Introducing Patricia Bruttomesso, new Archival Collections Project Manager

Patty BruttomessoWe are very pleased to announce that Patricia Bruttomesso has joined University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston as Archival Collections Project Manager.

Patty needs no introduction for many in the local history and cultural heritage communities in Massachusetts and beyond. For more than twenty years, she has worked in local and regional historical organizations in the Northeast and Midwest, most recently with Mass Humanities and, before that, the Bay State Historical League. Her impressive organizational skills and deep commitment to public local history are evident in the annual Massachusetts History Conference, which Patty has coordinated for a number of years, and which attracts hundreds of attendees from scores of organizations throughout the Commonwealth. The conference features panel discussions and workshops on topics of interest to historical organizations and those who work with them.

In her work at UMass Boston, Patty brings her experience and expertise to bear on managing the University Archives & Special Collections department’s physical collections, including overseeing an extensive renovation project to enhance and expand our collection storage, processing and research facilities – no small task!

Patty received her undergraduate degree in history from Brown University, and a Masters in History from the University of Delaware through the Hagley Program in the History of Industrial America. Her doctoral work in U.S. History at the University of Chicago (ABD) focused on the reciprocity of technological and social change in Iowa’s woodworking industry from 1865 through 1925.

Welcome to UASC, Patty!

Who’s Who? — Honorary degree recipients and faculty members at 1999 Commencement

As part of UMass Boston’s 50th anniversary celebrations, students working with University Archives & Special Collections have been digitizing, describing, and making available photos from the school’s past. View our collection of University Archives Historic Photographs.

While every effort is made to identify individuals and events pictured, we can always use your help filling in some of the gaps! Every week we will post a new photo with missing information, and if you recognize the people or event simply make a comment below or email library.archives@umb.edu telling us what you know. With your help we can create an even better record of UMass Boston’s history!

In this photograph from 1999 Commencement, honorary degree recipients Judith Jameson, Chris Patten, John Lewis, Daniel Goleman, and Donald E. Rodman stand with four UMass Boston faculty members (in black robes).

If you can help identify these UMass Boston faculty members, please comment below or email library.archives@umb.edu.

Judith Jameson, Chris Patten, John Lewis, unidentified woman, unidentified man, unidentified woman, unidentified woman, Daniel Goleman, Donald E. Rodman. University Archives & Special Collections, University of Massachusetts Boston: UASC-UAPHO-0002-0117-0003.

Judith Jameson, Chris Patten, John Lewis, unidentified woman, unidentified man, unidentified woman, unidentified woman, Daniel Goleman, Donald E. Rodman. University Archives & Special Collections, University of Massachusetts Boston: UASC-UAPHO-0002-0117-0003.

Who’s Who? — 1986 UMass Boston Commencement

As part of UMass Boston’s 50th anniversary celebrations, students working with University Archives & Special Collections have been digitizing, describing, and making available photos from the school’s past online. View our collection of University Archives Historic Photographs here.

While every effort is made to identify individuals and events pictured, we can always use your help filling in some of the gaps! Every week we will post a new photo with missing information, and if you recognize the person or event simply make a comment below or email library.archives@umb.edu telling us what you know. With your help we can create an even better record of UMass Boston’s history!

In this photograph from 1986 Commencement, the unidentified UMass Boston Faculty Council Chairperson is holding the University Mace.

If you can identify this man, please comment below or email library.archives@umb.edu.

Faculty_Council_Chairperson_with_University_Mace_at_1986_Commencement

University Archives & Special Collections, University of Massachusetts Boston: UASC-UAPHO-0001-0057.

Patty Griffin recording from University Archives & Special Collections featured in The Atlantic

Screenshot for Patty Griffin Interview and Studio PerformanceMany fine musicians have passed through the studios of WUMB since the radio station was established in 1968. As part of a series highlighting efforts to digitize and make openly available over sixty years of public broadcasting history, Rebecca J. Rosen from The Atlantic has written a piece about a 1994 interview and studio performance for WUMB by Grammy-winning singer Patty Griffin “before anyone had heard of her.” The focus of the series by The Atlantic is the establishment of the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB), a partnership between the Library of Congress and WGBH. UMass Boston’s Joseph P. Healey Library was an enthusiastic and early contributor to this project.

WUMB-FM, a non-commercial radio station licensed to the University of Massachusetts with studios on the UMass Boston campus, has been a public radio affiliate of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) since 1986. University Archives & Special Collections in the Healey Library preserves the historical records, audio, visual and textual documentation of WUMB’s first 35 years and, in 2013, sent approximately 80 hours of recordings from the WUMB archives to be digitized for inclusion in the AAPB. Audio recordings that University Archives & Special Collections contributed 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 range of musicians. In her Atlantic article, Rosen features a brief audio excerpt from a 1994 interview and performance by Griffin of her song “Regarding Mary.” Click here to read the story and hear the audio on the Atlantic‘s website.

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.

Robert H. Quinn and UMass Boston history

Robert H. Quinn in 1998, at right, with State Representative (and current Mayor of Bostoin) Marty Walsh.

Robert H. Quinn in 1998, at right, with State Representative (and current Mayor of Boston) Martin Walsh.

We are saddened to learn of the passing of former speaker of the house, attorney general, and chair of the UMass Board of Trustees Robert H. Quinn. From his involvement in the establishment of UMass Boston in 1964, to his leadership of the UMass Board of Trustees, Quinn’s commitment to public higher education played a crucial role in the history, growth, and success of UMass Boston.

We looked through our University Archives Historic Photographs collection and found the above photograph from 1998 of then-Massachusetts State Representative (and current Mayor of Boston) Martin Walsh with Robert Quinn at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

We’ve been digitizing photographs from our University Archives since early in 2013 in anticipation of UMass Boston’s 50th anniversary celebrations and we’re certain that more images of Quinn will come along.