RARE BOOKS
Significant Work about Native Americans in the 19th Century
The Indian Tribes of North America, with biographical sketches and anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs by Thomas L. McKenney and James Hall
Originally conceived in 1821, the work of McKenney and Hall provides valuable documentation of various Native American leaders prominent in United States history. The portraits depict these individuals from life, highlighting aspects such as traditional attire, facial paint, hairstyles, and adornments. Much of the biographical information was obtained through direct interactions with the subjects during their lifetimes.
Most of the original portraits were created in oil by the distinguished artist Charles Bird King, who was commissioned to depict each of the Indian delegates to Washington, D.C. Colonel McKenney, then Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Washington, authored biographical sketches for each portrait, while James Hall provided more comprehensive narratives detailing the history of the American Indian tribes.
SCUA’s copy is the first edition issued by John Grant in 1933 – 1934, and the best and most beautifully illustrated edition of the work created in modern times.
Additions to the Artists’ Book Collection
How to be a Large Child by Paul Short
“Many years ago someone was talking bad about me, and called me a large child. I thought that was awesome and turned it into a whole series of photos, videos, and this book. Embrace your inner large child using the advice in this lighthearted artist’s book.” – Paul Shortt. Laser cut on school tag board.
Shine by Amber Stoner
“I wrote Shine to try to explain what it means to be differently abled in this world. As a late-diagnosed autistic person, I’m still trying to figure that out. This book holds anger, acceptance, and joy. The Japanese stab binding references the ladder in the story. The gold of the calligraphy on the cover represents autism (the chemical symbol for gold is Au). The back cover represents solid support. … This book is for autistic people, the people who love them, and anyone who wants to better understand different experiences.” – Amber Dawn Stoner.
Happy Bakery Book by Kyung Eun You
Happy Bakery is a 52-page comic about a character who wears a smiley-face balloon head. As the story unfolds, it further explains how the character started wearing the balloon head, and what eventually happens to it.
‘Pause by Tia Blassingame
For this project, Blassingame selected a small group of Black women to complete a questionnaire about their awareness of feelings and memories related to menopause. In the laser-cut, accordion text block, the quoted and excerpted responses were letterpress printed in a blackish-gold ink color in Bitter typeface, which plays upon the stereotype of the bitter or angry Black woman. Serving as the offset-printed backgrounds, scanned materials represent intimacy and vulnerability, softness and strength.
“‘Pause is meant to celebrate Black women, extend grace to those on the journey, and normalize the discussion of menopause and changes to women’s bodies.“ – Tia Blassingame
Tye Leung Schulze: Translator for Justice by Dawn K. Wing
“Daring. Determined. Dedicated. Discover how Tye Leung Schulze defied racial and gender discrimination to become the first Chinese American woman to ever vote in a major US election. Learn about her unconventional life journey where she navigated uncharted territories, socially and politically, especially as a woman of Asian descent during her time: by becoming a translator for justice on behalf of human trafficking victims; by serving as a government interpreter at Angel Island Immigration Station; by marrying someone of another race; and, by being a crucial resource to San Francisco’s Chinese community throughout her life.” -Dawn K. Wing
WOMEN VETERANS HISTORICAL PROJECT
1953 Scott Air Force Base Yearbook
Wartime Correspondence Collection of Captain Dorothy Swart Tatum, 1942-1945.
This recently acquired collection is comprised of approximately 150 wartime letters from Captain Dorothy Swart Tatum (1917-1946). Captain Tatum trained at Code & Cypher School at Oxford, and was one of the two first women to serve in England under the WAAC (Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps) program.
Photograph Album of Army Nurse Elsa J. Nelson
Lieutenant Nelson was stationed in Post-WWII Occupied Japan. Her photograph album includes captioned images of her experiences in 1946 at Osaka, Yokohama, Kobe, and Toyoko.
Margaret Van Buren Peabody Colt Scrapbooks
Margaret Van Buren Peabody Colt was Deputy Commissioner of the American Red Cross and later the National Chairwoman for the American Red Cross Volunteer Service branch during World War II. The scrapbooks feature press photographs, newspaper clippings, letters and other ephemera. The first scrapbook documents her time as an administrator of the Red Cross Production Corps from 1940-1942 and the second scrapbook documents her time serving in London from October 1942-July 1943.
Women in the Air Force (WAF) Recruiting Brochures
Three pieces of recruiting publications from 1963-1965.
Unknown World War I American Red Cross Nurse Photograph Album
The album documents a nurse’s participation during World War I. Photographs include her time stationed at Camp Bowie, Texas in 1917 and then her time serving in France from 1918-1919. She was stationed at U.S. General Hospital #1 in Vichy, Base Hospital 68 in Mars-sur-Allier, Base Hospital 70 in Allerey, and Camp Hospital 26 in Noyers.
Blanche E. Kelley Collection
Blanche E. Kelley, an Indiana native, enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps in 1950 and was first assigned to the Pentagon’s motor pool in Washington, D.C. She served as a chauffeur, driving some top military brass including Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, and French President Charles de Gaulle. She also met Presidents Harry Truman and John Kennedy. She went on to become the Army’s top female recruiter, earning the Army Commendation Medal. Additionally, she was named WAC of the year in 1958. Kelley retired in 1973 and died in Maine in 2022.
This large collection includes photograph albums and scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, uniforms, recruiting materials, commendations, and a WAC briefcase!
UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
Rediscovery of two 1912 Potdevin Machines for Pasting Labels
Bill Tillman, of Facilities, was in the Library Tower collecting environmental sensors when he came across two items of library history. He recognized the quality of the design of these machines immediately. After asking for directions, and having the forethought of taking some photos of the objects, Bill found his way to the third floor of the 1950s building and SCUA staff who were enthralled by his discovery.
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Farmerette Photograph
This is a photograph of a “Typical American Farmerette” driving a planter during World War I. Inspired by Britain’s Woman’s Land Army’s “Land Girls” or “Land Lassies,” America’s equivalent, the “Farmerettes,” were organized to replace men who had left for wartime duty. These women successfully maintained farms by ploughing, planting, and harvesting crops, sustaining agricultural production and garnering national pride. During the summer of 1918, ten young women attending the North Carolina Normal and Industrial College (now UNCG) volunteered to work on a 300-acre farm just outside of Greensboro (below). This photograph was purchased for instructional use, to show students a national example of what was occurring on their campus during World War I campus mobilization.
