At the Walter Havighurst Special Collections and University Archives, the staff has continued to share our many collections with Miami students, faculty, staff, and the greater Miami community. The work that is performed with our collections has been recognized by individuals and organizations around the world. Our staff have received many accolades while assisting students who made discoveries in the classroom or researchers who are using our materials for the first time. The work that our student assistants perform allows our staff to do a number of great things. These tasks are different from those of student employees in other areas of the library as they can involve using specific software, such as Adobe Lightroom, or searching through our catalog using advanced search strategies. There are three of our students who deserve to have a bit more recognition as they have graduated earlier last month. 

Meet Abby

Last month, Abby completed a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Humanities and a minor in Archeology. Originally from Granville, Ohio, Abby joined the Walter Havighurst Special Collections and University Archives (“Spec” as it’s commonly referred to) at the beginning of the Spring 2021 semester. She was hired to join a small team of students who were working on the W.E. Smith Family Charitable Trust grant project. (This is the same grant that our previously highlighted student, Megan, was working on.) Abby began working to crop the digitized pages of the course catalogs from Miami University (The Bulletin), Western College for Women, and Oxford Female College. Cropping allows for our virtual researchers to view a clear page. These catalogs list all courses provided during academic years, with our earliest copy beginning in 1826 for Miami University, 1854 for Western College for Women, and 1849 for Oxford Female College. These have been imperative to researchers who are studying trends in education and for those who are curious about the courses a relative (such as a parent or grandparent) may have taken while attending Miami, Western, or Oxford College. With the yearbooks also available online through our Digital Collections, our virtual researchers can find pictures of their parents, grandparents, and other friends and family and see the organizations and teams that they were involved with.

Another project that Abby had been working on for our Digital Collections involved creating descriptive metadata for digitized postcards in our Bowden Postcard Collection. Over 650,000 postcards have been compiled to create the Bowden Postcard collection. As described in her interview above, Abby used a standardized vocabulary when describing each postcard and transcribed the handwritten messages on the back of each one. Abby’s work makes these postcards easily discoverable and searchable. 

Outside of her work in the department, Abby enjoys sewing, crocheting, video games, cooking, volunteering at animal shelters, and going to museums. When asked why she was interested in working with us, she stated, “I wanted to gain experience in archives and learn what parts of the museum field I want to pursue later in my career.” After graduating, she would like “to work in the archives of a museum or historic organization, helping to ensure that histories far and near are remembered and accessible for the future.” When asked about her experience with us, she said:

“The staff are so welcoming. Even though I’ve only worked here for one semester (and only half of the time in the Spec offices because of the pandemic), I’ve felt more at home here than I have at any job I’ve had before. I feel appreciated and wanted and that drives me to provide the best results that I possibly can!”

-Abby Lebovitz

We’re happy that you chose to work with us. Thank you, Abby, for the work you’ve done with us. We will miss you very much!

Get to know our spring 2021 commencement speaker

One of the many fascinating collections that the Walter Havighurst Special Collections and University Archives holds is that of Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins. Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins, a 1974 Western College for Women graduate, is a social historian and activist, and is considered to be a scholar in the areas of suffrage, education, health care reform, and equality and inclusion for women. 

Inspired by her grandmother’s work as a teacher, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins pursued a career in education. She worked for many years as a public school teacher and administrator, and is currently serving as an adjunct assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins has also been deeply involved with the League of Women Voters for many years. She was elected as the 15th national president of the League of Women Voters in 1998; the first woman of color to hold the position. She also served as the chair of the League of Women Voters Education Fund, advocated for election reform, as well as campaign finance reform, and she worked towards putting focus on local elections, while also increasing the number of voters who participated in all elections. 

In addition, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins is an author. She has contributed her writings to numerous journals and books over the years, however some of the works she is best known for include: The Road to Black Suffrage, One Man One Vote: The History of the African-American Vote in the United States, and The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters. 

On March 12, 2020, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins was awarded the Freedom Summer of ‘64 Award from Miami University. The award honors leaders who strive to advance civil rights and social justice in America.

Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins will also be the featured speaker at Miami University’s spring 2021 commencement ceremony. If you want to learn more about this inspirational woman, please view the video below: “Rise and Advocate: The Power of the Vote.” The presentation was created using primary materials from the Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins collection that is housed in the archives, as well as the oral history interview she gave for our Western College Memorial Archives collection, which can be found in our digital collections here: https://digital.lib.miamioh.edu/digital/collection/western/id/5/rec/1 

May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. To recognize this celebration of heritage here at Special Collections and University Archives, our reading room features a new exhibition curated by our student assistant, Carson Minter. If you are interested in finding resources to learn more about AADPI cultures, our cases feature personal narratives, informational books, instructional works, and stunning pages of literature that are bound to aid your understanding. The exhibition sources also cover both unique elements of Asian and Pacific cultures as well as their cross section with our culture here in the United States.

There are a couple of fantastic sources that feature unique and attention grabbing content that we want to draw special attention to: 

Journey To Topaz– Yoshiko Uchida’s work depicts a truly touching narrative of a Japanese American family’s life under the WWII American prison camps. Showcasing both the ugliness of racism and the beauty of interpersonal communities and friendships, Uchida’s work has become a widely acclaimed classic piece of literature for the mid-late 20th century. Additionally, the copy featured in this month’s collection is a first edition.

Earth and the Moon = Chikyū to tsuki- Earth and the Moon, a dynamically designed picture book by Yūsuke Ōno, is one of Special Collections’ two 360 degree picture books. As their name implies, these books are able to be opened a full 360 degrees, cover to cover. This way, the books form a full, panoramic display of their subject matter, and in this case, it is a lively diorama of the Earth and the Moon!

Flower Arrangement Art of Japan- If you’re looking for a more informational and instructional piece, Flower Arrangement Art of Japan by Mary Cokely Wood is a translated piece of literature dissecting the elements of floral organization found within beautiful Japanese gardens. From Bonsai tree clippings to Iris bouquets, Wood’s work is the perfect cross section between Japanese culture and budding botanists.

Though we are holding this exhibition of inspiring work for AAPI Heritage Month, we here at the Walter Havighurst Special Collections and University Archives also want to take a moment to recognize and condemn the rise of hate crimes to Asian-Americans and other minorities here in the United States. We also echo Miami University’s stance in solidarity with our AAPI communities in this country. We are, and continue to be, a country that thrives by the hard work and contributions made by people from every corner of the globe. Diversity is America’s greatest asset, and we believe treating everyone with respect and dignity can only lead to empowerment of that asset.

As shown by Congress’ recent signing of the Anti Asian-Americans Hate Crime Bill last month, standing in solidarity with minorities in America and protesting the social injustice that affects them each and every day can lead to true, lasting change. Let us continue the fight so more of these kinds of bills and laws come to protect minorities in America. 

An Injustice to one of us is an injustice to all of us. Happy AAPI Heritage Month from Special Collections and Archives. 

If you are interested in finding ways to make a difference but don’t know where to start, consider checking out some of these resources to get started: 

Asian Mental Health Collective is an organization that seeks to both destigmatize mental health within Asian communities and make mental health care more accessible to the Asian community as well. Injustice carries many psychological side-effects, and mental health care is the best way to fight against it. 

Stop AAPI Hate is a non-profit charity constructed in response to the recent surge of Asian hate crimes in the United States. The program itself is run by Chinese for Affirmative Action, and their goal is to protect Chinese Americans across the nation. 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is an organization meant to help expand knowledge and education of rights and laws that can help protect Asian Americans.

Race Forward is an organization looking to help American minorities reclaim social equity in hopes of a better future. They are also home to GARE, the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, and uses donations to fund programs and conferences to push forward conversations about race.

The Equal Justice Initiative is another prestigious organization looking to end racial inequality by pushing for an end of mass incarceration and needlessly brutal punishments in the United States justice system.

SAALT, or South Asian Americans Leading Together is a nonprofit organization meant to help elevate voices of Desi Americans to lead to a more inclusive society. Running for nearly 20 years, the organization is proud of their history and the inclusive society they hope to achieve.