Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969

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Editor, playwright, novelist.

From the description of Letters of Floyd Dell [manuscript], 1924, 1935. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647810834

Author Floyd Dell was raised in impoverished circumstances in Illinois, developing ideals under the influence of his school-teacher mother. Although a high school dropout, a combination of intelligence, talent, and will contributed to his early success writing for periodicals. His book reviews were a revelation, and led to more prestigious work. He also wrote novels and plays, and continued to contribute influential essays and opinions in Chicago and New York. A free-thinker with a Bohemian attitude, his Socialist affiliations and rejection of middle-class values impacted his private life.

From the description of Floyd Dell letters to Harry Salpeter, 1918-1919. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 56937457

American poet, novelist, playwright, newspaperman, literary editor, author of books and articles on politics, education, and social mores, and writer for the Works Progress Administration.

Born in 1887, Dell began his career as a newspaperman in Iowa and Chicago (editor and chief contributor to the Friday Literary Review). He left for a writing career in Greenwich Village of New York City, where he also became an editor for the Socialist publication, The Masses, and its successors, The Liberator and New Masses. Moving to Croton-on-Hudson in 1919, Dell completed two novels and continued to write novels, poetry, and articles on the themes of sex, love, marriage, psychoanalysis, and education. Increasingly out of the mainstream in American letters and radical politics, Dell's work had ceased selling by 1935 when he began a twelve-year career with the WPA.

From the description of Floyd Dell papers, 1908-1969. (Newberry Library). WorldCat record id: 44934825

Floyd Dell was a radical American writer. A high school drop-out whose family poverty led him to join the Socialist Party at age 16, he worked as a cub reporter for the Davenport Times and then for the Chicago Evening Post . Eventually he became editor of the latter's weekly "Literary Review" section, a position he used to promote the work of writers such as Frank Norris, Jack London, Charles Edward Russell, David Graham Phillips, Upton Sinclair, Theodore Dreiser and Stephen Crane. In 1914 he joined the editorial staff of the radical journal The Masses, recruiting authors such as Sherwood Anderson and Carl Sandburg. As a result of The Masses' public opposition to World War I, the United States government brought charges under the Espionage Act; two trials failed to convict any of the staff but The Masses was forced to cease production. Most of the staff, including Dell, went on to publish The Liberator, very similar to The Masses . In addition to his editorial work, Dell wrote plays, novels, criticism, and non-fiction and published an autobiography.

Jeannette Derby was an American radical poet. She was a frequent contributor to the bohemian periodical Pagan and her collection of poetry entitled Rigadoon was published in 1933 by Moss and Kamin (New York).

From the guide to the Floyd Dell Letters, 1919, undated, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Correspondence with Theodore Dreiser, 1911-1933. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Letter, 1922 Jan. 13, New York, to Ellen Van Volkenburg Browne, Chicago. University of Michigan
referencedIn Samson Raphaelson Papers, 1916-1982 Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Isaac Russell Papers, 1898-1927 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Letters / Floyd Dell. Dartmouth College Library
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Autograph letter signed : Croton-on-Hudson, New York, to "Dear Harry", 1922 June 20. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Letter [n.d., n.p.] to [Maurice Browne, n.p.] University of Michigan
creatorOf Lankes, Julius Bartlett, 1915-. Correspondence and papers regarding Julius J. Lankes : [multimedia], ca. 1911-1978. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Dennett, Mary Ware, 1872-1947. Papers: Series II, 1894-1948 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Manuscript and postcard. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn Erskine, John, 1879-1951. John Erskine papers, [ca. 1890]-1951. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Glaspell, Susan, 1876-1948. Papers of Susan Glaspell, 1912-1924. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Browne, Maurice, 1881-1955. Ellen Van Volkenburg-Maurice Browne general correspondence, 1911- University of Michigan
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Harry Hansen papers 1900-1970. Newberry Library
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Floyd Dell letters to Harry Salpeter, 1918-1919. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn John Reed papers, 1903-1967. Houghton Library
creatorOf Cabell, James Branch, 1879-1958. Scrapbooks of James Branch Cabell [manuscript], 1886-1958 (bulk 1904-1926). University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Gurko, Miriam. Miriam Gurko - Floyd Dell papers, 1958-1968. Newberry Library
creatorOf Tietjens, Eunice, 1884-1944. Eunice Tietjens papers, 1898-1944. Newberry Library
creatorOf Kendall, Messmore, 1872-1959,. Playscript collection, 1925-1948. Ohio State University Libraries
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Correspondence with Carl Zigrosser, 1915-1916. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Sweet-and-twenty : manuscript, [ca. 1921] Houghton Library
creatorOf Cram, Ralph W., 1869-1952. Ralph W. Cram papers, 1906-1952. Newberry Library
creatorOf Hart, John Edward, 1917-. John Hart - Floyd Dell papers, 1958-1985. Newberry Library
referencedIn Amy Lowell correspondence, 1883-1927 (inclusive), 1910-1925 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Braithwaite, William Stanley, 1878-1962. Papers, 1897-1930 Houghton Library
referencedIn Gay Wilson Allen Papers, 1801-1988 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Records of District Courts of the United States. 1685 - 2009. Criminal Case Files. 1845 - 1979. United States of America v. The Masses Publishing Company, Max Eastman, Floyd Dell, C. Merril Rogers Jr., Henry J. Glinterkamp, Arthur Young, John Reed, and Josephine Bell National Archives at New York
creatorOf Glaenzer, Richard Butler, 1876-1937. Papers of Richard B. Glaenzer [manuscript], 1885-1936. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966. Papers, 1681-1966 (bulk 1900-1960) Houghton Library
referencedIn Genevieve Taggard papers, 1881-2001, 1920-1948 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Alice Corbin Henderson Collection TXRC92-A24., 1861-1987 Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
creatorOf Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968. Papers, 1813-1968 (inclusive), 1909-1968 (bulk). Indiana Newspaper Project
referencedIn Miscellaneous papers, 1922-1976. Houghton Library
creatorOf Taggard, Genevieve, 1894-1948. Genevieve Taggard papers, 1881-2001 (bulk 1920-1948). New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Papers of Mary Ware Dennett Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Jones, Susan Wilbur, 1893-1969. Susan Wilbur Jones papers, 1906-1970. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Letter to Clifford Gessler. [Harmon-on-Hudson, NY. 1932 Jan. 26. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Floyd Dell Letters, 1919, undated Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Edmund Wilson papers, 1829-1986, 1920-1972 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Granville Hicks Papers, 1906-1980 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Letters of Floyd Dell [manuscript], 1924, 1935. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Pargellis, Stanley McCrory, 1898-1968. Papers, 1904-1968 (bulk 1941-1962). Newberry Library
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Floyd Dell papers, 1908-1969. Newberry Library
referencedIn Papers of Doris Stevens, 1884-1983 (inclusive), 1920-1960 (bulk) Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Records of District Courts of the United States. 1685 - 2009. Criminal Case Files. 1845 - 1979. United States of America v. The Masses Publishing Company, Max Eastman, Floyd Dell, C. Merril Rogers Jr., Henry J. Glinterkamp, Arthur Young, and John Reed National Archives at New York
referencedIn Carpenter, Margaret Haley. Papers of Margaret Haley Carpenter [manuscript], 1898-1985, bulk 1953-1985. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Lindsay, Vachel, 1879-1931. Papers, 1909-1919. Dartmouth College Library
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Correspondence to W. A. Swanberg, 1965. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Margery Hoffman Smith papers relating to Timberline Lodge, Oregon Archives of American Art
referencedIn Susan Wilbur Jones papers, 1873-1970 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Letter to Francelia Butler [manuscript] 1959 Dec. 19. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Arthur Davison Ficke Papers, 1865-1971 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. Runaway : a novel / Floyd Dell. Southern Illinois University, Morris Library
referencedIn Raphaelson, Samson, 1896-1983. Papers, 1916-1982. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Jones, Susan Wilbur, b. 1893. Susan Wilbur Jones papers, 1873-1970. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Witter Bynner papers, 1829-1965. Houghton Library
referencedIn Provincetown Players correspondence, 1912-1924. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Henderson, Alice Corbin, 1881-1949. Papers, 1861-1987 (bulk 1920-1949). Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
referencedIn Jessie Tarbox Beals Photograph Collection, [1900-1940] (Bulk 1904-1920) New-York Historical Society
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Oral history interview with Dewey Albinson Archives of American Art
referencedIn Hugo Gellert interview Archives of American Art
Relation Name
associatedWith Albinson, Dewey, 1898-1971 person
correspondedWith Allen, Gay Wilson, 1903- person
associatedWith Anderson, Sherwood, 1876-1941. person
associatedWith Austin, Mary Hunter, 1868-1934. person
correspondedWith Braithwaite, William Stanley, 1878-1962 person
associatedWith Browne, Maurice, 1881-1955. person
associatedWith Butler, Francelia, 1913-1998 person
correspondedWith Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968 person
associatedWith Cabell, James Branch, 1879-1958. person
associatedWith Carpenter, Margaret Haley. person
associatedWith Cook, George Cram, 1873-1924. person
associatedWith Cram, Ralph W., 1869-1952. person
associatedWith Currey, Margery. person
associatedWith Dell, Anthony, 1922- person
associatedWith Dell, Berta-Marie Gage. person
associatedWith Dennett, Mary Ware, 1872-1947. person
associatedWith Derby, Jeannette person
associatedWith Doris Stevens person
associatedWith Dreiser, Theodore, 1871-1945. person
associatedWith Eastman, Max, 1883-1969. person
associatedWith Erskine, John, 1879-1951. person
associatedWith Ficke, Arthur Davison, 1883-1945. person
associatedWith Freeman, Joseph, 1897-1965. person
correspondedWith Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966 person
associatedWith Gellert, Hugo, 1892-1985. person
associatedWith Gessler, Clifford, 1893- , person
associatedWith Glaenzer, Richard Butler, 1876-1937. person
associatedWith Glaspell, Susan, 1876-1948. person
associatedWith Gurko, Miriam. person
associatedWith Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. person
associatedWith Hart, John Edward, 1917- person
associatedWith Henderson, Alice Corbin, 1881-1949 person
associatedWith Hicks, Granville, 1901-1982 person
associatedWith Huxley, Julian, 1887-1975. person
associatedWith Johannsen, Albert, 1871-1962. person
associatedWith Jones, Howard Mumford, 1892- person
associatedWith Jones, Susan Wilbur, b. 1893. person
associatedWith Kendall, Messmore, 1872-1959, person
associatedWith Lancaster, Elizabeth. person
associatedWith Lankes, Julius Bartlett, 1915- person
associatedWith Lindsay, Norman, 1879-1969. person
associatedWith Lindsay, Vachel, 1879-1931. person
correspondedWith Lowell, Amy, 1874-1925 person
associatedWith MARY (WARE) DENNETT person
associatedWith Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956. person
associatedWith Midwest Manuscript Collection (Newberry Library) corporateBody
associatedWith Millay, Edna St. Vincent, 1892-1950. person
associatedWith Modotti, Tina, 1896-1942. person
associatedWith Newberry Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Ording, E., person
associatedWith Pargellis, Stanley McCrory, 1898- person
associatedWith Pound, Ezra, 1885-1972. person
correspondedWith Provincetown Players. corporateBody
associatedWith Raphaelson, Samson, 1896-1983. person
associatedWith Ray, Gordon Norton, 1915- person
associatedWith Reed, John, 1887-1920. person
associatedWith Robinson, Josephus, 1867-1936, person
associatedWith Rugg, Harold Goddard, 1883-1957. person
associatedWith Russell, Isaac, 1879-1927. person
associatedWith Salpeter, Harry, person
associatedWith Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968. person
associatedWith Smith, Margery Hoffman, 1888-1981. person
associatedWith Stone, Irving, 1903-1989. person
associatedWith Taggard, Genevieve, 1894-1948. person
associatedWith Thompson, Dorothy, 1893-1961. person
associatedWith Tietjens, Eunice, 1884-1944. person
associatedWith United States. Work Projects Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith Van Volkenburg, Ellen. person
associatedWith Wells, H. G. (Herbert George), 1866-1946. person
associatedWith Wilson, Edmund, 1895-1972. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Chicago (Ill.)
United States
New York (State)--New York
New York (State)
Illinois--Chicago
New York (N.Y.)
Subject
American literature
Authors, American
Novelists, American
Bookplates
Censorship
Feminist theory
Journalists
Literature
Manuscripts, American
Periodical editors
Radicalism
Socialists
Occupation
Editors
Poets
Activity

Person

Birth 1887-06-28

Death 1969-07-23

English

Information

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Ark ID: w6f47qpj

SNAC ID: 28694867