Author Archives: Jennifer Betts

University History: Founding of Brown University

Posted on by

Brown University traces its origins to 1764 with the granting of the Charter by the Rhode Island General Assembly.  The founding was promoted by Reverend Morgan Edwards, moderator of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, in 1762.  Under Edward’s leadership, Rhode Island was selected as a likely site, since the colony had been settled by Baptists, was still largely governed by Baptists, and had no college.  A representative of the Association, James Manning, visited Newport in July 1763, where he met with “about 15 gentlemen of the same denomination” at the home of Deputy Governor John Gardner.  The plan for a college was immediately accepted and in August, 1763, a Charter was presented to the General Assembly in Newport.  After postponement, a different charter was presented at subsequent sessions and granted on March 2 and 3, 1764, for the “College or University in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.”  James Manning went on to become the first president of Brown University, often referred to as “Rhode Island College” until 1804.

Primary sources:

Rhode Island College miscellaneous papers, MS-1C-1 (contains digitized materials)

James Manning papers, MS-1E-1 (contains digitized materials)

Secondary sources:

Guild, Reuben Aldridge. Early History of Brown University: Including the Life, Times, and Correspondence of President Manning. 1756-1791. Providence: [Printed by Snow & Farnham], 1897.

Bronson, Walter C. The History of Brown University, 1764-1914. Providence: Published by the University [Brown University], 1914.

Brown, Robert Perkins, et al. Memories of Brown: Traditions and Recollections Gathered From Many Sources. Providence, R.I.: Brown Alumni Magazine, 1909.

“Founding”, Encyclopedia Brunoniana

Seeing Ourselves, Showing Ourselves: Brown's Culture on Display, Haffenreffer Museum (Manning Hall)

Posted on by

Seeing Ourselves, Showing Ourselves: Brown’s Culture on Display

May 3 –  June/July, 2011

Haffenreffer Museum (Manning Hall)

Students from Brown’s Public Humanities program have curated an intriguing exhibit of museum objects from the University Archives. The exhibit explores how objects, artifacts, and documents represent students’ experiences on campus.

The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology: http://brown.edu/Facilities/Haffenreffer/index.html

The John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage: http://www.brown.edu/Research/JNBC/index.html

Seeing Ourselves, Showing Ourselves: Brown’s Culture on Display, Haffenreffer Museum (Manning Hall)

Posted on by

Seeing Ourselves, Showing Ourselves: Brown’s Culture on Display

May 3 –  June/July, 2011

Haffenreffer Museum (Manning Hall)

Students from Brown’s Public Humanities program have curated an intriguing exhibit of museum objects from the University Archives. The exhibit explores how objects, artifacts, and documents represent students’ experiences on campus.

The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology: http://brown.edu/Facilities/Haffenreffer/index.html

The John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage: http://www.brown.edu/Research/JNBC/index.html

A Life in Motion: A reading by Florence Howe, 4/29 at 3 pm, Pembroke 305

Posted on by

Friday, April 29, 2011

3 pm

Pembroke Hall 305, 172 Meeting Street

Guest speaker: Florence Howe

Florence Howe has led an audacious life: she created a freedom school during the civil rights movement, refused to bow to academic heavyweights who were opposed to sharing power with women, and founded a feminist publishing house at a time when books for and about women were few. Sustained by her relationships with ironic writers like Grace Paley, Tillie Olsen, and Marilyn French, she traveled the world as an emissary for women’s empowerment. Howe’s memoir spans her eighty years of personal struggle and professional triumphs.

Sponsored by the Brown University Library, the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women, and the Sarah Doyle Women’s Center.

A Life in Motion: A reading by Florence Howe, 4/29 at 3 pm, Pembroke 305

Posted on by

Friday, April 29, 2011

3 pm

Pembroke Hall 305, 172 Meeting Street

Guest speaker: Florence Howe

Florence Howe has led an audacious life: she created a freedom school during the civil rights movement, refused to bow to academic heavyweights who were opposed to sharing power with women, and founded a feminist publishing house at a time when books for and about women were few. Sustained by her relationships with ironic writers like Grace Paley, Tillie Olsen, and Marilyn French, she traveled the world as an emissary for women’s empowerment. Howe’s memoir spans her eighty years of personal struggle and professional triumphs.

Sponsored by the Brown University Library, the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women, and the Sarah Doyle Women’s Center.

Tips & Tools: How do I search for a thesis?

Posted on by

How do I search for a thesis?

To locate an undergraduate or master’s thesis:

  • Go to Josiah (http://josiah.brown.edu/search/)
  • Select Call Number
  • Change the type of call number to Other Brown Call Numbers
  • Search for the call number:
    • Honors thesis: 1-N HO
    • Master’s thesis: 1-N M
  • If you are trying to locate a thesis from a particular year, search for the call number with the year:
    • Honors thesis: 1-N HO YYYY
    • Master’s thesis: 1-N MYYYY

All theses are stored off-site unless they contain Brown University content.  Select Request This to have a thesis sent to the John Hay Library and placed on reserve in your name.

Dr. Vartan Gregorian on “Information and Knowledge in an Age of Technology”, 3/17 at 4 pm, Sayles Hall

Posted on by

Dr. Vartan Gregorian
"Information and Knowledge in an Age of Technology"

Introduction by President Ruth J. Simmons

Reception to follow at the John Hay Library

Thursday, March 17, 2011
4 PM
Sayles Hall, Brown University

In honor of the centennial celebration of the John Hay Library, Dr. Vartan Gregorian will address “Information and Knowledge in an Age of Technology.” See Press Release for more information.

Since 1997, Vartan Gregorian has served as the twelfth president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He was president of Brown University from 1989 to 1997, and president of the New York Public Library from 1981 to 1989.

Welcome Christopher Geissler

Posted on by

The John Hay Library is delighted to welcome  Christopher Geissler as a Project Archivist.  Christopher will be working on a two-year project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

The John Hay Library was awarded grant funds to raise awareness of a number of significant collections, papers, and records held in Manuscripts and University Archives, including the papers of prominent literary figures, scientists, historians, Brown faculty and alumni, and cultural, political, and activist organizations. Christopher will conduct a survey of archival and manuscript collections and create catalog records and Encoded Archival Description (EAD) finding aids.  In addition, the Archivists’ Toolkit will be implemented in order to manage archival and manuscript collections through a single database.

Christopher comes to us from the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute where he was Cataloger for Archives and Special Collections.