Richard A. Jones papers
Scope and Contents
This collection contains Richard A. Jones’s poetry, prose fiction, and academic writing, as well as teaching material from his tenure at Howard University, Kansas State University, and George Mason University, and materials regarding the Radical Philosophy Association.
The Biographical Materials & Correspondence series contains personal correspondence, early school records, and ephemera.
The Poetry series contains both published and unpublished poetry, including Bippie Poems: Collected Poems, 1971-1995 and literary journals and magazines. Many poems are represented in multiple drafts, with edits and notes from Jones.
The Prose series contains various works of prose fiction, including short stories and multiple editions of Jones's novel Blackland (2021). Many of the short stories are unpublished.
The Academic Career series is the largest in the collection. It features published versions of Jones's academic writing, as well as multiple edited drafts of The Black Book: Wittgenstein on Race, Postmodern Racial Dialetics, and Theorizing the Black Community. Several folders contain essays Jones wrote as a graduate student, some of which were later revised for publication. The series also contains syllabi, lecture notes, and material related to academic conferences and associations, especially the Radical Philosophy Association.
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1970 - 2021
Creator
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research use.
Use Restrictions
Standard Federal Copyright Law Applies (U.S. Title 17)
Biographical
Richard A. Jones is a poet, writer, and philosopher who worked as a professor of philosophy primarily at Howard University. He was born in Washington, DC in 1945, and from an early age was interested in mathematics and technology. From 1965-1970 he served as a Missile Systems Analyst for the US Air Force while studying for a B.A. in Mathematics from Minot University, which he received in 1970, followed by an MST in Education from Drake University.
For the next 15 years he worked as a teacher, primarily teaching math at the middle/high school level, and received master’s degrees in Data Processing, Telecommunications, and Philosophy from the University of Denver. Following his receipt of his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Colorado Boulder, he worked as a professor of philosophy at Kansas State University (2000-2001), George Mason University (2005-2006), and Howard University (2001-2008; 2010-2013) until his retirement in 2013.
Jones’s work as an academic focused on African-American philosophy, critical race theory, and social/political philosophy. In addition to teaching, he was a member of the Radical Philosophical Association and served as Co-Coordinator for two terms. He published individual poems continuously throughout the 70s and 80s, many of which centered on issues of race and the intersection of art and STEM. Upon his retirement he published several volumes of poetry and a novel, Blackland
Extent
10 linear ft. (10 standard Hollinger boxes, 1 oversize box, 2 records boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains Richard A. Jones’s poetry, prose fiction, and academic writing, as well as teaching material from his tenure at Howard University, Kansas State University, and George Mason University, and materials regarding the Radical Philosophy Association.
Arrangement
To the extent possible, the papers maintain Richard Jones's organizational system. The first box contains personal and biographical materials, personal correspondence, and photographs. Boxes 2-6 contain poetry, short stories, and novels, some of which appear in multiple drafts and collections designed for publication. Boxes 7-9 contain academic writing, with academic ephemera found in Box 10. Correspondence related to Jones's professional career--including publications, teaching, and academic conferences--have been arranged alongisde related subject matter. Some materials have been removed to oversize storage, and books have been removed to two separate cartons of bound volumes.
Physical Location
This material is stored off-site. All requests for materials from this collection must be made at least one week in advance. Contact hc-special@haverford.edu to arrange access.
Acquisition
Gift of Richard A. Jones, 2021-2022.
Processing Information
Processed by Alex Asal, completed September 28, 2022.
- Author
- Alex Asal
- Date
- September 28, 2022
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Find It at the Library
Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections Library
