Manuel Ramos Otero (1948-1990) is considered the first openly gay writer from Puerto Rico. He resided in New York City for much of his adult life. In 1990, he returned to his hometown of Manatí, Puerto Rico, where he died of complications from HIV/AIDS. The collection includes personal and professional correspondence, manuscripts, notebooks and notes, reviews, photographs, and newspaper clippings. These materials range in date from Otero's infancy to his death, 1948-1990. There is also a small section of the collection that contains material related to Otero posthumously, which dates from 1990 to 2007.

This collection consist of the papers, manuscripts, correspondence, notes, audiotapes, and photographs of Vera Blackwell. The collection relates both to her translations, as well as to her writing, poetry, TV/radio scripts, and personal travels. There is a significant amount of personal correspondence and photographs.