Miguel Angel Asturias Papers

The Miguel Angel Asturias Papers consist of approximately 4 linear feet. The collection is organized into seven different series: Correspondence, Writings by Miguel Angel Asturias, Writings by Others, Biographical Materials, Printed Materials, Photographs, and Audiovisual Materials.

Correspondence series contains two subseries: 1) To Miguel Angel Asturias 2) Family Correspondence. Major correspondents include César Brañas, Alejandro Córdova, Rodolfo Galeotti Torres, José María González de Mendoza, Carlos Herrera y Luna, Francis de Miomandre, and Adrián Recinos. The majority of the family correspondence is with his mother María Rosales de Asturias and his son Miguel.

Writings by Miguel Angel Astrurias series includes three subseries: 1) Poetry and Short Writings 2) Articles and Printed Works 3) Speeches. Poetry and short writings span the years 1917-1961 and include early handwritten poems, "Los cuentos de Cuyito," letters from M.A.A. to his son Miguel, and working drafts of numeros poems and short writings. Articles and printed works contain M.A.A.'s published thesis "El problema social del indo" (1923), first editions of his translation work of Popol Vuh (1927) and Leyendas de Guatemala (1930), and numerous articles on Central America, Guatemala, Maya culture, and Guatemalan society. Events and speeches revolve around M.A.A.'s role as a diplomat and cultural attaché in the 1950s and 1960s.

Biographical Materials contains three subserie: 1) Personal Materials 2) Awards 3) Events. Items of note in this series are passports and diplomas, extensive coverage of the 1967 Nobel Prize event, and the Centenario of Asturias in 1999.

Printed Materials includes early articles written by Asturias in his column "Impresiones Guatemaltecos" in 1912, newspaper clippings about Asturias from 1924-1974, and newspaper clippings collecetd after his death from 1974-2004.

Photographs span the years 1923-1979 and include photographs of Asturias in events, readings, and diplomatic meetings. There are a good number of portraits of Asturias, documentation of his time in France, meetings with Arbenz, Nicolás Guillen, and from the Nobel Prize event in 1967.

Audiovisual Materials contains three LP records and several other recordings of Asturias reading sonnets and other works. This series has been digitized and access copies are housed with the original media.