Professor Autumn Womack

So a lot was lost.

There is almost no record associated with her novel Tar Baby in 1981.

So most of the books have some drafts, some notes, some outlines, some editorial feedback.

There's really nothing for Tar Baby.

Right.

The Bluest Eye is very slim as well.

And a lot of that material is kind of charred.

And there's virtually nothing for Song of Solomon.

So the early part of her career seems to have kind of been in one area.

And so that is, I could say confidently that the records for those books probably got swallowed.

The later stuff, Post the Fire, it's much more comprehensive.

Yeah.

We have more for The Bluest Side.

So there is quite a bit of material.

It's also hard to know because that was her first novel.

So I'm certain that her writing process changed.

But Song of Solomon and Tar Baby are big, big gaps.

It's so funny when you say most people are not, think they're boring because I'm like, oh my gosh, they're the most exciting place in the world to me.

But you know, it's who I am.

I love archives in general.