Bonnie Karl correspondence with Zachary Nowak, 1995-2021
Overview
Correspondence between Bonnie Karl and her youngest son, Zachary Nowak, containing expressions of affection; descriptions of Bonnie's work teaching in Rochester, New York; discussions of current events; descriptions of trips abroad; and discussions of family news and troubles.
Dates
- Creation: 1995-2021
Language of Materials
Materials in English.
Access Restrictions:
Access. Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright. Copyright in the letters written by Bonnie Karl is held Bonnie Karl. Upon her death, copyright transfers to the President and Fellows of Harvard College for the Schlesinger Library. Copyright in the letters written by Zachary Nowak is held Zachary Nowak. Upon his death, copyright transfers to the President and Fellows of Harvard College for the Schlesinger Library. Copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns.
Copying. Papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures.
Extent
3.34 linear feet (8 file boxes)The correspondence between Bonnie Karl and her youngest son, Zachary Nowak, contains expressions of affection; descriptions of Bonnie's work teaching in Rochester, New York (she retired in 1998); discussions of current events; descriptions of trips abroad taken by both Bonnie and Zachary; and discussions of family news and troubles, including Bonnie's divorce from James Nowak in 2001 and his death in 2011. Also included are expressions of Bonnie's Christian Science faith and descriptions of her work volunteering with her church. Zachary's letters document his time as a student at Kenyon College (1995-1999), living in Italy (1999-2013), and pursuing his PhD in history and working as a teaching fellow at Harvard University (2013-2019), as well as about his experience of the COVID-19 epidemic. Folders were created by Zachary Nowak and are arranged chronologically.
BIOGRAPHY
Carolyn Bonnie Yunk Karl (known as Bonnie), daughter of Edward Howard and Bertha Delores Estel Yunk, was born June 24, 1942, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She dropped out of college her junior year to marry James Robert Karl, an intelligence officer in the United States Army; they had two children, Stephan and Michon. The family eventually settled in Rochester, New York, where Bonnie completed her BA and began teaching in the Rochester City School District and James worked for the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. In June 1974, James died in a car accident. In 1975, Bonnie married James Bostwick Nowak; they had one child, Zachary, before divorcing in 2001. Karl is the author of Not Just Fairy Godmothers! Another Multicultural Unit with Unusual Magical Elements (1995) and co-author of Who's Got the Slipper? Or, A Multicultural Unit of Cinderella Stories from Around the World (1993).
Physical Location
Collection stored off site: researchers must request access 36 hours before use.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number: 2019-M187, 2021-M152, 2022-M16
Bonnie Karl's correspondence with Zachary Nowak, was given to the Schlesinger Library by Bonnie Karl and Zachary Nowak in December 2019 and January 2022.
Processing Information
Processed: December 2019
By: Johanna Carll
Updated: April 2022
By: Johanna Carll
The Schlesinger Library attempts to provide a basic level of preservation and access for all collections, and does more extensive processing of higher priority collections as time and resources permit. Finding aids may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
Subject
- Nowak, Zachary (Person)
- Harvard University--Students (Organization)
- Author
- Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
- Language of description
- eng
- Sponsor
- Processing of this collection was made possible by the Jeannette Ward Fund.
- EAD ID
- sch01705
Repository Details
Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository
The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.