Author Archives: University Archives and Special Collections

UMass Boston and the American Archive of Public Broadcasting

Date
Posted by
Comments1

The history of and access to public broadcasting recordings dating back to the 1950s (from radio broadcasts to television shows) is the focus of a recent article in the Boston Globe. The article describes the partnership between the Library of Congress and WGBH to establish the American Archive of Public Broadcasting. Through this partnership, the Library of Congress and WGBH are working to digitize and make openly available over sixty years of public broadcasting history.

University Archives & Special Collections in the the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston was an early contributor to this project. In early 2013, University Archives & Special Collections allowed a sample set of recordings from the archives of WUMB, the radio station of the University of Massachusetts Boston, to be digitized for inclusion in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting. First established in 1968, WUMB has been a public radio affiliate of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) since 1986.

Radio broadcasts that University Archives & Special Collections contributed for inclusion in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting include talk radio show recordings such as Black Perspectives, Commonwealth Journal, and From the Source, as well as live in-studio and concert performances by a number of musicians.

The digitized recordings are still being processed by the American Archive and University Archives & Special Collections. Keep visiting this blog for more information.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collects materials related to the university’s history, as well as materials that reflect the institution’s urban mission and strong support of community service, notably in collections of records of urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, and local history related to neighboring communities.

University Archives & Special Collections welcomes inquiries from individuals, organizations, and businesses interested in donating materials of an archival nature that that fit within our collecting policy. These include manuscripts, documents, organizational archives, collections of photographs, unique publications, and audio and video media. For more information about donating to University Archives & Special Collections, click here or email library.archives@umb.edu.

“Conversations Between Communities” exhibition opens in Grossmann Gallery

Date
Posted by
Comments0

University Archives & Special Collections welcomes the arrival of the exhibition “Conversations Between Communities: UMass Boston Archaeology for and with the Nipmuc Nation and the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation” in the Grossmann Gallery on the 5th floor of the Joseph P. Healey Library.  “Conservations Between Communities” combines cultural objects and photographs to showcase two ongoing UMass Boston archaeological projects that have collaborative relationships with local Native American communities in southern New England.  The exhibition is free to the general public and will remain open through the end of November.

Community-engaged scholarship, learning, and service are important parts of university missions, ensuring that academic projects do not just “take” but also give back in meaningful ways. Archaeological projects with, by, and for Native American communities play significant roles in this process. To achieve these goals, two archaeological field projects at UMass Boston—the Hassanamesit Woods Archaeological Field School (Grafton, Massachusetts) and the Eastern Pequot Archaeological Field School (North Stonington, Connecticut)—employ different levels of consultation and collaboration to engage the Nipmuc and the Eastern Pequot communities, respectively, in the archaeology conducted on their lands.

Similarities and differences between artifacts unearthed speak to each community’s unique experiences over the last 400 years, providing new insights to spark conversations between these indigenous groups and the archaeologists and students who work with them. The artifacts presented in this exhibition fall into four main categories—connections to a deeper past, foodways, architecture, and daily lives—that broadly encapsulate life at one Nipmuc homesite in Hassanamesit Woods and at several 18th– and 19th-century households on the Eastern Pequot reservation. The photographs capture some of the nature of archaeological fieldwork and interesting moments of community involvement.

There will be a panel discussion on the Healey Library 5th floor on Tuesday, November 12 from 4:00-6:00 pm.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collects materials related to the university’s history, as well as materials that reflect the institution’s urban mission and strong support of community service, notably in collections of records of urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, and local history related to neighboring communities.

University Archives & Special Collections welcomes inquiries from individuals, organizations, and businesses interested in donating materials of an archival nature that that fit within our collecting policy. These include manuscripts, documents, organizational archives, collections of photographs, unique publications, and audio and video media. For more information about donating to University Archives & Special Collections, click here or email library.archives@umb.edu.

Mass. Memories Road Show looks at the Irish Immigrant Experience

Date
Posted by
Comments0

When: November 16, 2013 – 10 a.m – 2 p.m.

Location: The Irish Cultural Centre of New England  |  200 New Boston Drive, Canton, Mass.

View a map. Get Directions.

Are you an Irish immigrant? Was your ancestor an immigrant? Share your story as part of the Mass. Memories Road Show!

Every Irish immigrant and all of their descendants have personal stories. This program on November 16 at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England in Canton, Mass., celebrates each person’s family history and contributions to their community — whether you have lived here for generations or have just arrived. Community members are invited to bring 2 or 3 photos to be scanned and included as part of the Mass. Memories Road Show collection at UMass Boston, available online at openarchives.umb.edu.

Read more about the Irish Immigrant Experience Mass. Memories Road Show in this article from the Boston Irish Reporter.

The Irish Immigrant Experience Mass. Memories Road Show is co-sponsored by The Irish Ancestral Research Association (TIARA), the Irish Cultural Centre of New England, the Eire Society of Boston, and the Consulate General of Ireland.

The Mass. Memories Road Show is a statewide digital history project that documents people, places, and events in Massachusetts history through family photographs and stories.

The Mass. Memories Road Show is produced by the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston and is co-sponsored by the Patricia C. Flaherty ’81 Endowed Fund.

RSVP are requested but not required. Please email massmemories@tiara.ie or call TIARA: 617-244-3050.

Questions about the Road Show? Email carolyn.goldstein@umb.edu.

Early UMass Boston records: Now available for research

Date
Posted by
Comments0

A news release from the Office of Public Relations, September 5, 1974

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston announces the availability for research of three record collections documenting the activities of the University of Massachusetts Boston during the 1960s and 1970s.

Office of Admissions records, 1967-1976
These records document the activities of the Office of Admissions at the University of Massachusetts Boston from 1967-1976. Formats include data sets, lists, maps, meetings minutes, memoranda, statistical charts, and working papers. Included in the collection are a Ten Year Review covering 1965-1974, the meeting minutes of the Admissions Committee from 1967-1976, and summaries of admissions data.
View the finding aid for this collection.

Facilities Planning Office records, 1964-1979
This collection documents the activities of the Facilities Planning Office (previously known as the Planning and Development Office) at the University of Massachusetts Boston from 1964-1979. Topics include the UMass Boston campus in Park Square in the mid-1960s as well as the negotiations and planning behind the permanent site selection of Columbia Point in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Formats include articles, building floor plans, bulletins, correspondence, invoices, lease drafts, lists, maps, memoranda, newspapers clippings, photographs, proposals, and reports.
View the finding aid for this collection.

Office of Public Relations news releases, 1971-1977
This collection contains news releases published by the Office of Public Relations (currently known as the Office of Communications) at the University of Massachusetts Boston from 1971-1977.
View the finding aid for this collection.

These records have been processed as part of University Archives & Special Collections’ Save Our History! campaign. In preparation for UMass Boston’s 50th anniversary, University Archives & Special Collections is calling for the transfer of founding documents and organizational records from all units on campus. These units include (but are not limited to) academic departments, administrative units, institutes, centers, and student groups. Read more about transferring University records to UASC.

Accreditation Steering Committee records: Now available for research

Date
Posted by
Comments0

University of Massachusetts Boston: Accreditation Steering Committee records, 1990-1995

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston is pleased to announce that the University of Massachusetts Boston: Accreditation Steering Committee records, 1990-1995, are now open for research.

The collection documents the activities of the Accreditation Steering Committee at the University of Massachusetts Boston following an evaluation of the University by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), on April 12-14, 1992. An Accreditation Steering Committee was appointed in August 1993 and their self-study activities concluded in April 1995. The majority of the collection comprises the records of Martin Quitt, Professor Emeritus of History at UMass Boston, including memoranda, drafts of standards for accreditation, and self-study reports.

View the finding aid for this collection.

These records have been processed as part of University Archives & Special Collections’ Save Our History! campaign. In preparation for UMass Boston’s 50th anniversary, University Archives & Special Collections is calling for the transfer of founding documents and organizational records from all units on campus. These units include (but are not limited to) academic departments, administrative units, institutes, centers, and student groups. Read more about transferring University records to UASC.