The Papers of Joseph Langland, 1930-2004 | Luther College Archives

Collection Overview

Title: The Papers of Joseph Langland, 1930-2004Add to your cart.View associated digital content.

ID: LCA/RG15/Langland, J

Primary Creator: Langland, Joseph (1917-2007)

Extent: 20.9 Linear Feet. More info below.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into twelve series:

Series I, Correspondence;

Series II, Publications;

Series III, Writings About Joseph Langland;

Series IV, Personal Papers;

Series V, Appearances;

Series VI, Poetry Not by Joseph Langland;

Series VII, Photography;

Series VIII, Art;

Series IX, Education; Class/School;

Series X, Albums;

Series XI, Indexes on Notecards;

Series XII, Realia; and

Series XIII, Audio Visual.

Languages: English

Abstract

A collection of personal and professional materials dating 1930-2004 relating to the life and career of poet Joseph Langland.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Documentation consists of books of poetry written by Joseph Langland; misc papers. This collection contains information relating to Joseph Langland's personal and professional life as a nationally-known Norwegian-American poet.  Materials include correspondence, compositions, biographical information, personal papers, appearances, related poetry, photograph, educator materials, scrapbook albums, indices, realia, and audiovisual items.  A very small portion of this collection contains slides of art by Judith Langland, Joseph's wife.  The entire collection covers the dates 1930-2004.

Biographical Note

Joseph Thomas Langland, a nationally known Norwegian-American poet, was born in Spring Grove, Minnesota on February 16, 1917. Langland’s parents, Charles M. Langland and Clara Elizabeth (Hille), raised him and his eight siblings in northeastern Iowa on the family’s general farm which had been homesteaded by his grandfather in 1877. Langland attended rural schools, Santa Ana College of California and the University of Iowa. In 1940, Langland was awarded his BA from the University of Iowa; a year later the same institute presented him with his MA.

Joseph Langland married Judith Gail Wood on June 26, 1943. The couple had three children: Joseph Thomas Jr., 1946; Elizabeth, 1948; and Paul, 1951.

Joseph Langland served in the U.S. Infantry for four years from 1942-1946. Two of these years were spent in Europe during WWII. He was near the Elbe River when Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death was announced, and in Weimar on V.E. Day. After the combat had ended Langland spent several months with the Military Government in Bavaria. Langland was with a detail who liberated the Concentration Camp at Buchenwald. It was during the war years that Langland published his first collections of poems; For Harold (1945) for his younger brother who was killed in action in the Philippines. While in the Army, Langland worked his way up from the rank of Private to Captain.

Joseph Langland spent 1941-1942 as an instructor of English at Dana College, Nebraska. From 1946-1948 he was a part-time instructor at the University of Iowa. Working as an assistant professor and later associate professor, Langland spent 1948-1959 at the University of Wyoming. He then moved to the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he served as a faculty member from 1959-1979, Professor of English, 1964-1979 and Professor Emeritus 1979-present. While at U. Mass. Langland also served as the Director of the Masters of Fine Arts program in writing from 1964-1970, 1978-1979. Besides his normal teaching duties Langland traveled as a guest lecturer to the University of British Columbia, University of Washington, and San Francisco State University. He received an honorary doctorate from Luther College in 1974.

Joseph Langland was a distinguished, published poet and author. Published works include: Poems For Harold (1945), The Green Town (1956), The Wheel of Summer (1963) 2 nd edition (1966), An Interview and Fourteen Poems (1973), The Sacrifice Poems (1975), Any Body’s Song (National Poetry Series) (1980), A Dream of Love (A poem with etchings) (1986), Twelve Preludes and Postludes (1988), Selected Poems (1991) 2 nd edition (1992). Langland co-edited Poet’s Choice with Paul Engel(1962), The Short Story (1956); and co-translated Poetry From the Russian Underground (1973). Joseph Langland was awarded the 1953-1954 Ford Fellowship in Humanities, Harvard-Columbia Universities; the Amy Lowell Poetry Fellowship in Poetry 1966-1967; the Melville Cane Prize-Poetry, Poetry Society of America 1964; and was named a Living Art Treasure in Literature for the New England Arts Biennial 1985.

He died April 9, 2007 at his home in New Rochelle, NY at the age of 90.

Administrative Information

Repository: Luther College Archives

Alternate Extent Statement: 38 boxes

Acquisition Method: The collection was collected and maintained by Joseph Langland.  Materials were donated to the Luther College Archives by Joseph Langland.

Preferred Citation: Cite unpublished materials: Joseph Langland Papers, RG15 Manuscripts, Luther College Archives, Decorah, Iowa

Finding Aid Revision History:

Original finding aid written during the 1990s. Formatted for Archon July 2012.

11/20/19: EC updated the preferred citation.


Box and Folder Listing


Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Correspondence, 1930-1959],
[Series 2: Publications by Joseph Langland],
[Series 3: Writings about Joseph Langland],
[Series 4: Personal Papers],
[Series 5: Appearances],
[Series 6: Poetry, not written by Joseph Langland],
[Series 7: Photography],
[Series 8: Art],
[Series 9: Education - Classes/School],
[Series 10: Albums],
[Series 11: Indexes on notecards],
[Series 12: Realia],
[Series 13: Oversized Materials],
[All]

Series 5: AppearancesAdd to your cart.
Series V, Appearances, covers the time that Joseph Langland was working as a professional poet.  Flyers for Poetry Readings and Poetry tours are a prominent part of this collection.  Besides this, though, are detailed records from various professional related trips around the country and world.
Box 18Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Norway/Lapp TripAdd to your cart.
Folder 2: China Trip, 1982Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Amherst Humanities Panel/ Arts Council, 1975Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Luther College Commencement, May 18-19, 1974Add to your cart.
Folder 5: School College Conference on English - Barnard, NYC, 1970Add to your cart.
Folder 6: Library of Congress Recording Laboratory, 1960Add to your cart.
Folder 7: Florida Poetry Trip, 1971Add to your cart.
Folder 8: West Coast Poetry Trip, March 1-12, 1972; 1977Add to your cart.
Folder 9: Poetry Society of AmericaAdd to your cart.
Folder 10: Recordings/BroadcastsAdd to your cart.
Folder 11: Wyoming Fine Arts FestivalAdd to your cart.
Folder 12: Poetry Tours / Business Info.Add to your cart.
Folder 13: Poetry ReadingsAdd to your cart.
Folder 14: March Moratorium Poetry Festival, 1970Add to your cart.

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Correspondence, 1930-1959],
[Series 2: Publications by Joseph Langland],
[Series 3: Writings about Joseph Langland],
[Series 4: Personal Papers],
[Series 5: Appearances],
[Series 6: Poetry, not written by Joseph Langland],
[Series 7: Photography],
[Series 8: Art],
[Series 9: Education - Classes/School],
[Series 10: Albums],
[Series 11: Indexes on notecards],
[Series 12: Realia],
[Series 13: Oversized Materials],
[All]