Archive for the ‘Collections’ Category
Posted by [email protected] on April 25, 2014
April 27, 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa enforced through legislation from 1948 through 1994. Apartheid became an international issue and a prominent topic for human rights activists around the world and in South Africa. Apartheid famously came to an end with the election of Nelson Mandela to South Africa’s presidency in 1994.
Throughout its existence apartheid inspired a lot of analysis in the U.S. and is well represented in archival collections here at Brown. The item highlighted in this post, a handbook from The South Africa Catalyst Project is from the Hall Hoag Collection of Extremist and Dissenting Propaganda. The South Africa Catalyst Project was formed in 1977 in Palo Alto, California. The SACP focused on the investment policies of Stanford University and in turn US investment policies in apartheid South Africa. They aimed to pressure organizations that were financially supportive of South Africa to change their policies and put an end to apartheid. Under the leadership of Chris Hables Graym the SACP also provided information and tips for others attempting to start groups in their own universities and communities. The group disbanded in 1982. The handbook includes: background on apartheid, the history of the student movement, case studies, approaches for stopping apartheid, lists of companies investing in the pro-apartheid government and lists of organizations working to stop apartheid.
The Gordon Hall and Grace Hoag Collection of Dissenting and Extremist Printed Propaganda contains printed organizational literature (largely pamphlets and leaflets), with smaller numbers of photos, audio–visual items, manuscripts, and monographs published by fringe and extreme groups from the right and the left. The Hall Hoag Collection spans the political spectrum and constitutes the country’s largest research collection of right and left wing U.S. extremist groups in the 20th century.
More information about: the Hall-Hoag Collection.
More information about: The South Africa Catalyst Project.
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Posted by Karen A. Eberhart on March 12, 2013
It arrived on my desk one morning. A handmade scrapbook labeled Correspondances Militaires, 1916-1917 covered in paper the color of the French military uniform – bleu horizon. Each letter was carefully pasted along one edge to a thin strip of paper. Each letter was written to Emile Toulouse from his brothers Eugène and Jean and a smattering of friends and cousins. They all served France during World War I. Emile served as a firefighter in Paris. Eugène served in the infantry. Jean served with the artillery.
The most important function of war time letters is simply to assure family and friends that one is still in this world. Eugène writes at the beginning of almost every letter and card exactly the same sentence: “Je suis toujours en bonne santé et désire que ma lettre te trouve de même. = I am still in good health and hope that my letter finds you the same.” The fact that Eugène wrote that for over 2.5 years (March 1915 until November 1917) while serving in the trenches in France is remarkable. In the optimistic early days of 1915, he gathered flowers from each of the trenches.
Flowers collected in the trenches by Eugene Toulouse, 1915
By December 29, 1916, Eugène’s spirits were flagging and for good reason. Below is a translated excerpt from that letter.
“ . . . From time to time here at this Compagnie de Dépôt we are almost as brutally treated as you are, and twice I was almost thrown in jail without any reason. You better believe it’s harsh to be treated that way especially because it’s possible that in one week we will have our pants on fire and our feet freeze. I am beginning to believe that we will never beat them although you know my morale was pretty high. I can’t wait for the escape.”
[Translation by Dominique Coulombe, Senior Scholarly Resources Librarian]
To read that letter and all the others in this diminutive but interesting scrapbook visit the John Hay Library and request the Toulouse Family Correspondence (Ms.2012.017).
Posted in Collections, General Interest, New Acquisitions | Comments Off on Fleurs des Tranchées = Trench Flowers
Posted by [email protected] on January 15, 2013
Transparency displayed in Philadelphia to celebrate emancipation in Maryland
January 1, 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the document now known as the Emancipation Proclamation. Though its title suggests a simple executive order issued by the President, in fact the Emancipation Proclamation had a complex and fascinating evolution that is worthy of further discussion. Bookseller and bibliographer Charles Francis Eberstadt set out to document its printing history, and in 1950 published a bibliography of every print copy of the proclamation made during the Civil War that he had identified, back to the first Cabinet discussions of the Preliminary Proclamation of Emancipation in July 1862. Once Lincoln and his Cabinet finalized the text of the preliminary Proclamation of Emancipation, copies of the text were immediately printed in the leading newspapers the following day — September 23, 1862. Plain text copies were also separately printed at the State Department, first for high level goverment officials and diplomats overseas who would have need of it, and then for the official State Department folio record. The War Department had it printed, as General Order No. 139, for distribution to Union officers in the field. A few privately issued copies were also printed, notably in Ohio and Massachusetts, between October and December of 1862. But all of these early printings produced only the text of the proclamation. After January 1, 1863, celebrations of the end of slavery began in earnest, and printings of the Emancipation Proclamation began to take on a growing range of decorative elements, some quite large and elaborate, others smaller and intended to be kept sedately carried in a pocket. Eberstadt was kind enough to provide a set of photstats of all of the copies of the Emancipation Proclamation he had identified to the Hay Library for its McLellan Lincoln Collection, to supplement our large collection of original decorative printings. These materials are available to interested researchers, both at the Hay Library and online in our Lincoln Broadsides collection.
William H. Pratt's calligraphic Emancipation Proclamation as a portrait of Lincoln (Eberstadt 40)
Pocket edition of Emancipation Proclamation with decorations (Eberstadt 18 variant)
Posted in Collections, Digital Projects, General Interest | Tagged: Civil War, Emancipation, lincoln, Slavery | Comments Off on Celebrating Emancipation
Posted by Karen A. Eberhart on January 14, 2013
A collection of Rhode Island currency and fiscal documents was recently donated by Cynthia Frost (Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at Brown) in memory of her father Michael Freezy Frost, who collected the materials during his lifetime. The Frost Currency collection (Ms.2012.031) contains examples of 26 pieces of currency, of varying types, issued in Rhode Island between 1775 to 1929, one bank note issued in Delaware in 1759, and 5 documents related to the fiscal history of 18th century Rhode Island.
Front of Rhode Island 20 Dollar bill, 1780
Back of Rhode Island 20 Dollar bill, 1780
This 20 Dollar bill was issued in 1780 and is a promissory note from the State of Rhode Island. which promised to pay the bearer the principal plus 5% interest every year in 6 years. The note was then traded like money for goods and services. Whoever possessed the note at the end of the 6-year term collected the principal and all the interest. Notice the offset text on the left side of the bill, the original signatures and the unique handwritten number, all of which were meant to frustrate counterfeiters. The back adds offset text in red and a woodcut image which would be very difficult to reproduce exactly.
Rhode Island 6 Pence bill, 1786
The State of Rhode Island also issued money. The Six Pence bill was issued in 1786 and is printed on only one side. No interest accrues with this bill, it is solely meant as a medium of exchange.
Front of Roger Williams National Bank of Providence 10 Dollar bill, 1865
Back of Roger Williams National Bank of Providence 10 Dollar bill, 1865
Banks got into the business of printing money in the 1840s and they chose the images and style of the bills. The image of Benjamin Franklin discovering electricity with his kite was clearly so well known by 1865 that it needed no caption on this 10 Dollar bill. The back of the bill shows DeSoto discovering the Mississippi. Perhaps the choice of that image was meant to create solidarity within the United States again since that area of the country had so recently been prevented from seceding.
To learn more about this collection visit the John Hay Library.
Posted in Collections, General Interest, New Acquisitions, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Money, Money, Money!
Posted by Karen A. Eberhart on November 15, 2012
Upon first glance it seems that people in 1908 have no idea how to draw, let alone produce a successful image of a pig.
And then you look more closely at the poem at the beginning of the book and it becomes clear. They are drawing these pigs blindfolded.
This volume, Guest Book : Many Pigs of Many Pens, was published in 1902 as a playful alternative to a traditional guest book. In conventional guest books, visitors were expected to sign their name and contribute a poem, sketch, quote, or witticism. The purpose of this guest book explains the statement on the cover – “A Pig in Time Saves a Rhyme.”
This copy was given as a present to John Nicholas Brown II (1900-1979) in 1908. The first image above shows the eight-year-old’s attempt at a pig. It is one of many items in the Natalie Bayard Brown papers (Ms.2007.011) at the John Hay Library.
Mrs. Natalie Bayard Dresser Brown was the wife of John Nicholas Brown (1861-1900) and the mother of John Nicholas Brown II (1900-1979). Her papers reflect her active involvement in the many Brown family businesses, the Democratic Party during the 1930s, and numerous charitable causes through correspondence with family and friends, writings and speeches, scrapbooks, and photographs.
The elder John Nicholas died of typhoid fever 2 months after the birth of his son followed soon after by the death of his brother Harold Brown. Those tragic events made John Nicholas Brown II the heir to the Brown family fortune and he was dubbed the “richest baby in America.” The John Nicholas Brown II papers (Ms.2007.012) contain a wealth of material on the visual arts, art collections and collecting activities, and public service at the state, national and international levels, as well as the history of Brown University and the State of Rhode Island during the twentieth century.
Both of those collections, and many others related to the Brown family, can be viewed at the John Hay Library.
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Posted by Karen A. Eberhart on October 10, 2012
Elaine Hedges
The Elaine Hedges papers (Ms.2011.007) are now available for research
Elaine Hedges is best known for her ground-breaking scholarship on the significance of American women and sewing — particularly in reference to their quiltmaking in the nineteenth century. Her detailed and innovative study of quilts as encoded texts brought to the fore important historical information about women and their social, political and artistic endeavors that had previously been overlooked by mainstream scholars. Hedges was also a leader in the area of Women’s Studies through the foundation of the Women’s Studies program at Towson State University in Maryland in 1972. Throughout her career, she was a fierce advocate for curriculum reform and of a more inclusive canon of American literature so as to incorporate works by women, ethnic minorities, and the gay and lesbian community.
The collection thoroughly documents all aspects of Hedges long and productive career as one of the most influential feminist scholars of the 20th century. Her scholarship and teaching were wide-ranging and reflect the history of the women’s movement and the creation of women’s studies programs.
Posted in Collections, General Interest, New Acquisitions, Uncategorized | Comments Off on A Women’s Studies Pioneer – Elaine Ryan Hedges
Posted by Karen A. Eberhart on September 20, 2012
The papers of American diplomat Jonathan Russell provide an intimate look inside the grievances that caused the War of 1812 and its ultimate resolution in December 1814.
Major causes of the war stemmed from Great Britain’s fight with France which had been raging since 1803. Eager to bolster its own resources and reduce supplies for France, Great Britain impressed American seamen into service with the British Navy and blockaded the American coast to prevent provisions from reaching France. Those actions, among others, did not sit well with the Americans and President James Madison declared war on Great Britain in June 1812.
Jonathan Russell was a witness to all of the intrigue. His diplomatic career began when President James Madison appointed him chargé d’affaires in Paris in 1810. The next year he was given the same position in London and from 1814 to 1818 he was United States minister to Sweden and Norway. Russell was also one of the negotiators of the Treaty of Ghent which ended the War of 1812.
The papers of Jonathan Russell include correspondence with all the prominent politicians, diplomats, and businessmen of the day. They also include letters from seamen, who were impressed by the British, seeking his assistance to return home again. Of particular note are the “Records of U.S. Commissioners to Negotiate with Great Britain at Ghent” which provide a detailed account of the negotiations with Great Britain to end the war.
To learn more about the Jonathan Russell papers, see the finding aid available on the Rhode Island Archives and Manuscripts Online website.
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Posted by Ann Morgan Dodge on September 18, 2012
At noon on Sept. 25, Prof. Ken Haynes will give a gallery talk on his exhibit Geoffrey Hill and His Books. The exhibit is in honor of poet and former colleague Geoffrey Hill on the occasion of his 80th birthday. The talk will take place in the North Gallery of the John Hay Library.
The exhibit includes materials from the Library’s General and Special Collections as well as books from the private collection of Haynes (including works that formerly belonged to Hill). The exhibit is organized around fifteen published books of poetry, from For the Unfallen (1959) to Odi Barbare (2012). A few works have been chosen to accompany each of these books, to illustrate the different kinds of publications that have influenced Hill’s writing (children’s books, fantasy tales, poetry, art books, historical scholarship) and the different ways they have influenced it (in visual layout, in dramatizing the physical act of reading, in allusion and quotation, and in other ways).
Posted in Announcements, Collections, Exhibits & Events, General Interest | Comments Off on FOCUS ON SPECIAL COLLECTIONS: Geoffrey Hill and His Books Gallery Talk September 25th at noon
Posted by Ann Morgan Dodge on September 14, 2012
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] – Geoffrey Hill and His Books, an exhibit curated by Kenneth Haynes, Professor of Comparative Literature and Classics at Brown University, in honor of poet and former colleague Geoffrey Hill on the occasion of Hill’s 80th birthday, is on view in the North Gallery, John Hay Library, now through October 1, 2012.
The exhibit includes materials from the Library’s General and Special Collections as well as books from the private collection of Haynes (including works that formerly belonged to Hill). The exhibit is organized around fifteen published books of poetry, from For the Unfallen (1959) to Odi Barbare (2012). A few works have been chosen to accompany each of these books, to illustrate the different kinds of publications that have influenced Hill’s writing (children’s books, fantasy tales, poetry, art books, historical scholarship) and the different ways they have influenced it (in visual layout, in dramatizing the physical act of reading, in allusion and quotation, and in other ways). Drop in the Hay and take a look!
Posted in Announcements, Collections, Exhibits & Events, General Interest | Comments Off on New Exhibit on View: Geoffrey Hill and His Books
Posted by Karen A. Eberhart on May 8, 2012
This week, as we look forward to the 242nd Commencement, we provide you with a glimpse into the early days and struggles of this venerable institution to gain respect and scholars. During the first 3 years, 1764-1767, James Manning was not only the first President but also the only faculty member. The first commencement was held in 1769 at which time 7 young men graduated and 21 men of distinction were awarded Honorary Degrees. On November 12, 1772, James Manning wrote to his friend John C. Ryland in England with the happy news that John C. Ryland, Junior had received his degree from Rhode Island College that same spring. He also took the opportunity to comment on the political situation affecting the ability of the school to attract students.
James Manning to John C. Ryland, 12 Nov 1772, James Manning papers, MS-1C-1, Brown University Archives
“With this I send you a Catalogue of those who have received the honours of the College, from the first [to] our last Commencement, I believe, acquired us considerable Reputation amongst the Literate in N. England and had we not to combat with the inveterate Enmity of the N. England Clergy, it would have added to the Number of our Scholars, but they take unwearied pains to prevent any from coming, if possible, and don’t [?] at the Methods of carrying their Points: but, thank God, they don’t govern the World.”
James Manning was clearly able to overcome the clergy that worked against him. A total of 40,244 scholars applied to be admitted to Brown University for the 2011-2012 academic year. Of that number a total of 8,454 students began their studies in September 2011. James Manning would no doubt be flabbergasted by those numbers and extremely pleased.
You can learn more about James Manning’s experience as the first President of Brown University by visiting the Guide to the James Manning Papers (MS-1C-1). Digital copies of all his correspondence can be viewed by clicking on the link for each item in the inventory.
Posted in Collections, General Interest, Uncategorized, University Archives & History | Comments Off on James Manning
