Anne Romaine Collection
Contained within this collection is the research material gathered by Anne Romaine for her uncompleted official biography of Alex Haley. Alex Haley, best known for his book Roots, was also the prolific author of magazine articles. Many of his articles can be found in Box One, Folders 15, 19, 31, 32, and 56. Box Three contains several of the interviews Haley had with people. (Folders 1-5, 8). There are also the newspaper articles following the events in Haley's life and career (Box Four, Folders 5-8). Extensive material within the collection relates to the various lawsuits filed against Haley by other authors. Also within the collection are transcriptions of various interviews on Haley conducted by Anne Romaine. In the collection is also information about Anne Romaine herself (Box One, Folder 49; Box Two Folder 12, 18).
Dates
- 1958-1995
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
5.5 Linear Feet (6 boxes [5 record, 1 half])
Abstract
Anne Romaine was the official biographer of Alex Haley. The collection consists of her research material gathered for the never-completed biography.
Biographical/Historical Note
Anne Romaine was a Southern folksinger, author, activist, and historian. Born Dorothy Anne Cooke in 1942 in Atlanta, Georgia, she grew up in North Carolina and attended Queen's College in Charlotte. Following time spent in Mexico on mission work, she returned to the United States and earned her masters degree in history from the University of Virginia. It was here she met civil rights activist Howard Romaine, whom she married in 1965. The couple relocated to Atlanta and had one daughter together, Rita Marie. Romaine later worked at the Alex Haley House in Henning, Tenn. During this time she met Haley and began working on his biography. Additionally she served as cofounder, along with Bernice Johnson Reagon, of the Southern Folk Cultural Revival Project. Romaine died in 1995 after complications with a ruptured appendix.
Arrangement
Collection consists of six boxes divided into two series; Series I: Subject Files and Series II: Lawsuits Arising from Roots. Series I contains 26 sub-series; Sub-Series 1: Agreements, Sub-Series II: Airline Tickets, Sub-Series III: Articles, Sub-Series IV: Biography, Sub-Series V: Book, Sub-Series VI: Brochures/Promotional Material, Sub-Series VII: Chapters from Books, Research, Sub-Series VIII: Flyers, Sub-Series IX: History and Index, Sub-Series X: Interviews, Sub-Series XI: Haley Book Interviews, Sub-series XII: Letters, Sub-Series XIII: Lists, Sub-Series XIV: Magazine, Sub-Series XV: Memorandum, Sub-Series XVI: Misc. Research, Sub-Series XVII: Newsletters, Sub-series XVIII: Notes, Sub-Series XIX: Oral History Research, Sub-Series XX: Pamphlets, Photographs, and Proposals, Sub-Series XXI: Receipts, Resumes, and Reviews, Sub-Series XXII: Slides, Sub-Series XXIII: Statements and Speeches, Sub-Series XXIV: Travel, Sub-Series XXV: Tribute, and Sub-Series XXVI: Working Report.
Acquisition Note
The Special Collections Library purchased this collection in 1993.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository