Darger Research Items, 1904-2011

The Darger Research Items series, 1904-2011, consists of photocopies of the research materials collected from several archives in Illinois (Illinois State Archives; Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art Archives; Darger Study Center Archives; University of Chicago, and the Chicago Historical Society) that aided Elledge in writing his book, Henry Darger, Throwaway Boy: the Tragic Life of an Outsider Artist. Using these archives, Elledge conducted historical research from Darger’s prolific notes, artwork and journals revolving around his fantasy world of the Vivian Girls in the Realms of the Unreal. Crazy House files, History of my life: Henry Darger, and Sweetie Pie were created from copies of Dargers original handwritten novels, daily journals and his autobiography. Further research of collected articles and news clippings surrounding the conditions of the artist in the time period of Progressive-Era Chicago. Elledge also conducted genealogical investigations on Darger's family, and his lover, Thomas Phelan, and the history of Illinois mental institutions in which Darger was incarcerated much of his young life. The series also contains post publication materials from the Darger publication by Overlook Press, such as awards, research notebooks, exhibits, literary reviews, and the subsequent articles and manuscripts created from the research and writings surrounding the life and times of Henry Darger.