From the poems of Emily Dickinson to Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, many of the masterworks of modern literature were originally written by hand, then typed. But their creators were rarely the ones to type them. This work was performed by typists—usually women—working for love, money, or both. Largely uncredited, this labor has generally been undervalued and misunderstood, with the typists seen as mere conduits for the writing that passed through their hands.
Recent scholars have started to challenge these assumptions about typists and their work. Borrowing its title from a 2021 essay collection edited by Juliana Dresvina, the exhibition Thanks for Typing builds on this scholarship, drawing on the collections at Houghton Library to spotlight typists’ contributions to literature, theater, film, and dance. In addition, the exhibition puts typists in context by showing the technical skill required for their work and exploring portrayals of typists in popular culture.
Co-curated by Christine Jacobson, Associate Curator of Modern Books and Manuscripts, and Dale Stinchcomb, Drue Heinz Curator of Literary and Historical Manuscripts at The Morgan Library & Museum.
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