Mark Opsasnick papers
Collection
0435-SCPA-OPSASNICK
Mark Opsasnick (b. 1962, Washington, D.C.) is an American author and historian. He was raised in Greenbelt, Maryland, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in urban studies from the University of Maryland in 1984. He is the author of multiple books on music from the Washington, D.C. area, including Capitol Rock, Rock the Potomac, and his biography of Doors singer Jim Morrison, The Lizard King Was Here. The Mark Opsasnick papers contain research materials and interview recordings, as well as copies of his books.
The collection is open for research use. Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room during SCPA’s operating hours. Please contact the curator for an appointment or if you have questions related to digital access of the materials.
Copyright was not transferred to the University of Maryland with the gift of any copyrighted materials. All rights remain with the creators and rights holders. The University of Maryland Libraries is granted permission for the use in scholarly research by the Libraries’ patrons under fair use in Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act.
To inquire about duplication of materials for research or for publication, please contact SCPA’s curator.
7.0 Linear Feet
English
The Mark Opsasnick papers contain research materials and interview recordings, as well as copies of his books. The recordings were part of the research for Opsasnick's books Rock the Potomac and The Lizard King Was Here. The Opsasnick papers cover the period from 1696 to 2019; the bulk of the materials date from 1950 to 2019.
Mark Opsasnick (b. 1962, Washington, D.C.) is an American author and historian. He was raised in Greenbelt, Maryland, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in urban studies from the University of Maryland in 1984. He had authored several books on music from the Washington, D.C. area, including Capitol Rock, Rock the Potomac, and his biography of Doors singer Jim Morrison, The Lizard King Was Here. As The Washington Post wrote in 2002, "you can say without hyperbole that his knowledge of Washington's rock 'n roll history is encyclopedic."
He has written extensively on popular culture, rock and roll music, and unexplained phenomena. He resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland and frequently gives talks and presentations on local music history, in addition to emceeing and hosting live music shows throughout the region.
The Opsasnick papers are organized into three series:
Gift of Mark Opsasnick, May 2022.
Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library