Category Archives: UMass Boston History

Exhibition celebrates thirty-year history of Joiner Institute’s Writers’ Workshop

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The exhibition includes two wall displays. Pictured here, attendees at the exhibition’s opening reception view mounted translations of Zen poems from early Vietnam.

Earlier this summer, University Archives & Special Collections worked with staff from the William Joiner Institute for the Study of War and Social Consequences at UMass Boston on an exhibition celebrating the thirty-year history of the Institute’s Writers’ Workshop.

The display, in the Walter Grossmann Memorial Gallery in the Healey Library, includes a range of materials related to the Writers’ Workshop, as well as archival materials, photographs, and artwork from the Archives’ Joiner Institute collections.

This year’s Writers’ Workshop Festival and Celebration, which was held in June, “celebrated 30 years of community and creative responses to war” and continued the Institute’s “tradition of focusing on the intersections of writing, war, social justice, and peace making.” In this exhibit, we look back on the history of the Writers’ Workshop, as well as the wide range of accomplishments and activities of the Joiner Institute since it was established in 1982. Additionally, this display features materials from a number of archival collections in University Archives & Special Collections that document the history of the Vietnam War (many materials were originally collected by or in collaboration with the Joiner Institute).

Included as part of this exhibition are a number of posters from the archival collections and Vietnamese water puppets. The art and practice of Water puppetry in Vietnam dates back to the 11th century.
Included as part of this exhibition are a number of posters from the archival collections and Vietnamese water puppets. The art and practice of Water puppetry in Vietnam dates back to the 11th century.
This exhibition features archival materials such as newsletters, photographs, flyers, and more, that document the early years of the Writers' Workshop, as well as more recent activities of the Workshop.
This exhibition features archival materials such as newsletters, photographs, flyers, and more, that document the early years of the Writers’ Workshop, as well as more recent activities of the Workshop.
This exhibition features archival materials such as newsletters, photographs, flyers, and more, that document the early years of the Writers' Workshop, as well as more recent activities of the Workshop.
This exhibition features archival materials such as newsletters, photographs, flyers, and more, that document the early years of the Writers’ Workshop, as well as more recent activities of the Workshop.
This exhibition features archival materials such as newsletters, photographs, flyers, and more, that document the early years of the Writers' Workshop, as well as more recent activities of the Workshop. In addition, the exhibition documents a major initiative of the Joiner Institute since the late 1980s: the translation of Vietnamese literature, fiction, and poetry, into English. Included in this display is information about Vietnamese author Le Luu, a former soldier in the North Vietnamese army and the first Vietnamese writer to visit the United States since the war ended in 1975. Luu was a guest of the Writers’ Workshop in 1988.
This exhibition features archival materials such as newsletters, photographs, flyers, and more, that document the early years of the Writers’ Workshop, as well as more recent activities of the Workshop. In addition, the exhibition documents a major initiative of the Joiner Institute since the late 1980s: the translation of Vietnamese literature, fiction, and poetry, into English. Included in this display is information about Vietnamese author Le Luu, a former soldier in the North Vietnamese army and the first Vietnamese writer to visit the United States since the war ended in 1975. Luu was a guest of the Writers’ Workshop in 1988.
This exhibition features a range of materials related to the study of war and social consequences that are part of University Archives & Special Collections at UMass Boston. Pictured here are materials from the Francois Sully collection. Other collections featured include the photographs and papers of Gloria Emerson, photographs by Philip Jones Griffiths/Magnum, and materials related to WGBH's Vietnam: A Television History.
This exhibition features a range of materials related to the study of war and social consequences that are part of University Archives & Special Collections at UMass Boston. Pictured here are materials from the Francois Sully collection. Other collections featured include the photographs and papers of Gloria Emerson, photographs by Philip Jones Griffiths/Magnum, and materials related to WGBH’s Vietnam: A Television History.
The exhibition includes two wall displays. Pictured here is a display of photographs related to the Writers' Workshop by Melissa Shook.
The exhibition includes two wall displays. Pictured here is a display of photographs related to the Writers’ Workshop by Melissa Shook.
The exhibition includes two wall displays. Pictured here are mounted translations of Zen poems from early Vietnam.
The exhibition includes two wall displays. Pictured here are mounted translations of Zen poems from early Vietnam.

This display was organized in close collaboration with the Joiner Institute.

University Archives & Special Collections has curatorial responsibility for material acquired by the William Joiner Institute (formerly the William Joiner Center) as part of its mission to study the effects of the Vietnam War on our society, as well as the study of war and social consequences more broadly. The collections of archives, manuscripts, photographs, and videos primarily explore veterans’ issues and experiences.

Explore the Joiner Center/Institute collections and collections related to war and social consequences. For a guide to researching the Vietnam War, click here.

Visit the display in the Grossmann Gallery on the 5th floor of the Healey Library at UMass Boston. The exhibition will run through the fall of 2017.

For questions about the exhibition and these collections, or to schedule a research appointment, please contact library.archives@umb.edu or 617-287-5469.

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.

University Archives and Special Collections digitizes UMass Boston course catalogs, bulletins, and schedules

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University of Massachusetts Boston Undergraduate Bulletin, 1965-1966

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at the University of Massachusetts Boston is pleased to announce that our collections of course catalogs and undergraduate and graduate student bulletins have been fully processed and digitized. See below for more information about using these resources to study the history of UMass Boston.

These newly digitized collections include a range of catalogs related to UMass Boston, including course schedules from 1966 to 2010, undergraduate catalogs from 1965 to 2011, Graduate Studies Bulletins from 1976 to 2012, and Continuing Education Bulletins from 1982 to 2013.

Catalogs include information about UMass Boston colleges, departments and programs, and courses, as well as information about university administration, enrollment, tuition and financial aid, student life, and the university’s accreditation. Course descriptions in each catalog include course numbers, course names, brief descriptions, and the number of credits per course. Click on the collection titles below to review the contents of each collection.

University of Massachusetts Graduate Bulletin, 1976-1977

Explore these catalogs and bulletins on our digital collections site here.

For questions about this collection or to schedule a research appointment, please contact library.archives@umb.edu or 617-287-5469.

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.

Remembering historian and public history professor James Green

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UMass Boston Labor Resource Center staff in 2001. Left to right: Administrative Coordinator Jean Pishkin, CPCS Professor and LRC board member Terry McClarney, Labor Extension Coordinator Tess Ewing, Director Pat Reeve, Program Director James Green, Researcher Deb Osnowitz, and Researcher Mary Jo Connelly.

James Green with UMass Boston Labor Resource Center staff in 2001. Left to right: Administrative Coordinator Jean Pishkin, CPCS Professor and LRC board member Terry McClarney, Labor Extension Coordinator Tess Ewing, Director Pat Reeve, Program Director James Green, Researcher Deb Osnowitz, and Researcher Mary Jo Connelly.

We’re sad to hear of the passing of James Green, labor historian and professor emeritus of history at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Professor Green was a long-time supporter of University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston, as well as a regular collaborator. Read the Boston Globe’s obituary for James Green here.

In 2011, Professor Green donated his papers to University Archives & Special Collections. This collection details the scholarly career and activist history of Professor Green, dating from 1964 to 2010. Scholarly materials consist of research materials related to his published books, as well as essays, published articles, book reviews, public addresses, political speeches, papers presented at conferences, and correspondence with scholars and colleagues. There is also a significant portion of the collection devoted to his administrative duties as director of the Labor Resource Center and his duties within the College of Public and Community Service. In the spring of 2008, Professor Green joined the History Department at UMass Boston, where he created and directed the graduate program in Public History.

View the finding aid for the James Green papers here.

There are several photographs of Professor Green on our digital collections site, as well as a short interview Professor Green contributed as part of our UMass Boston Mass. Memories Road Show in 2014, in which he describes his work at UMass Boston and as part of union activities on campus.

James Green at the UMass Boston Mass. Memories Road Show: Video Interview from UMass Boston Archives on Vimeo.

UASC-0140-0062-00012-0001-VID

WUMB-FM Collection: Now open for research

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The WUMB-FM collection is now open and available for research. This collection, one of the largest in University Archives & Special Collections at UMass Boston, documents the administration and operation of the WUMB radio station at the university from 1969 through 2012. WUMB boxes

WUMB was founded in the fall of 1968 by a group of undergraduate students in the basement of the Sawyer building at 142 Berkeley Street in Back Bay, near UMass Boston’s original Park Square campus. The founding group wanted to provide a radio service that was not available elsewhere, and discussed offering not only music but talk shows.

On October 31, 1968, students formed the Radio Station Committee of UMass Boston and drafted a constitution. The committee consisted of a chairman, vice-chairman, treasurer, and secretary, which were elected each April. Pat Riccio (Monteith), interested in getting involved in university activities as a freshman and a member of the radio station’s founding group, would serve as treasurer, secretary, music director, and, finally, as general manager until 2012.

The station began as a closed-circuit station called WUMB-AM and went on the air for the first time on December 14, 1969. By 1970, it was broadcast within the cafeteria on campus on Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, except during vacations, reading periods, and exams.

On June 30, 1980, the station received the last Metro-Boston area FM license from the Federal Communications Commission and became UMass Boston’s official non-commercial radio station. On September 19, 1982, WUMB officially went on the airwaves with an all-student and volunteer staff, broadcasting to an audience of 1.5 million people. The license was received after years of numerous amendments and resubmittals of lost information, as well as some objections from other commercial and non-commercial radio stations in the area. The license was made possible with support from Chancellor Carlo Golino and his chief of staff, who was an attorney, advocating for the radio station in written letters. Read more about the history of WUMB-FM in the historical note section on page two of the finding aid.

Massachusetts House of Representatives Anniversary Award, circa 2002
Hand puppets from Adventures of Zorba (the cat) and Koffie (the mouse), a children’s show on WUMB circa 1970-1979
Program Information Sheets, 1983
Boston Folk Festival posters, circa 2000-2007

The WUMB-FM collection includes original and photocopied documents, official records (constitution, minutes, by-laws), mimeograph copies, Ditto copies, notes and correspondence, playlists, program guides, surveys, listener correspondence, performance agreements, newspaper articles, lyrics, promotional materials, photographs, contact sheets, slides, negatives, CDs, cassettes, VHS tapes, and more.

Some digitized reel-to-reel audio from the WUMB collection is available through the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (WUMB and UMass Boston are listed among the America Archive’s participating organizations) by clicking “view all records” here. Materials from the collection that may also be of interest to researchers include the records on the Boston Folk Festival, which was organized by WUMB-FM from 1995 to 2011. This series includes documents on festival planning, songwriting contest lyrics, photographs, posters, and promotional materials.

Read past Open Archives News posts about the WUMB-FM collection:

View the finding aid for the WUMB-FM collection here.

For questions about this collection or to schedule a research appointment, please contact library.archives@umb.edu or 617-287-5469.

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.

AIDS Memorial Quilt returns to UMass Boston in commemoration of World AIDS Day

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Click on the cover of the program book to read about events and planning related to the quilt display in June 1988.

Click on the cover of the program book to read about events and planning related to the quilt display in June 1988.

On Tuesday, December 1, UMass Boston will host a World AIDS Day Community Reception featuring a display of sections from the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The display runs from November 30 through December 4 and will be open daily in the Campus Center at UMass Boston from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm.

This will mark the third time that sections from the quilt have been on display at UMass Boston, according to records, photographs, and publications in University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library.

The NAMES Project: AIDS Memorial Quilt is a memorial to those who have died of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). According to a press release from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at UMass Boston, the department on campus responsible for arranging for the display: “The AIDS Memorial Quilt began with a single 3 x 6 foot panel created in San Francisco in 1987. Today, The Quilt is composed of more than 48,000 individual 3 x 6 foot panels, each one commemorating the life of someone who has died of AIDS. These panels come from every state in the nation, every corner of the globe and they have been sewn by hundreds of thousands of friends, lovers and family members into this epic memorial, the largest piece of ongoing community art in the world.” Learn more about the AIDS Memorial Quilt here.

The first display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt at UMass Boston was in the Armory building in Park Square (which some refer to as “The Castle”) in June 1988.

View the program book to read about events and planning related to the quilt display, 1988
Letter from UMass Boston confirming schedule for the AIDS Memorial Quilt display, 1988
The NAMES Project’s AIDS Memorial Quilt display in the Community Arts Gallery, College of Public and Community Service, University of Massachusetts at Boston, 1988
Sections of the NAMES Project’s AIDS Memorial Quilt were briefly on display on Arlington Street, 1988

This 1988 display at the site of UMass Boston’s original Park Square campus was organized by the New England Chapter of the NAMES Project. Founded in late 1987, the New England Chapter changed its name to the Boston Chapter in 1989. University Archives & Special Collections in the Healey Library holds the records of the Boston Chapter of the NAMES Project. View the finding guide for this collection here.

In 1998, UMass Boston arranged for another display of the quilt in the Clark Athletic Center at UMass Boston. During the opening ceremony on April 23, volunteers unfolded the quilt and began reading aloud names of some of those lost to AIDS, according to an article in the May 18, 1998, edition of the University Reporter. Photographs from the 1998 display were digitized by University Archives & Special Collections as part of our Save Our History! campaign and are available here.

NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt on display at UMass Boston, 1998
Graduating senior Stephen Cicirelli played a key role in bringing the quilt to campus in 1998
NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt on display at UMass Boston, 1998
Larry Kessler, Stephen Cicirelli and Chancellor Sherry Penney at the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt opening ceremony, 1998

The AIDS Memorial Quilt display runs from November 30 through December 4 and will be open daily in the Campus Center at UMass Boston from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm.

The quilt display is sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion; Campus Center; College of Nursing and Health Sciences; Student Arts and Events Council (SAEC); University Health Services; Anthropology Department; Bay State Stonewall Democrats; Division of Athletics, Recreation, Special Projects and Programs; and Boston Pride.

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.