The Persian Program of the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures (MELC), in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, proudly announces the generous donation of an extensive archive from Mr. Farhad Mafie, a close friend and confidant of the late Nader Naderpour (1929-2000), and Ms. Jaleh Bassiri Naderpour, the poet’s widow. This collection spans six decades from 1940 to 2000 and includes the poet’s correspondence with distinguished literary figures, 400 tapes of his lectures and interviews on Iranian literature, culture, and politics, 45 videos of his lectures, his library, over 1,600 scanned copies of his articles and notes, over 1,000 images of his handwritten poems, articles, and notes, and 200 photographs, among other items.
Under the guidance of MELC’s Associate Professor of Persian Literature, Fatemeh Shams, and in collaboration with Penn's Middle East librarian Heather Hughes, along with Mitch Fraas, the senior curator for special collections at the Kislak Center, Ms. Jaleh Bassiri Naderpour, the poet's spouse, and Mr. Farhad Mafie, a close confidant and legal custodian of the late poet, this invaluable archive was carefully transported to Penn just two weeks ago.
“Since I arrived at this institution, one of my aspirations has been cultivating a rich Persian archive of modern Persian exile literature at the University of Pennsylvania. It is both an honor and a privilege to preserve the personal archives of one of Iran's most significant poets who lived and died in exile,” noted Shams, herself an exiled poet-scholar currently working on a manuscript exploring themes of exile in Persian poetry.
Nader Naderpour, who is widely celebrated as one of the greatest contemporary Iranian poets and intellectuals of the twentieth century, rose to prominence during the 1960s and 1970s with his groundbreaking innovations in double rhymed couplet (charpāreh), Nimaic free verse (She'r-e Nimai), and ghazal. He was among the founding members of the first Association of Iran's Writers (Kānoon-e Nevisandegān-e Iran). Naderpour left Iran after the 1979 Revolution, first settling in France, where he studied French Language and Literature at the Sorbonne University during the 1950s. In 1987, Naderpour moved to California, where he gave regular lectures on Persian poetry at UCLA and UC Irvine. “The Naderpour Collection is an incredible asset to our Persian literature collection, an area we would like to grow,” said Heather Hughes, Penn's Middle East librarian.
Ms. Jaleh Bassiri Naderpour said, “My beloved husband, Nader Naderpour, always sought to share his vast knowledge and creativity with the younger generation. I am thrilled that his wishes have come true, and now one of the world's most esteemed universities, guided by the brilliant Professor Shams—a poet in her own right—will be the guardian of his life’s work. I also encourage those who have recordings or memorabilia of Naderpour's lectures to consider donating their collections to this outstanding institution so that this magnificent archive can grow and become accessible to all those around the world who are interested.”
Farhad Mafie, Naderpour’s friend and author of Nader Naderpour (1929-2000), Iranian Poet, Thinker, and Patriot who made this donation to the university, noted, “From our first debate during one of his lectures, which marked the beginning of our friendship, to the honor and privilege of being both a student and close friend of Nader Naderpour for over ten years, to being chosen to deliver the homily at his burial, and later publishing a book about him—this journey has been profoundly transformative. For over 30 years, I have worked to promote his scholarly prose, inspiring poetry, and unique sense of nobility globally. Now, as I donate his collection to a prestigious university, I hope to provide others with the opportunity to experience the legacy of this remarkable and magnanimous literary figure.”
We sincerely thank Ms. Jaleh Bassiri Naderpour and Mr. Farhad Mafie for their trust and tireless efforts to preserve and donate these invaluable archives to our university. This donation will certainly benefit our mission at Penn and the research community of modern Persian literature across various academic institutions.