1p Dec 10 ANS 1p Note: With ANS from Indra and list of mail forwarded to Joans and Alicia Ford to Joans - 9 Folder Contents Fritchle. Dec 31 ANS 1p Note: Ford's brief note is on an ANS from Indra to Joans listing forwarded mail. Addressed to Joans and Alicia Fritchle.
Ford to Joans - 10 Folder Contents F5 1983-1984
1983 Jun 28 ACS 1p Note: With ANS by Indra Tamang. Sep 13 ACS 1p Oct 3 ANS 1p Note: On tear sheet from a Black Swan Press booklist. Oct 31 ALS 1p 1984 Dec 21 ACS 1p
F6 1985 Includes a poem written by Joans and dedicated to Ford, with a TN from Joans.
1985 Feb 16 ACS 1p Mar 12 ACS 1p Mar 20 ACS 1p Jul 2 ACS 1p Aug 20 ALS 1p Oct 18 ACS 1p Oct 31 ACS 1p
F7 1986-1987 Includes autograph note from Joans to Ford.
1986 Jan 20 ALS 2p Mar 17 ACS 1p Aug 12 ALS 1p Oct 1 ALS 1p Dec [7] Printed card 1p 1987 Jun 21 ANS 1p Note: Envelope bears AN possibly by Joans. Jul 7 ALS 1p Note: Verso bears photocopy collage by Reepak.
F8 [n.d.] Includes an ACS from Ruth Ford to Joans, brochures for Johnny Minotaur and the Musée de L'Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, a clipping, and two envelopes.