The Alida White Sherman and H.J. Biberman Papers document the personal and professional relationship between Sherman and blacklisted film director H.J. Biberman during the years 1964 through 1971. The papers consist of correspondence they exchanged, drafts of scripts on which they collaborated, and poetry which Biberman wrote. Also included is a file of legal documents pertaining to the assignment of literary copyright of the scripts and poetry in the collection to Sherman.
The correspondence in the Sherman collection, the majority of which was written by Biberman, is largely personal, although portions of the letters deal with the writing and revision of several titles, the filming of Slaves, and Biberman's philosophy of life. Also included is a letter to Biberman's brother and several letters from publishers concerning Over the Carnage, an unproduced screenplay about Kathy Boudin, and a letter from Lorraine Hansberry thought to refer to Slaves.
Other Writings in the collection include a handwritten, episodic memoir by Biberman that touches on his Hollywood Ten imprisonment and the making of Salt of the Earth and Slaves; a large quantity of poetry written by Biberman for Sherman; and variant drafts of eight titles on which they collaborated. The poetry is arranged chronologically by date; the scripts are arranged alphabetically by title.
On tape is a reading by Biberman and Sherman of their play Journey Around a Room and Biberman reading scenes from Slaves (as well as commenting occasionally on production matters for that film). A home movie received with the papers documents Biberman and Sherman constructing a rustic studio on property owned by Biberman. The photographs received with the collection have been separated to the WCFTR Name and Title files.
