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BIOGRAPHICAL FILES
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Summary: This series is largely composed of information about Miriam Schapiro’s early and personal life: as seen in identification records, school records, and family records. There are small collections of various material relating to Miriam’s son Peter Brach, her husband Paul Brach, her father Theodore Schapiro, and her uncle’s family, the Gordons. Medical and personal identification document files have been restricted. Schapiro's curriculum vitas, financial/legal records, and awards document the critical acclaim she received in her life and the everyday struggle to do business. Schapiro went by several names throughout her life. She was born Miriam Shapiro according to her birth certificate, and at some point in the late 1930s or early 1940s, she changed her name to Miriam Schapiro for unknown reasons. After her marriage to Paul Brach she was at times called Mrs. Brach, or Miriam Schapiro Brach. Professionally she remained Miriam Schapiro. Miriam’s son, Peter Brach has been known by several names. First, Peter Brach, then Peter von Brandenburg, then Blackhawk. For clarity, the files are named by his birth name. Of special interest are Paul Brach's short stories for a writing class in Iowa about his experiences in World War II, and a pressed flower bouquet given to Miriam for her second one-woman show at André Emmerich Gallery in 1960. File types include paper, photographs, ephemeral material, and digital files including jpgs, PDFs, and one MP4.
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The files are arranged alphabetically. Within each file, chronologically. Digital and oversized material are listed at the end of the series for clarity.
Processing Information:
Materials in this series arrived with a strong musty odor. Items that were photocopies were re-photocopied and the originals were discarded. Other items were ultimately placed in micro-chamber folders which absorb the smell. Patrons with allergies should be cautious.
