FLVC logo

Nola Perez Papers, 1969-2022

 

Summary

Extent:
7.00 Linear Feet Eleven (11) flip-top document boxes, one (1) shoe box, one (1) oversized box
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Nola Perez Papers, Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection is home to the personal papers of Nola Baker Perez, the Poet Laureate of Fernandina Beach and native of Amelia Island. These papers provide insight into the literary career of Nola Perez and the effect her travels and poetry mentors had in shaping her works. Furthermore, this collection grants a look into the experiences of an American living amongst the English language literary community in Paris and Brussels during the 1990s, as well as material on the Amelia Island Book Festival from the 2000s through the 2010s.

Series in this collection include the following:

Series 1 – Awards and Accolades (arranged chronologically) houses award certificates/notifications and poetry by others that honor Nola Perez

Series 2 – Biographical Information (arranged chronologically) contains a personal statement, resume and newspaper articles

Series 3 – Correspondence (arranged chronologically) is comprised of a large variety of correspondence received by Nola Perez during her career, ranging from holiday cards to emails

Series 4 – Critiques (arranged chronologically) include critical receptions of Nola Perez's work

Series 5 – Events (arranged alphabetically by subseries)

Subseries 1 – Amelia Island Book Festival (arranged chronologically) has programs, photographs and correspondence related to the Book Festival

Subseries 2 – Book Signings and Poetry Readings (arranged chronologically) includes information and photographs

Subseries 3 – Performances (arranged chronologically) relates to the performances of "Fernandina and Other Images"

Series 6 – Grants and Fellowships (arranged chronologically) contains applications and related documents for literature fellowships from such organizations as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Camargo Foundation

Series 7 – Mentors (arranged alphabetically by mentor last name) include correspondence from individuals Nola Perez identified as having a large influence on her work and career

Series 8 – Paris Poetry Group (arranged alphabetically by subject matter) includes materials relating to Nola Perez's years as an American poet living in Paris and Brussels

Subseries 1 – Members (arranged alphabetically by member last name) has correspondence and works of the members of the Paris Poetry Group

Subseries 2 – Photographs (arranged chronologically)

Subseries 3 – Poetry Readings (arranged chronologically) contains advertisements for the readings and photographs

Subseries 4 – Publications (arranged chronologically)

Subseries 5 – Workshops (arranged chronologically)

Series 9 – Photographs (arranged chronologically) include photographs not included with other series, largely from unidentified events

Series 10 – Poetry (arranged chronologically) contains a collection of Nola's poetry

Series 11 – Publications (arranged alphabetically by type of publication)

Subseries 1 – Books (arranged chronologically by publication date; chronological files within each book published)

Subseries 2 – Other (arranged alphabetically by publication title) includes articles in local Amelia Island publications

Subseries 3 – Poetry Journals (arranged chronologically by publication date)

Subseries 4 – Poetry/Online (arranged chronologically) includes poems posted on the Poetry Soup website

Series 12 – Travel (arranged chronologically) has information about trips to Casablanca, The American School in Brussels, and Milledgeville, Georgia

Series 13 – Workshops (arranged chronologically) contains information about the Atlanta Callanwolde Workshop

Biographical / historical:

Nola Baker Perez was born in 1931 on Amelia Island in the town of Fernandina. She acquired a keen interest in literature and poetry during her years at Fernandina High School and received her higher education at Florida State University and Massey Business College. She left her hometown in the early 1970s and moved to Atlanta along with her husband.

During her two decades in Atlanta, Nola regularly attended poetry workshops and readings. It is during this time that she struck up friendships with accomplished fellow poets and mentors like Walter Griffin and Andrew Glaze. Through the 1980s she continued to hone her poetry publishing her works in various poetry publications across the country.

In the 1990s as part of her husband's government work, she moved across the Atlantic to Europe. She spent the next seven years between Paris and Brussels. During this time, she continued to refine her poetry as part of the Paris Poetry Group alongside other American expatriates in the embassy community. Her experiences on the Continent greatly influenced and inspired her poetry as she continued to publish and compete in poetry competitions including the 1993 National Poetry Series in which she was a finalist.

Upon her return to the United States and Amelia Island in 1999, Nola used her experiences in Europe to publish two books. The Continent of Dreams, a collection of poems from her time in Europe, and Cruising with the Kir Queen, a memoir of her experiences during those seven years were released to great critical reception. Since 2000 she has continued to write and publish poetry from her home in Fernandina, publishing fifteen books and regularly writing for local Amelia Island publications. Furthermore, she is a regular guest and organizer for the Amelia Island Book Festival since 2001. In 2016 her contributions as a poet and Amelia Island native earned her recognition as the Poet Laureate of Fernandina Beach.

Acquisition information:
The collection was acquired through donation from Nola B. Perez, 2016-09-06.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research by appointment only. Please contact lib-special@unf.edu to schedule an appointment.

Terms of access:

Materials in the collection may be subject to copyright and are to be used for private study, scholarship, or research in accordance with the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code). Use of reproductions of copyrighted works in excess of " fair use," may result in the user's liability for copyright infringement and be subject to the civil and criminal penalties of federal law. Visit the United States Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/ for further information

Preferred citation:

Nola Perez Papers, Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.

Location of this collection:
Thomas G. Carpenter Library
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville
FL
32224
USA