Jack Stewart papers, 1926-2010

A high percentage of the items are dated circa 1975-1988, the years when Stewart was a graudate student at New York University. Items continued to be added after his dissertation was completed. Material added after 2004 largely concerns posthumously published writings. On occasion, these files have been referred to and possibly cited as Jack Stewart's "Mass Transit Art Graffiti collection."

Published posthumously, Graffiti Kings: New York Mass Transit Art in the 1970s by Jack Stewart was based on his dissertation. Of particular note are the interviews (on 30 sound cassettes, 3 sound tape reels, and in digital format), transcripts, lengthy lists of graffiti writers' names/"tags," and Profile of a Common Offender compiled by the New York City Police Department. Interviews consist mainly of graffiti writers looking at slides and identifying graffiti and their writers. Also found is an interview with Edward Silverfarb, an official of the New York City Transit Authority. Many of the recordings have transcripts. Some of the transcripts identify slides that were being viewed during the conversation. Other transcripts do not appear to have recordings associated with them in the collection. Some transcripts are handwritten, some are typewritten, and others are simply notes from conversations. Where transcripts have been identified as directly documenting recordings in the collection it is noted in the folder listing.

Also among the research files on graffiti is a copy of the first known instance of graffiti appearing in advertising - a Volvo ad showing the car parked in front of a graffiti covered wall.

Some files are grouped by subject or record type. Paper records are arranged alphabetically. Transcripts and interview recordings are arranged chronologically.