Charles H. Nichols was a professor of English at Brown University. He received a Bachelor's of English and American literature from Brooklyn College in 1942 and received a Ph.D. from Brown University in 1948. His dissertation was titled "A Study of the Slave Narrative." Nichols worked as an associate professor of English at Morgan State College (1948-1949), a professor of English at the Hampton Institute (1949-1959), a professor of North American language and literature at the Free University Berlin (1959-1969), and a professor of English at Brown University (starting in 1969). He also lectured at universities in Norway, Sweden, West Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, England, and the United States. At Brown University, Nichols was instrumental in the creation of the Afro-American Studies program and served as a chairman of the new interdepartmental concentration. In 1993, he accepted the Charles H. Nichols Award, given to the Rhode Island resident who contributed the most to the scholarly knowledge of black people. He died in 2007.
The papers are arranged into eight series:
Series 1. General Files (1963-2000): this series contains an arrangement Nichols's personal files, including his curriculum vitae, job offers, and applications. It also includes his involvement in committees outside of Brown as well as agendas and minutes of on-campus faculty and department meetings. Also included are Nichols's lecture and conferences notes, articles to advise his teaching, and documents related to his academic advising of freshmen.
Series 2. Class Notes - Brown (1951-2000; bulk 1969-1987): this long series includes Nichols's course plans, proposals, and evaluations. It also contains course syllabi, outlines, and lecture notes for Nichols's numerous History and English courses. English 41 and English 150 (History of Progress) include the most extensive list of mateirals.
Series 3. Class Notes - Berlin (1959-1978; bulk 1965-1974): this series includes correspondence and important documents -- in German and English -- regarding Nichols's teaching at Berlin's Free University (Freie Universität Berlin). It also includes course syllabi and lecture notes for numerous classes taught in Germany.
Series 4. Student Papers (1968-1983): this series is comprised of Nichols's students' papers and final projects. Student papers are restricted for 80 years after the date of their creation.
Series 5. Author's Notes (1964-1989): this series includes research notes on various authors and historic figures. These notes were used to supplement and inform Nichols's lectures, so many include corresponding class numbers.
Series 6. Afro-American Studies (1969-1980): the material in this series relates to the creation of the Afro-American Studies program at Brown. It includes original plans for the program, committee notes while establishing the program, details about similar programs in other institutions, and documents related to budget, books, and faculty. It also includes notes from conferences and drafts of essays on topics of race.
Series 7. Manuscripts (1969-1984): this series contains manuscripts, drafts, and published copies of Nichols's books, articles, and essays. Included are notes from his publishers.
Series 8. Correspondence (1968-1989): this series includes an alphabetical arrangement of mostly professional and collegial correspondence. The list of correspondents in the finding aid is extensive, but not comprehensive.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested. Student papers are restricted for 80 years after the date of their creation.
Charles H. Nichols Files, OF-1UF-N1, Brown University Library.
This collection is divided into 8 series.