Black Hat Press
Black Hat Press Records
1982-2001
University of
Minnesota Libraries. Literary Manuscripts Collection, Manuscripts
Division [mss]
15 boxes
(8 linear feet)
Collection includes office records, correspondence, financial
records, promotional materials, and copies of publications for the books,
poetry calendars, and magazine, Rag Mag, published by the press.
Mss 85
English
Mezzanine, Row 70
Restrictions on Access
Materials are open to research without restriction. Permission to
examine this collection will be granted to any qualified researcher upon
completion of an application form. The original documents do not circulate and
may only be used in the Reading Room of the Manuscripts Division.
Copyright
All rights have been transferred to the Manuscripts Division except
for individual authors who retain copyright to their manuscripts.
Preferred Citation
Black Hat Press (Mss 85), Literary Manuscripts Collection, University
of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis.
Acquisition
Donated to the Manuscripts Division by Beverly Voldseth, 2003.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and the finding aid written by L. JoAnne
Dodge, November 2003.
Organization of the Collection
The collection is organized into four series:
- Series 1 Rag Mag, 1982-2001 (Boxes
1-6)
- Series 2 Books, 1990-98 (Boxes
7-9)
- Series 3 Minnesota Poetry Calendars,
1997-2001 (Boxes 10-11)
- Series 4 General office records,
1982-2001 (Boxes 12-13)
Biographical/Historical Note
Black Hat Press was founded in 1989 by Beverly
Voldseth when she became sole publisher of
Rag Mag, a small poetry magazine. The first four
issues of the magazine (originally titled
Underground Rag Mag) were edited and published by
Andy Gunderson who sold the magazine to printer
Joe Woelfinger in 1983. Woelfinger asked Bevery
to edit the magazine for him. In 1988 problems arose in getting issues printed,
so Voldseth took entire control of the magazine and started Black Hat Press as
the publisher.
Beverly Voldseth Allers was born in Sioux Falls,
South Dakota and attended Augustana College (Sioux Falls) and Bethel College
(St. Paul). She worked as a teacher in Goodhue, MN from 1957 to 1959, married
Robert "Bud" Allers, and in 1959 decided to stay home and raise her children.
She is a poet who also worked as director of the Northfield, MN Historical
Society and as coeditor of the Goodhue County Tribune before assuming editorial
control of the magazine. She edited and served as publisher for Rag Mag until its final issue in 2001. In addition she
published numerous small books and chapbooks from 1990-1998 and published the
Minnesota Poetry Calendar from 1997-2001.
Scope and Content Note
The Black Hat Press collection documents the work of this small press
and includes office records, correspondence, financial records, promotional
materials, and copies of original poems and art work. It also includes
published copies of the books, poetry calendars, and magazine,
Rag Mag, published by the press.The financial
records are incomplete.
The majority of the correspondence is by Beverly Voldseth, editor and
publisher of the press. It includes discussions about writing and the life of a
writer and sometimes includes extensive criticism by Beverly of writers' work,
commentary that some authors greatly appreciated. The correspondence
demonstrates how her personal and professional lives were intertwined and
documents the problems and frustrations she had trying to run a small press and
deal with authors who were occasionally belligerent. It was a lot of work for
one person to handle, but Beverly wrote to a colleague in 1993: "...one has to
do a mag because one enjoys it, love what one is doing. I love the whole
process."
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog
of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about
related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these
headings.
Voldseth,
Beverly
Hauenstein, Krista
Gunderson, Andy
Woelfinger, Joel
Burgess, Lynn Hume
Garnier, Pierre
Glancy, Diane
Hennen, Tom
Kort, Ellen
Longstreet, R.J
McKinnon, Patrick
Mattison, Judith
May, Frances
Mills, Laurel
Moore, Martha
Schumacher, Ervin
Stolz, Lori
Sullivan, Myra Longstreet
Taylor, Marcella
Wee, Karen
Black Hat
Press
Rag Mag
Underground Rag Mag
Minnesota Poetry Calendar
Detailed Contents
The following section contains a detailed list of the materials in the
collection.
Rag Mag
1982-86
Types and extent of materials for each issue are not consistent.
Often there are copies of the original poems, comments by Voldseth, and
correspondence with the authors. Some folders contain financial and sales
information, some contain copies of original art used in the magazine.
Beginning in 1996 Voldseth started developing each issue around a theme such as
Mothers, Fathers, Families. Documentation of the editing and publishing of the
magazine declined with the last few issues. Copies of most issues of the
magazine are located in Boxes 14-15.
Invoices, receipts (Andy's)
1982-83
1
Invoices, receipts
1984-87
1
Bookkeeping sheets
1983-88
1
Rag Mag receipts/ledger pages
1983-90
1
Woelfinger Press mail
1983-91
1
Rag Mag, vol. 1 & 2 -- Receipts and correspondence
1982-83
1
Rag Mag, vol. 3, #1
1984 Spring
1
2 folders
Rag Mag, vol. 3 #2
1984 Fall
1
Listening to Voices--Rag May 1 (chap book)
1984
1
Includes a copy of the book
Rag Mag--Receipts, correspondence
1984
1
Order book contains copies of notes written by Voldseth
Rag Mag, vol. 4 #1
1985 Spring
1
Rag Mag, vol. 4 #2
1985 Fall
1
Note that printed copies of this issue have incorrect volume
number on front page.
Rag Mag, vol. 5 #1
1986 Spring
1
2 folders
Rag Mag, vol. 5 #2
1986 Fall
1
Rag Mag, vol. 5 (1986)--Receipts, correspondence
1
Rag Mag--Invoices
1986-87
2
Rag Mag--Invoices, correspondence
1987
2
Rag Mag--Receipts & magazines mailed
1987
2
Rag Mag--Correspondence
1988
2
Rag Mag--Receipts
1988
2
Rag Mag, vol. 6 #1
1988 Spring
2
This issue was intended for 1987, but no issues were published
in that year.
Rag Mag, vol. 6 #2
1988 Fall
2
Rag Mag--Receipts
1989
2
Rag Mag, vol. 7 #1
1989
2
Rag Mag--Correspondence
1990
2
Rag Mag, vol. 7 #2
1990 Spring
2
Rag Mag, vol. 8 #1
1990
2
Rag Mag, vol. 9--Art work
1991
3
Rag Mag, vol. 9 #1 & 2
1991
3
2 folders
Rag Mag--Correspondence
1991
3
Rag Mag, vol. 10 #1
1991
3
Rag Mag, vol. 10 #2
1992
3
Rag Mag--Correspondence
1992
3
Rag Mag--Receipts
1992
3
Rag Mag, vol.11 #1
1993
4
2 folders
Rag Mag, vol. 11 #2
1993
4
Rag Mag, vol. 11 #2--Art
1993
4
Rag Mag--Correspondence
1993
4
Includes copy of newspaper article about Voldseth and the
press
Rag Mag, vol. 12 #1
1994
4
2 folders
Rag Mag, vol. 12 #2
1995
4
Rag Mag, vol. 13 #1
1996
5
2 folders
Rag Mag, vol. 13 #1--Art work
1996
5
Rag Mag, vol. 13 #2
1996
5
2 folders
Rag Mag, vol. 13 #2--Art work
1996
5
Rag Mag, vol. 14 #1
1996
5
2 folders
Rag Mag/Black Hat Press--Receipts
1996
6
Rag Mag--Correspondence
1996
6
Rag Mag, vol. 14 #2 (Mothers)
1997
6
2 folders
Rag Mag, vol. 15 #1 (Fathers)
1998
6
2 folders
Rag Mag, vol. 15 #2 (Families)
1999
6
Rag Mag, vol. 16 #1 (Hair)
1999
6
Rag Mag, vol. 16 #2 (Residents of the Anderson Center)
2000
6
Rag Mag, vol. 17 #1, 2
2001
6
Books
1990-98
These office files for books that were published by Black Hat
Press may contain correspondence between Voldseth and the author, public
relations materials, copies of original manuscripts, book orders, and original
art. The files are arranged alphabetically by the author's surname. Copies of
the published books are located in Box 15.
Burgess, Lynn Hume. For Truly To See Your Face
1996
7
4 folders include correspondence, corrected copies, and original
manuscripts.
Garnier, Pierre. Poems of Saisseval
1997
7
5 folders including correspondence, corrected copies, first
translation, poems returned, and correspondence with translator,Alex Fischler.
Glancy, Diane. Boom Town
1995, 1997
7
2 folders include materials from both first and second editions.
Hennen, Tom. Crawling Out the Window
1997
8
6 folders include correspondence, originals, "Suggestions by
Bill Holm," "Suggestions by Mark Vinz."
Kort, Ellen
1986
8
Longstreet, R.J. Tales of a Florida Boyhood
2000
8
Note in original file: "Disc on file at Bookmobile.com."
McKinnon, Patrick. Cherry Ferris Wheels
1990
8
3 folders including originals, finances & orders
Mattison, Judith. Life is Good, Life is Hard
1994-2000
8
May, Frances. Signposts
1996
9
4 folders including poetry, other fiction, and correspondence
with editor, David Steingass
Mills, Laurel. Canada Geese; Gull is My Divining Rod; I
Sing Back
1986, 1993, 1997
9
Very incomplete file
Moore, Martha. To Dance Down Winter
1995
9
Schumacher, Ervin. Dreams Can Come True
1997
9
Schumacher, Ervin. Forward in Faith
1997
9
2 folders including correspondence
Stolz, Lori. Sleepers in the Wake
2001
9
Sullivan, Myra Longstreet. Emma's Journal
1995
9
Note that there is no copy of the published volume in this
collection.
Taylor, Marcella. A Body That Remembers
2001
9
Note that there are no office files for this author/book, only
copies of the published volume.
Wee, Karen. Baksheesh; Book of Hearts
1994, 1993
9
Minnesota Poetry Calendar
1997-2001
Voldseth served as publisher for the calendar from 1997-2000; it
was edited by Krista Hauenstein until early 2000. Copies of most editions of
the calendar are located in Box 15.
1997 calendar--Bookstore sales
10
1997 calendar--Contracts
10
1997 calendar--Correspondence, promotion
10
1997 calendar--Original poems
10
1998 calendar--Bookstore sales
10
1998 calendar--Contracts
10
1998 calendar--Correspondence, promotion
10
1998 calendar--Expenses & sales
10
1998 calendar--Original poems
10
1998 calendar--Photocopy of final calendar
10
Note that there is no copy of the final publication in this
collection.
1999 calendar--Bookstore sales
10
1999 calendar--Contracts
10
1999 calendar--Original poems
10
1999 calendar--Sales and promotion
10
2000 calendar--Correspondence, promotion
11
2000 calendar--Contracts
11
2000 calendar--Income
11
2001 calendar--Promotion
11
2001 calendar--Biographies
11
2001 calendar--Calendars paid
11
2001 calendar--Contracts and contributors' orders
11
2001 calendar--Original poems
11
2001 calendar--Poems ("My Choices")
11
2001 calendar--Post cards
11
Calendars, General--Advertisements, Books readings
1997-2000
11
Calendars, General--Business registration & Dept. of
Revenue publications
1997
11
Calendars, General--Correspondence with Krista
Hauenstein
1995-99
11
Calendars, General--Expenses/Income records
1998-2000
11
Calendars, General--Ledger
1995-98
11
Calendars, General--"Publicity Basics: A Guide for
Literary Magazines and Presses"
1992
11
Calendars, General--Samples sent to bookstores
1998-2000
11
General Office Records
1982-2001
Article about Volseth: "A Love Affair With Words"
1997
12
Cheng Chi University Library, Birmingham, AL (EBSCO)
12
Glen Hanson--Orders
1996-97
12
Dew Hardings--Books on consignment
1996-97
12
Index of American Periodical Verse
1995-2000
12
Mankato State University
1991
12
Memorial Library, Univ. of Wisconson, Madison
1989-97
12
Midwest Library Service
1998
12
Minneapolis Public Library
1990-2000
12
Minnesota Historical Society
1989-99
12
Minnesota State Services for the Blind
2000
12
New York Public Library
1986-2000
12
Northfield Arts Guild (Minn.)
1988-95
12
Northward Bookstore (Wisc.)
1987
12
Rochester Public Library
1995
12
O'Shaughnessy Library, Univ. of St. Thomas, St. Paul
1990-99
12
Red Wing (Minn.) Public Library
1993-97
12
Schwartz Bookshop
1987-90
12
St. Cloud State Univ. Library (Minn.)
1990-99
12
University of New York at Buffalo
1996-98
12
Vaughn Public Library, Ashland (Wisc.)
1987
12
Wisconsin Library Association
1997
12
Woodland Pattern Book Center (Wisc.)
1989-92
12
Contest entries
12
Praise letters
1989-2001
12
2 folders
Reviews, misc.
1984-2000
12
Includes biographical sketch of Beverly Voldseth
Sales receipts
1998
12
3 folders
Card file: "Andy's Address and Note Cards"
13
Patrick McKinnon reads poems from his book Cherry Ferris
Wheels (audiocassette)
1990
13
2 copies
Krista on radio (audiocassette)
13