Shirley Whitney Kerr Collection of Jane Merchant Material
This collection contains correspondence, magazine and newspaper articles, notes, and objects all concerning Jane Merchant that Shirley Whitney Kerr collected and kept over the years she knew Merchant and after Merchant's death in 1972.
Dates
- 1950-2000
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
1 Linear Feet (19 folders)
Abstract
This collection contains correspondence, magazine and newspaper articles, notes, and objects all concerning Jane Merchant that Shirley Whitney Kerr collected and kept over the years she knew Merchant and after Merchant's death in 1972.
Biographical/Historical Note
Jane Hess Merchant was born in 1919 in Inskip, Tennessee. She was confined to her bed at the age of twelve from the congenital bone disease Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which also caused her to go deaf at the age of twenty-three. From her bedroom, Merchant was able to write more than 3,000 poems, more than 2,000 letters, dozens of prose pieces, and to publish ten collections of her poetry. In addition to her published works, she also maintained continual correspondence with friends and fans throughout her life. Merchant died in 1972.
Shirley Whitney Kerr, born in 1917, attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and worked in the library. She corresponded with and became friends with Merchant.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository