James Kilgo papers

James Kilgo papers

Descriptive Summary

Title: James Kilgo papers
Creator: Kilgo, James, 1941-2002
Inclusive Dates: 1977-2010
Language(s): English
Extent: 9 Linear Feet (9 boxes)
Collection Number: ms3893
Repository: Hargrett Library

Collection Description

Historical Note

James Kilgo was an essayist and novelist whose work focused on the topics of hunting, nature, family, and personal introspection. He grew up in Darlington, South Carolina, the son of John and Caroline Kilgo. He completed his undergraduate studies at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina and earned his M. A. and Ph. D. from Tulane University in New Orleans. In 1967 he joined the faculty of the University of Georgia where he received much recognition for his teaching, including five Outstanding Honors Professor Awards and the Honoratus Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Kilgo's first book of essays Deep Enough for Ivorybills (1988) explores his hobby of hunting as a springboard for discusssing his experiences with nature. His second book of essays, Inheritance of Horses (1994) focuses on his connection to nature as it relates to his family life. Kilgo's first novel, Daughter of My People (1998), inspired by his own family history, brought him to national attention and earned him the Townsend Prize for Fiction. His final book, The Colors of Africa (2003) is a narrative of a hunting trip to Africa in 2000. Other works include The Blue Wall: Wilderness of the Carolinas and Georgia (1996), his memoir The Hand-Carved Creche and Other Christmas Stories (1999), and his contributions to Ossabaw: Evocations of an Island (2004). Kilgo passed away in 2002 at the age of 61, and was posthumously inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame in 2011.

Scope and Content

The collection consists primarily of drafts of James Kilgo's work, including early workings of essays from Deep Enough for Ivorybills (sometimes under working title "River Swamp"), as well as his books, Daughter of My People and The Colors of Africa. Other materials include essays, family research, Ossabaw Island research, correspondence, and handwritten notes for writing concepts.The correspondence spans several decades and includes letters from fellow Southern writers Mary Hood and Larry Brown as well as Judith Ortiz Cofer.


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

James Kilgo papers, ms3893, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries.


Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms


Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 
boxfolder
11Early essays
 
15Grandfather
 
110Correspondence
 
boxfolder
512Correspondence
 
boxfolder
81-13Correspondence, 1977-2001
 
814Correspondence, undated
 
boxfolder
111Deep Enough for Ivorybills drafts
 
boxfolder
95Deep Enough for Ivorybills draft, 1987
 
boxfolder
12-4Deep Enough For Ivorybills draft
 
16-9Deep Enough for Ivorybills, selected essays
 
112Riverswamp draft, 1987
 
113River Swamp
 
114-17River Swamp, selected essays
 
boxfolder
21-2River Swamp, selected essays
 
23Daughter of My People, proposal to Humanities Center Fellowship
 
24Daughter of My People synopsis
 
25-12Daughters of My People, draft
 
213-15Daughter of My People, notes
 
boxfolder
31-3Daughter of My People, notes
 
boxfolder
824-25Daughter of My People draft
 
boxfolder
91Daughter of My People first draft, version 3, annotated , 1997
 
93Daughter of My People synopsis
 
94Daughter of My People report by Charles East
 
boxfolder
34-5The Hand-Carved Creche and Other Christmas stories, drafts
 
36-12Colors of Africa, draft
 
313Colors of Africa notes
 
boxfolder
41Colors of Africa notes
 
42-3Colors of Africa, draft
 
boxfolder
823Colors of Africa proof, 2002
 
boxfolder
44-5African hunting and conservation research
 
46Africa Journal , 2000
 
47"That Blood" a story on the inspiration for Daughter of My People
 
48Letter to Susan Aiken about Daughter of My People
 
49Family history
 
410Susan Aiken letter and articles
 
411Essays
 
412-13Professor portfolio
 
414Tidewater Heritage, New Georgia Guide, 1995
 
415New Georgia Guide writings
 
416"The Coast" New Georgia Guide, 1996
 
boxfolder
51"The Bite of Mountain Corn"
 
52The Ressurection of George T. Sutton
 
53Early essays
 
boxfolder
822"The Art of Grainger McKoy" drafts, 1992-1993
 
boxfolder
54"Grainger McKoy"
 
boxfolder
96-9Inheritance of Horses annotated drafts
 
boxfolder
55"The Earth is the Lord's but He's Giving it to the Meek"
 
56"Letters to Fathers"
 
57Pipe Creek
 
58Ossabaw writings
 
59-10Ossabaw research
 
511Ossabaw photographic prints
 
513Master's thesis
 
514-15Assorted essays
 
516Dissertation prospectus
 
517James Kilgo photograph (photocopies), 1998
 
518Notes and handwritten drafts
 
boxfolder
815Application for Sandy Beaver Teaching Award
 
816Application to the Fellowship Program at the National Humanities Center
 
817Blue Marlin release certificate, 1992
 
818Clippings - articles by James Kilgo, 1988, 1992, 1999, undated
 
819Clippings - regarding James Kilgo, 1994, 1998, undated
 
820-21Writing - short drafts
 
box
6Notepads and drafts
 
box
7Notebooks

Special Collections Libraries
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-1641