Photograph of the Suffolk Collegiate Institute discovered
Every once in a while, an archive can yield a treasure that hasn’t been seen in many years. Such is the case with a photograph that was recently found in the Elon University Archives & Special Collections. The photograph is of the Suffolk Collegiate Institute, which along with Graham College was a forerunner of Elon College, now Elon University. What is unique about this find is that it may be the only remaining photograph of the Institute, and it is the first time a photo of the institute has been seen in many years. Suffolk Collegiate Institute was founded in 1872 in Suffolk, Virginia, by the Eastern Virginia Conference of the Southern Christian Convention of the Christian Church. W. B. Wellons, one of the Christian Church’s most influential figures of the time, was the school’s first president. It was part of a movement within the Christian Church to establish denominational…
Read More“Black Studies Protests” Story Map
On November 19, 1969, a group of students sent an open letter to the head of the Department of Social Sciences with three demands: the creation of a Black Studies course, the hiring of a Black faculty member, and the removal of a racist Elon professor. This story map collects material from books, newspapers, and additional archival records to ground the November 1969 open letter within the movement towards a Black Studies curriculum at Elon. You can find the online exhibit in the Archives’ Online Exhibit’s page, or on the Story Maps website (linked below). Black Studies Protests: Elon University’s Journey to an African and African-American Studies Program Sometimes archival research resists a linear narrative. Instead of telling a story chronologically, it becomes easier to communicate the importance of an event or a piece of evidence through a different starting point. The November 1969 open letter is one such example….
Read MoreA Brief History of Elon’s Winter Term Diversity Tradition
Stephanie Hays Winter Term at Elon is used as a time for the university to focus on diversity by hosting sessions, lunches, and activities for students to engage in discussions about the different facets of diversity and how it impacts students’ lives. This year, the theme “The Difference Difference Makes” links together the events being held on campus, which celebrates human diversity. Elon started having themed Winter Terms in 2000, naming the first one “The Millenium” after the end of the 1900s and beginning of the 2000s. 2013 became the first Winter Term to have a theme of diversity, with the name of “Learn. Engage. Appreciate,” after making a commitment to diversity in its long-term plans. 2013 also saw the start of many different events and courses with ties to diversity, including the multi-faith lunch series, and multiple notable speakers. Every year since, Elon has continued the theme of diversity…
Read MoreMiddle Eastern Students at Elon University
Elon University has emphasized engaging the global community for decades. Regardless of foreign conflicts, especially those in the Middle East, the faculty and student population at Elon strive to respect all students, which is evident in the experiences of students from the Middle East who have attended Elon.
Read MoreHistoric Elon video now online!
August 9, 2013Story written by: Taylor Sharp ’16Please note that this story first appeared on Elon University’s E-Net website. Elon’s archive of historic video recordings is being digitized and made available online through a special project of the Elon University Archives and Special Collections in Belk Library. The first set of recordings is available through the archives website at: http://elonuniversity.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/search/collection/p16128coll4 Work began on digitizing the video files in late 2012. There are currently more than 4,000 audio and video recordings in the archives, including on-campus performances, lectures, Elon annual events and a walking tour of campus by President Emeritus J. Earl Danieley. Linda Lashendock, video archive technologist, and Katie Nash, archivist and special collections librarian, developed the procedures, policies and workflow for digitizing the collection. The first files selected for conversion include concerts by the Emanons musical group, the annual Faculty/Staff Awards Luncheons beginning with 1986, and recordings of President…
Read MoreSadie Hawkins Day at Elon College
Miriam Pace – volunteer in Archives November 17, 2011 How many of you remember the comic strip that ran for many years and featured Lil Abner, Sadie Hawkins, and their friends in Dogpatch? On November 17, 1950, Sadie Hawkins Day was celebrated at Elon College and was sponsored by the Student Christian Association. Prometheus McGurgle (Mayor of Dogpatch) issued a proclamation calling for all Elon men who weren’t married to look over the “passel of gals” on campus, marry them, and “relieve their pappies and mammies of the burden of their board and keep.”
Read MoreThe end, but also new beginnings
Pam Richter – Class of 2011 December 13, 2010 I will never forget my first day working in Belk Library Archives and Special Collections. I was a nervous freshman who was looking to make some money to help pay for college. When I first started out, I had no idea that it would turn into a life-changing opportunity. Today is my last day at the archives, as I will be graduating from Elon University at the end of this semester. With graduating comes a lot of goodbyes and also reflections of my time here. My time at the archives has been one of the best experiences of my life. I have learned about myself and found new passions in my life. I’ve learned so much about myself and am extremely grateful of every opportunity I have had here to pursue my curiosities and interests. Throughout my three years working at…
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