Category Archives: UMass Boston History

Joseph P. Healey Library at Columbia Point

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston is pleased to announce a newly processed record collection documenting the activities of the Joseph P. Healey Library at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Also documented is UMass Boston’s original library, the Armory Library at Park Square (1964-1974). Included are files kept by Walter Grossman, UMass Boston’s first Director of Libraries (1969-1984). Topics cover an “Alumnae Book Drive” held in 1966, the Armory of the First Corps of Cadets at 97-105 Arlington Street (site of the original UMass Boston library), the naming of the Healey Library, a former Science Library which was located on the second and third floors of the Science Building on the Columbia Point campus, and administrative issues such as library expenditures and establishing an online bibliographic search service. Also included in the collection is video of Healey Library at a Crossroad, a forum held at UMass Boston on January 24, 2000. Records span 1965-2000.

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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.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston is pleased to announce a newly processed series of records documenting the activities of the History Department Graduate Committee at UMass Boston from 1972-1979. Formats include meeting minutes, memoranda, reports, and evaluations of master’s degree programs at UMass Boston.

These records were transferred to University Archives & Special Collections in July 2013 and have been processed as Series II of the University of Massachusetts Boston History Department records, 1962-1979.

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.

John Joseph “Joe” Moakley

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston is pleased to announce the availability of records documenting the establishment of the Moakley Chair of Peace and Reconciliation at UMass Boston’s McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies.

John Joseph “Joe” Moakley was born in South Boston on April 27, 1927. He was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1952. In 1973, Moakley became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and served as Chairman of the Committee on Rules in the 101^st Congress through the 103^rdCongress (1989-1995). Moakley served as a U.S. Representative until his death in 2001.

Padraig O’Malley, John Joseph Moakley Distinguished Professor for Peace and Reconciliation

In 2002, the John Joseph Moakley Chair of Peace and Reconciliation was established in his memory at the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies Studies at UMass Boston. The goal of the Moakley Chair is to “address the tragic crisis of fractured societies around the world and reinforce the commitment to principles of peace and reconciliation among all the participants in the process” (umb.edu/moakley). Padraig O’Malley is the first and current Moakley Chair.

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.

Founding faculty from UMass Boston, circa 1965. Included are Eisenmann Oral History Project interviewees: Thomas Brown (second row from the front, seventh from the left); Paul Gagnon (third row, on the far left); Don Costello (third row, fourth from the left); George Goodwin (fourth row, on the far left); and Shaun O’Connell (fourth row, third from the left). Click on the image to learn more.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston is pleased to announce the online availability of interview transcripts and audio files from the Linda Eisenmann UMass Boston Oral History Project.

In the fall semester of 1998, students in the Higher Education Administration Doctoral program at the University of Massachusetts Boston, under the direction of Professor Linda Eisenmann, completed a series of oral history interviews with founding faculty members at UMass Boston.

Faculty members were identified and invited to participate by Paul Gagnon, former dean and professor at UMass Boston, and Don Costello, the first admissions director of UMass Boston. Students in the Higher Education History course made arrangements directly with the faculty and conducted the interviews. Interviewees were informed that the oral histories would be used first in class, but would later become part of the permanent archives of the institution. Students followed a defined protocol in conducting the interviews; therefore, questions and topics are consistent across the interviews.

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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.