The Defense of Cain -- First Draft finished

Event: June 8, 1978.
Updated: January 16, 2015

Cover page for first performance notes to audience in August 1978

In a cover letter for a first manuscript of my play The Defense of Cain, dated June 8, 1978, submitted to John R. Howard, then president of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, I mentioned in a PS dated a day later having just that morning (6/9/78) become aware of the change of policy toward the Negro by the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City. Howard had become my friend and mentor since we had first met in his college office in March 1972. He had long encouraged me to write something about my personal story.

16 Jan 15. Below is a scan of the 3-page cover letter to John Howard, mentioned above. The hand-written note on page 1 to "Jim", dated 10/6/02 is to my second son. It notes a "synchronicity" of the birth date of his youngest brother Johnny whose namesake was John Howard.

Since dreams and dream work had become a subject of interest to Howard, I felt comfortable to include a dream of that very morning (8 Jun 78), which contained him as an inner character. From today's perspective (16 Jan 15) that dream takes on new meaning, which is a subject for further consideration in the not too distant future.

(click on images to enlarge)