MARILYN GRIGGS RILEY PAPERS

Collection

Identifier: WH2101

Staff Only

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

Research material consisting of notes, articles and copied newspaper clippings comprise the bulk of the collection. Published versions of articles and other works including the recent book, High Altitude Attitudes: Six Denver Women, and a videotape of One Mile Five Foot Ten, the award-winning television program, are also contained in the collection.

SERIES 1 WRITING 1932-2006 BOX 1-3

Arranged alphabetically by topic, this series contains samples of Riley's research. Copies of newspaper clippings, articles, and Riley's original notes represent background information collected by Griggs Riley. Interview notes are handwritten upon previously-prepared sheets of typed questions. Underlines and annotations on all of the above materials establish facts deemed important by Riley. The documents are arranged alphabetically by topic including names of individuals.

SERIES 2 PERSONAL 1958-2006 BOX 3

The series of personal papers includes school records, family materials, correspondence and programs from organizations to which Riley belonged. The series also contains notes of story ideas and research items for Riley's writing as well as tips and writing guidelines in articles and newspaper clippings.

SERIES 3 AUDIO-VISUAL 1981, N.D. AVBOX 1

This series contains audiocassettes of interviews of people about whom Riley intended to write as well as a videotape of her documentary about Thomas Hornsby Ferril.

SERIES 4 PHOTOGRAPHS 1958-1988 PHOTOFOLIO 1-2

Black-and-white and color photographs used to illustrate Riley's articles and books comprise the bulk of the series. Color photographs of family and celebratory occasions with Thomas Hornsby Ferril are also included.

Dates

1972-2008

ACCESS:

The collection is open for research.

OWNERSHIP:

Literary and copyrights - as appropriate - have been assigned to the Denver Public Library.

PUBLICATION RIGHTS:

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Denver Public Library as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Library does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Marilyn Griggs Riley was born Marilyn Hughes in Atchison, Kansas on October 24, 1936. She graduated from East High School, Denver, Colorado and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Riley taught English for more than 30 years in the Denver Public Schools, primarily at Manual High School where she also coached the speech team.

A free lance writer with many publications, Riley conducted extensive research on Colorado history including people, places, criminal organizations and the Ku Klux Klan. She was acquainted with many Colorado celebrities, including Caroline Bancroft, Mary Coyle Chase and Thomas Hornsby Ferril. In 1981, Riley won an Emmy for her production of the Public Broadcasting System documentary, One Mile Five Foot Ten, on Ferril. After retiring, she published a book, High Altitude Attitudes: Six Savvy Denver Women, now in its second printing.

In 1961, Riley married Dudley R. Griggs. He died in 1991. They had three children, Burke, Robb and Anne. She later married Dr. Conrad M. Riley who died in 2006. Marilyn Griggs Riley died in Denver on March 9, 2009.

Extent

3 box(es)

1 audiovisual envelope(s)

2 photo folio(s)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Other Finding Aids

For location information, refer to the Denver Public Library Catalog.

PROVENANCE:

Burke Griggs donated the Marilyn Griggs Riley Papers in 2006 and provided partial funding for processing the collection.

SIZE:

Number of Boxes: 3 Boxes (3 linear feet)

Number of Audio-Visual: 1 AVBox

Number of Photoboxes: 2 PhotoFolios

LOCATION:

WH2101

PROCESSED BY:

Ann Brown

2010

PROJECT MANAGER:

Ellen Zazzarino

Subjects

Audiocassettes. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Colorado -- History. Subject Source: Lcnaf
Corrrespondence. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Ferril, Thomas Hornsby, -- 1896-1988 -- Biography.
Manuscripts for publication. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Photographs. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Research (document genres). Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Riley, Marilyn Griggs, -- 1936-2009 -- Archives.
Scrapbooks. Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
VHS (TM). Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Women authors, American -- Colorado -- Denver. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings