Fonds consists of material related to Kogawa's writing projects, her participation in literary, cultural, and human rights conferences and events, her involvement in community organizations, and her personal life. Fonds also includes some material accumulated by Kogawa's parents, the Rev. Gordon Goichi and Lois Kogawa. The fonds is arranged generally into series regarding Kogawa's written works; correspondence; documents related to conferences, speeches, organizations, and interviews; teaching materials; personal and legal records; family documents, other people's works; sound recordings; videocassette recordings; publications; subject files; and photographs.