University Archives

Here @ ZSR

Newly Processed Collections This Year

I am back for my annual update about newly processed collections in Special Collections and Archives. Our finding aids landing page always shows the five most recently published finding aids but across the space of the academic year, thanks to the work of our student assistants, we’re updating and processing many collections. This year, we’ve... Continue reading “Newly Processed Collections This Year”

Newly Processed and Recently Updated Collections, 2021-2022

Another busy school year is in the rear view! Special Collections and Archives has two seniors graduating who have been great colleagues to us – congratulations, Dalton and Justin! All of the students who work with collections have contributed to making our materials more accessible, whether helping write finding aids with detailed collection inventories or... Continue reading “Newly Processed and Recently Updated Collections, 2021-2022”

The Disparate Lives of Louise Payton Heims Beck: From Wake Forest’s Library Stacks to Broadway’s Vaudeville Circuit

The following post was written by longtime Special Collections and Archives volunteer Nancy Sullivan. We all take divergent routes along our life’s journey, but there are some life stories that warrant a slam on the brakes, an in-depth conversation or examination.  The life story of Louise Payton Heims Beck is one of those “wait a... Continue reading “The Disparate Lives of Louise Payton Heims Beck: From Wake Forest’s Library Stacks to Broadway’s Vaudeville Circuit”

Pious Ambitions: Sally Merriam Wait’s Mission South 1813-1831

Mary Tribble (WF Senior Advisor for Engagement Strategies) is our guest blog post author this week and she will be sharing her journey over the past several years–a genealogical and research journey which resulted in her recent book Pious Ambitions: Sally Merriam Wait’s Mission South 1813-1831. Her research on Sally (and Samuel) Wait has great... Continue reading “Pious Ambitions: Sally Merriam Wait’s Mission South 1813-1831”

75 Years of Wake Forest Demon Deacon (WFDD) Radio

This blog post was written by Nancy Sullivan, Volunteer in Special Collections and Archives. In the 1940s, radio was a crucial source of news and entertainment in a country coming out of economic depression with war on the horizon. Radio could bring news from the front lines of a second world war into the homes... Continue reading “75 Years of Wake Forest Demon Deacon (WFDD) Radio”

A Brief History of Women at Wake Forest University

This blog post was researched and written by SCA student employee Parker Beverly. March is Women’s History Month and we have been looking through our archives to find out more about Wake Forest’s association with this annual celebration.   Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the United States entered the Second World... Continue reading “A Brief History of Women at Wake Forest University”

Wake Forest Board of Trustees Minutes (1834-1891) Are Now Available Online!

Special Collections & Archives (SCA) is pleased to announce that Wake Forest’s Board of Trustees Minutes, 1834-1891 (2 volumes, 1834-1871 and 1871-1891), are now available online and ready for research use by students, faculty, staff, and the broader public. Thanks to generous funding from the Z. Smith Reynolds Library and Dean Tim Pyatt, the fragile... Continue reading “Wake Forest Board of Trustees Minutes (1834-1891) Are Now Available Online!”

Wake Forest’s “First Daughter”

Imagine yourself as a young well-off white woman in the mid-19th century and try to envision the limited educational opportunities that would have been available for women in your positions at that time, even you. Next, note that in 1883 – yes, 1883 – Wake Forest accepted the first female student to the ranks of... Continue reading “Wake Forest’s “First Daughter””

Behind the Scenes of Our Coronavirus Collection

Special Collections and Archives does not need to tell you about these “unprecedented times,” a phrase working overtime these days. But we want to share our efforts to capture what is happening during the pandemic, both collecting records of the University’s efforts and administration as well as snapshots of life outside the boundaries of campus.... Continue reading “Behind the Scenes of Our Coronavirus Collection”

Deacon Experiences: COVID-19

As we live through historic times, this is a good reminder about the value of the archives in chronicling recorded history. Archives are often thought of as old and dusty, when they are actually the representation of a current moment long past. We all “participate” in history, but we usually don’t think about our experience... Continue reading “Deacon Experiences: COVID-19”