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

Use Restrictions: Though we may hold the property rights, Luther College Archives does not hold the copyrights for all materials. Individuals may use materials for non-commercial, private use, but commercial users must secure permissions from the copyright holders and/or Luther College Archives to reproduce, publish, or quote protected materials and photographs. For more information about the Luther College copyright and fair use policy, please visit https://www.luther.edu/library/copyright

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.

6/10/24: Abby Bates updated copyright policy link.

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 13: Oversized MaterialsAdd to your cart.
Box 35: Poems, Review Articles, and Other MaterialsAdd to your cart.
Item 1: Poems, Review Articles, and Other MaterialsAdd to your cart.
Box 27: Audio-Visual MaterialsAdd to your cart.
Item 1: Today's Poets: Their Poems - Their Voices: Donald Hall, Louis Simpson, Joseph Langland, Robert FrancisAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: Record
Item 2: Joe Langland Singing Popular BalladsAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: Record
Item 3: Original Songs by Joseph Langland, 1981Add to your cart.
Physical Description: Reel-to-Reel
Item 4: Writings from Nature, 1985Add to your cart.
Physical Description: Reel-to-Reel
Item 5: UntitledAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: Reel-to-Reel
Item 6: Joseph Langland at the Joves Library on Frost, 1998Add to your cart.
Physical Description: Cassette
Item 7: Joe Langland: Ballads, Decorah, Summer 2000Add to your cart.
Physical Description: Cassette
Item 8: Joseph Langland Poetry Reading; Horse PoemsAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: Cassette
Item 9: In the Shell of the EarAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: CD
Item 10: Joseph Langland: A Dream of Love and My Own CountryAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: CD
Item 11: Iowa State Wrestling / Living In IowaAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 12: DelafieldAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 13: In Search of Wild HorsesAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 14: Dad and FrostAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 15: Joseph Langland Poetry Reading, 2003Add to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 16: Joseph Langland: Norwegian RiversAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 17: DelafieldAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 18: Fathers and SonsAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 19: Getting Ready to Really LeaveAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 20: Paul and Joseph: Getting Ready to Really LeaveAdd to your cart.
Physical Description: VHS
Item 21: Copy of book cover to "The Wheel of Summer"Add to your cart.
Item 22: Norwegian Coastal Voyage Hurtigruten, n.d.Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Norwegian Travel Brochures and Planner, n.d.Add to your cart.
Box 28: Posters, Correspondence, Poetry, Portrait, 1989-1992Add to your cart.
Item 1: Correspondence and poems to 'Bob' regarding use in class, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 2: Des Moines National Poetry Festival poster, May 1992Add to your cart.
Item 3: Poster of "Norwegian Rivers" for sesquicentennial of Norwegian immigration, 1975Add to your cart.
Item 4: Sketched Portrait of Langland for Robinson Jeffers Festival, 1991Add 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]