UH Digital Library Blog - University of Houston

Fritz Leiber Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention Flyers & Programs Now Available in UH Digital Library

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 14:39:00 +0000

I am pleased to announce Fritz Leiber Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention Flyers & Programs is now available in the UH Digital Library!

This digital collection provides a glimpse into the world of science fiction and fantasy conventions during the 1970s and 1980s. It features programs, pamphlets, newsletters, flyers, and other documents collected by writer Fritz Leiber as he attended science fiction and fantasy conventions across the United States and internationally. Leiber often actively participated in these conventions, as a planner, speaker, or presenter. In all, the collection contains over 200 items.

Items of particular note include programs from the Third Annual Nebula Awards containing signatures from several prominent science fiction and fantasy writers, including Ursula K. LeGuin, Poul Anderson, and Robert Heinlein.

Fritz Leiber, Jr. (December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American fantasy, science fiction, and horror writer, and is considered a father of the sword and sorcery genre of fantasy literature. Leiber’s two most famous characters, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, appear in more than 30 of his sword and sorcery fantasy stories, written over a 50 year span. Over the course of his career Leiber won many awards, including a World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 1976, and was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2001.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries’ Special Collections in the Fritz Leiber Papers.

Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible.

Franco-Prussian War and Paris Commune Caricatures Collection Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 15:53:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce Franco-Prussian War and Paris Commune Caricatures is now available in the UH Digital Library!

During the turbulent political period of the early 1870s in France, artists satirized the people and events around them in witty and grotesque caricatures. This collections includes 607 of these works related to the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871 and the Paris Commune of 1871, rendered primarily as pen and ink drawings, drawings with gouache (watercolor), and hand colored lithographs.

In July 1870, war broke out between an expanding Prussia, led by Otto von Bismarck, and an overconfident France, led by Napoleon III (the nephew of Napoleon I). After France suffered multiple defeats in battle, in September 1870 Napoleon III surrendered and the Third Republic was established. During the winter of 1870-1871 the Prussians besieged Paris, and the city’s inhabitants suffered starvation and bombardment. The beleaguered city surrendered in January 1871. A settlement was negotiated with Prussia to form a new French government, but in March 1871 a group of socialists led an insurrection against that government and established the Paris Commune. The Communards ruled the city until their defeat in May 1871. That same month, the Treaty of Frankfurt ended the Franco-Prussian War.

Many of the caricatures in this collection depict political figures from the period such as Napoleon III (referred to by his nickname Badinguet) and Adolphe Thiers (head of the provisional government). Notable artists represented include Honoré Daumier, Cham, and André Gill. The caricatures were sold as individual sheets, as sets, or included in the many newspapers produced in France at this time, and many were created during the Siege of Paris when outside news was scarce.

The original prints were donated to the UH Libraries by art patron and collector Alvin Romanksy. They are available in UH Libraries' Special Collections. Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible.

Mexico Documents Collection Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 20:54:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce the Mexico Documents Collection is now available in the UH Digital Library!

The Mexico Documents Collection contains 162 documents (personal and official correspondence, government orders, decrees, pamphlets, and government announcements), varying from a parchment document with elaborate signature to official typed decrees from the Office of the President. Chronicling Mexico from 1570-1913, the collection spans four distinct periods of Mexican history: the Colonial Period, Mexican Independence, the Mexican-American War, and the Mexican Revolution.

A large portion of the collection is from the years between Mexican Independence (1821) and the end of the Mexican-American War (1849). Nearly all of the items are in Spanish but many have accompanying English translations. Notable individuals found in the collection include Mexican Presidents, Santa Anna de Lopez and Porfirio Diaz, and Jose Joaquin de Hererra. Additionally, some materials document American military actions in Mexico during the Mexican-American War. Lastly, there are an assortment of documents chronicling religion in Mexico as well as business and land transactions.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries’ Special Collections in the Mexico Documents Collection. Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible. You can find this and our many other collections here at the UH Digital Library!

Letters from the War

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 21:44:00 +0000

Through letters of correspondence, one can get a glimpse of the daily life of an age gone by. Within the UH Digital Library we are honored to house two collections of letters and one collection of photographs from crew members of the USS Houston.

The first set is from then-S1C William Slough, who joined the US Navy just before his twentieth birthday. In these letters, Slough talks about spending time in the sick bay, his supplies and equipment training, and leisure activities. He also talks about learning to love travel and his plans for the future, which included a career in the Navy and putting off marriage. In addition to the USS Houston, Slough also served on the aircraft carrier the USS Cowpens. He served throughout World War II and reached the rank of Chief Warrant Officer, continuing afterwards to serve in the Navy Reserves for 20 years. Slough married in 1939 and had two children . He died in Victoria, Texas, on Dec. 9, 1991.

Letter from S1C Slough describing the working and living conditions
in Guantanamo Bay.

The period between the sinking of the USS Houston in February of 1942 and the eventual rescuing of the prisoners in 1945 was a harrowing time for Lt. Robert Fulton. His last letter to his parents gave light to the fact that the USS Houston was hit and lost its 8-inch gun as well as 48 crew members. A few days afterwards on February 28, 1942, the ship was sunk and Lt. Fulton was soon brought to the Zentsuji POW camp. It would be three years before any of his loved ones would hear from him again or know his whereabouts. Some were worried that he was taken to Hiroshima where the atomic bomb was just dropped. Luckily, intelligence suggested that no POW camps were located at Hiroshima.

Letter from Mary Guinn to W. L. Fulton mentioning that Hiroshima
did not seem to be one of the sites of the prisoner camps.

The Navy found the locations of the POW camps through intercepted Japanese radio programming as well as the programs' contents. Somehow the prisoners were also able to send mail at some point during their captivity. Unlike some of the other POW camps, prisoners at Zentsuji were treated fairly humanely and even had some sort of education while they were locked up. Some spent their time reading books, and others even had time to learn the Japanese language. Other activities included collecting grass for the rabbits that were at the camp, and doing miscellaneous chores.

Published letters from POWs of the Zentsuji camp that talk about their
activities during captivity..

News about POWs was not always credible. During that time, despite the grief that many families were feeling there were still people that took advantage of the worried families. A warning at the bottom this letter hints that some scammers would give false information to people for a fee.

Situations were not as nice for other POWs; many were literally worked to death or close to it. while working on various projects for their Japanese captors. Unlike in the Zentsuji POW camp, prisoners of war in other camps endured heavy labor and poor living conditions. Despite all of this, soldiers kindled a sense of camaraderie with prisoners from other countries. They relied on stealing food and supplies in order to stay alive and find out how the war was going outside of the camp.

Though a lot of the prisons were out in the middle of nowhere, some were located among urban areas as well. In the story "American POWs in Saigon," by fellow U.S.S. Houston shipmate Otto Schwartz, he reveals what life was like working on the Burma/Thailand 'Death Railway'. One camp was located in French Indochina, which is now current-day Vietnam. POWs were bused regularly through the towns wearing little to no clothing while French residents were going about their normal business.

Multiple accounts tell of what happened the night when the U.S.S. Houston went down. There were also hour-by-hour accounts of the last battle of the Houston and how much of the crew went down fighting. They also account for the other eight ships that were a part of the striking force:

De Ruyter - Dutch light cruiser

Exeter - British heavy cruiser

Perth - Australian heavy cruiser

Java - Dutch light cruiser

Electra - British light cruiser

Jupiter - British destroyer

Encounter - British destroyer

Witte de Witte - Dutch destroyer

Kortenaer - Dutch destroyer

Paul Jones - American destroyer

Edsel - American destroyer

Edwards - American destroyer

Ford - American destroyer

The accounts also tell in detail what was happening with the other ships down to every attack they made and every hit they took.

Make sure you check out our USS Houston (CA-30) Photographs, Lt. Robert B. Fulton USS Houston Letters, and William Slough USS Houston Letters collection, and also check out our other wonderful collections here at the UH Digital Library.

1930 México as Photographed by Luis Márquez

noreply@blogger.com (Karen Hernandez) — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 16:20:00 +0000

Cantadores del Valle de México

"Singers of the Mexican Valley"

The 1930 México Photographs by Luis Márquez collection is a portrayal of 1930 México and its citizens, from the local street vendors to the dancers and musicians. Using hand-tinted techniques, Márquez transforms the black and white photographs into colorful pieces of artistic photography. The images where taken in various locations of 1930 México.

Luis Márquez was born on September 25, 1899 in México. His first work was published in the magazine Nuestro México in 1932 however it wasn't until his photography was included in the May 1937 issue of National Geographic which helped Márquez gain international recognition. His photographs where reproduced as postcards and published alongside Eugenio Fischgruns work in a series of 96 postcards. One observation of the photographs is the primary use of hand-tinted earth tones by Marquez. Below are a few of the photographs by Márquez available via UHDL.

Danzantes de La Pluma

"Dancers of The Feather"

Dazante is a popular religious dance in which the locals would give thanks to the gods for their bountiful crops and a successful harvest. The dancers adorned themselves with: a large feathered headdress or a penacho that has large mirrors placed in the middle or sides of the headdress, a multicolored vest and a heart made of fabric over the vest to signify the heart of the warrior. In the right hand they carry a sonaja de hojalata or a tin rattle and on their left they carry a Macana or a wooden shaft with a heavy metal or stone object at the end that is adorned with the colors of the Mexican flag. The photography captured by Márquez depicts the Danzantes not only as they look but the significance of the colors they wear.

Tehuana de Fiesta

"Festive Zapotecan Dress"

The photograph shows a Mexican woman in a Tehuana which is a Zapotecan traditional dress. The dark earth tones are a contrast to the lighter tones of the flowers that she is holding and the ones adorning her Tehuana.

Vendedor de Ollas

"Pottery Vendor"

Vendedor de Ollas is a great example of Márquez capturing in photographic form the lives of everyday citizens of 1930 Mexico.

The collection is composed of 27 hand-tinted and signed photographs by Luis Márquez. The photographs from this post came from the Luis Márquez Photographs collection. The original materials are available in the UH Libraries' Special Collections in the Governor James V. Allred Papers Visit the UH Digital Library for more collections and don't forget to share this post.

Katherine Stinson and Early Female Fliers

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 18:11:00 +0000

"When you are flying toward a cloud, it does not seem as if you yourself are moving. The cloud seems to be rushing at you. And when you enter it, you are in the thickest fog you ever imagined. . . . I have been in clouds so dense I couldn’t see my own hands operating the controls."—Katherine Stinson

Amelia Earhart is well-known as the first woman to fly nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean by herself, capturing America’s undying fascination when she mysteriously disappeared somewhere over the Pacific while attempting to fly around the world. While people have been entranced by Amelia Earhart for decades, there were plenty of other noteworthy women also taking to the air during the early days of flight.Other less known but no less impressive female fliers include Baroness Raymonde de Laroche, the first woman ever to receive a pilot’s license, Bessica Raiche, the first woman to make a solo flight in an aircraft, and Jacqueline Cochran, the first female pilot to break the sound barrier. Another famous flier is Katherine Stinson, an integral part of American and Texan history.

Born on Valentine's Day, 1891 in Fort Payne, Alabama, Katherine Stinson grew up wanting be a piano teacher, but her parents could not afford to send her to Europe for music lessons. When Stinson heard you could make up to $1000 a day as a stunt pilot, she sought out aviation to make the money for Europe, but loved the the thrill of flying so much that she decided to stick with it, becoming one of the earliest female fliers in the world.

Katherine Stinson was only the fourth woman in the United States to earn a pilot’s license and was also the first woman to perform an aerial loop, a stunt she performed as many as 500 times without a single accident. She was the first pilot of either sex to produce night skywriting with fireworks, spelling out "Cal" over California. In the states, she was known as the "Flying Schoolgirl" (newspapers commonly mistook Stinson as 16-years-old, when she was actually 21), and she also performed as far away as China and Japan, where crowds heralded her as the “Air Queen.” In 1917 she set a world long-distance record by flying alone 610 miles from San Diego to San Francisco.

In 1911, the Stinson family relocated to San Antonio and established the Stinson School of Flying, and later, Stinson Field, San Antonio’s first municipal airport and the 2nd oldest general aviation airport in the United States. During World War I, Katherine volunteered as a pilot but was turned down because she was a woman. Seeking other ways to help, she raised $2 million for the Red Cross through air shows and piloted airmail deliveries, one of the first women authorized to carry airmail in the U.S.

Fear, as I understand it, is simply due to lack of confidence or lack of knowledge—which is the same thing. You are afraid of what you don’t understand, of things you cannot account for.—Katherine Stinson.

Images from today's post came from our Harry Walker Photographs and University of Houston Campus Life collections. Make sure to check out the rest of our collections at the UH Digital Library!

Houston Saengerbund Records Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 22:19:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce the Houston Saengerbund Records are now available in the UH Digital Library!

The Houston Saengerbund Records contain five bound volumes covering the activities of the organization and related associations from 1874 to 1937. Three of the ledgers contain minutes of various Houston Saengerbund meetings, financial statements, and the occasional printed program. A fourth volume contains similar materials for the Houston German Day Association, and the final volume contains the records, programs, clippings and correspondence of the German Texas Saengerbunds.

The Houston Saengerbund (Singing Society) was founded on Oct. 6, 1883, as an organization through which German immigrants in Houston could join with their countrymen to sing songs in the German language. The Saengerbund was one of a number of all-male singing organizations that formed in the German communities of Texas during the last half of the 19th century. These local groups were united under Der Deutsch-Texanische Saengerbund (the German-Texan Singers' League, or DTSB), a regional organization that held biennial meetings and Saengerfeste (Singing Festivals) in various Texas cities.

The Houston Saengerbund swelled to over 1,000 members before World War One, and in 1913 Houston played host to a particularly elaborate DTSB Saengerfest which featured a full orchestra and world-class opera singers. But during the war years membership fell as Germans became reluctant to draw attention to their nationality.

After the war, membership increased and the group flourished. The Saengerbund bought their first in a series of clubhouses, and introduced new activities such as dancing, children's plays, and beach excursions. The club officially began admitting women as members in 1937 with the formation of the Ladies Auxiliary and the Damenchor (Women's Chorus) a year later.

With the onset of World War II, the Saengerbund members changed the name of the group to "The Houston Singing Society,” stopped their primary activity of singing German songs, and began keeping minutes in English because of their concern about arousing anti-German sentiment. After the war, the club members restored both their German-language singing and their name, but membership declined, partly owing to a drop in German immigration.

The Houston Saengerbund is still in existence more than 100 years after its founding, and the Saengerbund and Damenchor continue to perform at the Saengerfeste of the DTSB, the International Festival, Lights in the Heights, and other public events.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries’ Special Collections in the Houston Saengerbund Records.

Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible.

Donald Barthelme Sr., Architectural Drawings and Photographs Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 18:31:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce the Donald Barthelme Sr., Architectural Drawings and Photographs collection is now available in the UH Digital Library!

This collection highlights the career of Donald Barthelme (1907–1996), the first Houston architect to gain national prominence in the years after World War II. These 57 items illustrate his work through pencil sketches, photographs, and the detailed working drawings used to construct his buildings.

Barthelme first gained attention in 1936 as the lead designer for the Hall of State, the principal building of the Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas. In 1948 he won an award from the American Institute of Architects for Houston’s St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, applauded for its simple Scandinavian modern forms. Yet he made his reputation with the West Columbia Elementary School of 1951, which won many awards and was published internationally. Its innovative design departed from the traditional practice of placing classrooms along both sides of a long corridor. Instead, Barthelme arranged the building around two large courtyards; classrooms opened to the courts through floor-to-ceiling glass walls. This flooded the rooms with light while providing a sheltered environment for the students. At the main entrance a flamboyant scalloped canopy greeted visitors.

In addition to the St. Rose and West Columbia buildings, the collection includes Barthelme’s own residence. He built this small modernist house for his family about 1939. The original drawings are lost, but he enlarged it slightly a decade later, and the collection preserves his 1949 drawings for this remodeling.

Of particular interest, and rarely seen, are a few of his studies for the Adams Petroleum Center (1954–58), his largest and most ambitious project. The Adams Petroleum Company wanted to develop its large site as an office park. Barthelme planned to build the complex in four phases, beginning with the client’s own building. He spent hundreds of hours studying different designs for the APC tower and preparing a dramatic aerial view. The company later abandoned the scheme and constructed only a modest building without the tower.

Barthelme helped shaped the look of Houston during its postwar boom. Today only the church buildings still stand, but the West Columbia school district has preserved his entrance canopy at the original site of the elementary school.

Several of Barthelme’s children became prominent writers, and the works of his eldest son, Donald Barthelme, Jr., are preserved in the Donald Barthelme Literary Papers.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries’ Special Collections in the Donald Barthelme, Sr. Architectural Papers. Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible. Make sure to check out our other collections here at the UH Digital Library.

Selections from the Franzheim Rare Books Room Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 19:21:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce the ongoing project Selections from the Franzheim Rare Books Room is now available in the UH Digital Library!

This digital collection presents examples of notable works housed in the University of Houston’s Kenneth Franzheim II Rare Books Room.

The room contains approximately 1000 rare or unique books, journals, and pamphlets on fine art and design. Highlights of the collection include portfolios of building types, architectural product catalogs, and first editions of some of the 20th century’s greatest books on art and architecture.

The books in the collection date from the mid-16th century to artists’ books published in the 21st century. The Kenneth Franzheim II Rare Books Room is located within the William R. Jenkins Architecture and Art Library on the first floor of the College of Architecture.

This collection is expected to grow over the coming months and years, so please check back occasionally to discover newly added volumes! Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible. Make sure to check out our other exciting collections here at the UH Digital Library.

The Cullen Legacy

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah) — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 17:25:00 +0000

Everywhere on campus the name "Cullen" is plastered everywhere, whether it's a street, building, or college. Who was Cullen and why can it be seen everywhere at the University of Houston? Cullen is the last name of Hugh Roy who was one of the main oilman during the Texas Oil Boom era of the early 20th century. He lent a major hand in industrializing Houston and contributed to making the Houston area home to the greatest concentration of refineries and petrochemical plants in the U.S.

After his first big gusher in the Pierce Junction oil field, he encountered several failed attempts. So he decided to drill deeper into the ground in order to capture the oil-rich sands, known as the Frio sands. As a result of this endeavor, oil gushed out and cemented Cullen as a respectable oilman. Later on he ran West's Western Production Company with his partner, Jim West, a highly successful Texas lumberman. Through this company he was able to add to his fortune by successfully extracting oil in the Blue Ridge dome and Humble Field.

In 1938, Hugh and his wife, Lillie Cranz Cullen, made a contribution to build the Roy Gustav Cullen Building. It was named after their son who had died in an oil field accident. He later served as a Chairman of the Board of Regents for the university and donated over $11 million to UH through The Cullen Foundation.

To check out more images of Mr. Cullen, look through our University of Houston People Collection provided by the UH Digital Library.

USS Houston (CA-30) Photographs Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 16:57:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce USS Houston (CA-30) Photographs is now available in the UH Digital Library!

The heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) traveled the world during peacetime, served as flagship of the Asiatic Fleet during World War II, and was tragically sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Battle of Sunda Strait. More than 350 black and white photographs from the 1920s to the 1940s tell the incredible story of the Houston and her crew.

Named for the city of Houston, the USS Houston (CA-30) was launched in 1929 in Newport News, Virginia, a celebratory occasion well-represented in the collection. Many photographs depict the new Northampton class cruiser in various ports or at sea during early cruises, including visits to the Houston Ship Channel. Other photographs capture individual officers and crew members and depict life aboard the ship.

The ship’s most famous passenger was President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who took four cruises on the Houston during his presidency to relax and enjoy deep sea fishing. Photographs in the collection show Roosevelt fishing from a smaller vessel, even catching a shark. In 1942, following the United States’ entry into World War II, the Houston became part of the multi-national American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) force in the Pacific. Led by the able Captain Albert H. Rooks, Houston participated in the Battle of Makassar Strait and the Battle of the Java Sea before being sunk. Due to the wartime need for secrecy, only a few photographs exist from this period.

Of the 1068 crew members on the Houston when it was sunk, 368 survived and became prisoners of the Japanese. Many were forced to work building the Burma-Thai Railway, 79 more dying in the process. Photographs document the POW camps, the deplorable conditions endured by the POWs, and the evacuation of POWs at the end of the war in August 1945.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries Special Collections in the Cruiser Houston Collection. Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible. You can find this and our many other collections here at the UH Digital Library!

Early Texas Documents Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 20:16:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce Early Texas Documents is now available in the UH Digital Library!

This digital collection chronicles the history of Texas from the Spanish Colonial Era through the turn of the 20th century. The bulk of the collection is from the Colonial, Republic, and Early Statehood eras, and in addition to materials broadly documenting the history of Texas, the activities of several prominent Texans and Americans are also documented. The digital collection contains nearly 1300 items.

Included in the collection are papers pertaining to the establishment of Austin’s Colony, including land and legal documents signed by Stephen F. Austin. Sam Houston’s role as President of Texas is extensively documented through correspondence and legal, financial, and land papers. The roles of Anson Jones and Mirabeau Lamar as President of Texas are seen in legal and land paper, and James Morgan’s role as Colonel in the Texas Army is documented through correspondence, legal, and military papers. Finally, Andrew Jackson’s role as President of the United States of America is documented in a letter detailing his decision to not send troops to Texas during the state’s revolution.

Also of interest are slave documents within the collection documenting the sale of slaves as property as well as financial and scrip documents that detail a listing of goods and services purchased by individuals. Other items include illustrations of currency and warrants paid to soldiers for their service.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries’ Special Collections in the Early Texas Documents Collection. Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible. You can find more of our fascinating collections here at the UH Digital Library!

Check Out Our New Map View Feature!

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 19:33:00 +0000

We here at the UH Digital Library would like to show you the new and exciting Map View feature in both our Civil War Letters and Lucian Hood Architectural Drawings collections!

Both Civil War Letters and Lucian Hood Architectural Drawings are rooted in geography. Civil War Letters is a collection of more than 150 Civil War-era letters contains correspondence from M.L. Calk, W.D. Lowther, and William W. Edgerton letters. Calk and Lowther were Confederate soldiers from Alabama and Texas, respectively, while Edgerton was a Union soldier from New York.

Utilizing Google Maps, Map View locates the origin of these Civil War letters, tracking Calk, Lowther, And Edgerton through their journeys across America. By zooming in, you will find that each letter has a pinpoint on the map which you can click to direct you to that very letter in our collection!

Utilize Google Maps Street View to see the 150-year change in time!

You can enjoy the same experience with Lucian Hood as well! Lucian Hood Architectural Drawings is a collection of 116 hand-drawn architectural sketches by architect Lucian Hood which include floor plans, interior and exterior elevations, foundations, and plots for various buildings throughout Houston.

Here's a sketch of Memorial Creole Apartments from 1966...

...and using Google Street View you can see that Memorial Creole Apartments are still here!

We are very proud of our latest addition to the UHDL experience, and we hope you enjoy. Make sure to check out our other wonderful collections here at the UH Digital Library!

Lucian T. Hood Architectural Drawings Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 17:32:00 +0000

I am pleased to announce the Lucian T. Hood Architectural Drawings are now available in the UH Digital Library!

Through his early drawings, this digital collection captures architect Lucian Hood’s eye for detail and exemplifies his artistry and graphic skills. These drawings, done before architects were aided by AutoCAD and other drafting software, embody the craftsmanship and sense of detail from a bygone era. In all, the collection contains 116 drawings done by hand in pencil. The drawings include floor plans, interior and exterior elevations, foundations, and plots.

Many of the drawings are from Hood’s early work on residential homes, which are representative of the architectural trends and influences of the early 1960s. These homes, located throughout the Houston neighborhoods of River Oaks, Tanglewood, and Memorial, are highly sought after in the marketplace, and owners are often interested in the original drawings in order to restore the homes to their original specifications.

Hood was a 1952 graduate of the University of Houston who studied under Donald Barthelme. He was one of Houston’s early modernist architects and his work was in great demand for more than 40 years, from the 1950s through the 1990s.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries’ Special Collections in the Lucian T. Hood Architectural Collection .

Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible.

Photographs from the Leonor Villegas de Magnón Papers Collection Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 16:05:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce the Photographs from the Leonor Villegas de Magnón Papers collection is now available in the UH Digital Library!

This collection contains 146 photographs and postcards related to Leonor Villegas de Magnón’s personal life, political activism with the international relief service La Cruz Blanca (the White Cross), and the Mexican Revolution. Photographs highlight Magnón’s pioneering work along the Mexico-Texas border as well as her relationships with fellow activists, participants of the Revolution, and friends and family.

Items in the collection are annotated in English and Spanish and include portraits, landscapes, and miscellaneous illustrations dating from 1894 to 1918. Notable individuals in the collection include Venustiano Carranza, Jovita Idar, Porfirio Díaz, Francisco Madero, and Pancho Villa.

Magnón, a Mexican citizen and life-long resident of Laredo, Texas, was a trailblazer and leading force on a variety of issues related to Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. Among her many accomplishments, Magnón founded and financed La Cruz Blanca to provide more organized medical assistance to soldiers wounded in the Mexican Revolution. More details on this work can be found in her autobiography, La Rebelde (the Lady Rebel). In the years after the Revolution, Magnón opened a bilingual school for children and contributed to female civic organizations in the U.S. and Mexico, traveling back and forth from Laredo until her death in 1955.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries’ Special Collections in the Leonor Villegas de Magnón Papers. Many thanks to those who made this collection possible. Make sure to check out this collection as well as our other fascinating collections here at the UH Digital Library!

University of Houston Integration Records Now Available in UHDL

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 20:43:00 +0000

I am pleased to announce that University of Houston Integration Records is now available in the UH Digital Library.

Through correspondence, applications, pamphlets, and other materials, this collection documents the integration of black students into the University of Houston. The bulk of the 214 items are from the late 1950s and early 1960s, with some dated as early as 1945 and as late as 1969. The collection includes selections from the UH President’s Office Records and highlights correspondence from Presidents Clanton C. Williams, A.D. Bruce, and Phillip G. Hoffman.

UH did not admit its first black student until the early 1960s. A private college during the 1950s and ‘60s, UH was not held to the standards of Sweatt v. Painter, which forced the University of Texas to admit a black student to its law school in 1950. Documents in the collection show black students applying to UH but being referred to nearby Texas Southern University. Phillip G. Hoffman, UH President from 1961-1977, realized that transforming UH from a private to a public school would have great financial benefits for the university and would also hold them to the legal standards of state schools. A memo in the collection from the Registrar Ramon A. Vitulli to Hoffman dated January 15, 1962, states that in 1961 the office of admissions received 175 inquiries by “negroes” in person or by phone and 33 rejection letters were sent through the mail. The registrar adds, “Based on the assumption that as a fully State supported institution the University will be required to admit qualified Negroes in the fall of 1963 and thereafter, I recommend that we admit qualified Negroes in the fall of 1962 or before.” By March 1963, the University had twenty African American students and was fully desegregated.

To avoid the unrest occurring around desegregation at other schools, Hoffman drew together community businessmen and the media to integrate the university relatively quietly. UH became a state funded university in 1963, and in 1964, it became the first major university in the South to desegregate its intercollegiate sports program. Guy Lewis recruited the school's first black athletes, including Don Chaney and future Hall-of-Famer Elvin Hayes, transforming both the basketball program and the entire campus.

The items do not present themselves in the digital collection in the same order that they do in the physical collection. Newspaper clippings were not scanned because of copyright issues. Whenever possible, materials that were originally attached were scanned together. To see the collection in its entirety and in its original order, we encourage you to visit UH Special Collections.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries’ Special Collections in the UH President’s Office Records.

Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible.

2014 Student Art Exhibit

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 20:33:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce 2014 Student Art in the Library is now available in the UH Digital Library!

Every spring the University of Houston Libraries hosts a juried exhibit of student artwork. This competitive event is open to students of all classifications and majors. A blind jury of arts professionals from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Menil Collection, Blaffer Museum, UH School of Art faculty, and Houston art galleries selects the work that will be included each year. The exhibit is on display in the M.D. Anderson Library during the spring semester. The 2014 selections have been added to the Student Art Exhibit collection, which includes artwork and ephemera from all but the first two mounted exhibits.

Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible. Make sure to check out our other collections here at the UH Digital Library!

Houstonian Yearbook Collection Temporarily Unavailable

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Cooper) — Fri, 16 May 2014 21:07:00 +0000

The Houstonian Yearbook collection in our UH Digital Libraryis temporarily unavailable, and we apologize for any inconvenience. We are working on making this collection available again as soon as possible.

In the meantime, if you would like to take a look at the yearbooks, feel free to visit the Special Collections Reading Room during our regular hours, or contact University Archivist Mary Manningwith questions about the books.

Building Houston Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Thu, 15 May 2014 21:29:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce Building Houston is now available in the UH Digital Library!

This collection is the result of a partnership between the William R. Jenkins Architecture and Art Library and the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. It includes the oral histories of people who strongly impacted the built environment in the Houston Area. Architects, developers, scholars and philanthropists discuss their work, projects, and the influences that shaped Houston. Each subject is interviewed by an architect or architectural scholar who frames the discussion and provides context. The collection of oral histories is ongoing, so Building Houston's content will regularly expand to accommodate new subjects.

Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible. Make sure to check out our other audio collections including the Jagdish Mehra and Oral Histories from the Houston History Project collections here at the UH Digital Library!

Civil War Letters Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Wed, 14 May 2014 20:27:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce Civil War Letters is now available in the UH Digital Library!

This digital collection of more than 150 Civil War-era letters contains correspondence from the M.L. Calk, W.D. Lowther, and William W. Edgerton letters. Calk and Lowther were Confederate soldiers from Alabama and Texas, respectively, while Edgerton was a Union soldier from New York. The collection is made up of personal correspondence during the war. Calk and Edgerton both correspond with family members, while Lowther writes to his fiancée.

Martin L. Calk was a member of the 23rd Alabama Volunteer Infantry Regiment of the Confederate Army. His regiment was formed under the command of Colonel Franklin K. Beck on November 19, 1861 at Camp Wilcox, near Montgomery, Alabama. Calk served with the 23rd Alabama Volunteer Infantry Regiment in both the Kentucky (September-October 1862) and Vicksburg (December 1862-July 1863) Campaigns.

W.D. Lowther, the second Confederate soldier, served in Company D, 2nd Texas Brigade, 17th Consolidated Regiment. This company was attached to Colonel George M. Fluornoy's 16th Texas Infantry Regiment of Major General John G. Walker's Texas Division when the latter officer relieved Brigadier General Henry McCullough. During the time Lowther is writing, the 12th Texas Division, often referred to as “Walker’s Greyhounds,” was attempting to repulse Union forces in Arkansas and Louisiana in order to rout the U.S. Army’s efforts to cut off Texas from the rest of the Confederacy and interrupt its considerable supplies from reaching east into the southern states.

William Wilberforce Edgerton, a native of south central New York, was a private with the 107th New York Infantry Regiment (Campbell Guards). Following a station at the defenses in Washington, he saw action in numerous campaigns, starting in Maryland with the Army of the Potomac’s XII Corps, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade at the 1st Battle of Antietam as part of the Maryland Campaign (September 4-20, 1862), and, in Virginia, the Chancellorsville Campaign (April 30-May 6, 1863) and as part of the reinforcements sent to aid the Army of the Tennessee for the Chattanooga Campaign (October-November 1863). Finally, Edgerton saw action as part of the Army of the Cumberland’s XX Corps, 1st Division, 1st Brigade in the Atlanta Campaign (May-September 1864), the Savannah Campaign (November-December 1864), and the Carolinas Campaign (January-March 1865). The 107th New York Infantry Regiment was mustered out in Washington on June 5, 1865.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries Special Collections in the M.L. Calk Civil War Letters, the W. D. Lowther Civil War Letters, and the William W. Edgerton Civil War Letters.

Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible. Make sure to check out our many other collections here at the UH Digital Library!

HAWK Photographs and Memorabilia Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 15:33:00 +0000

We are pleased to announce the HAWK Photographs and Memorabilia is now available in the UH Digital Library!

This collection provides a window into the life of the late Houston rapper HAWK, a member of DJ Screw’s rap collective the Screwed Up Click (S.U.C.). Publicity photographs depict the style of HAWK and fellow rappers Fat Pat (his brother) and Big Moe, while snapshots capture HAWK, Lil’ Keke, Trae and other S.U.C. members performing or hanging out. Of special note is a handwritten notebook of HAWK’s lyrics in gold on black paper.

HAWK, also known as H.A.W.K. or Big Hawk, was born John Edward Hawkins in Houston on November 15, 1969. In the early nineties he began working with DJ Screw, an underground mixtape DJ who was developing a new style called “chopped and screwed.” Like many others, including his brother before him, HAWK ordered personal mixtapes on which he would rap. Through the popularity of these mixtapes, HAWK became locally famous. In 1998, HAWK, Fat Pat, DJ Screw, and Kay-K formed a group called Dead End Alliance (D.E.A.) and released the album Screwed for Life on Dead End Records.

HAWK released his first solo album, Under H.A.W.K.’s Wings, on Dead End Records in 2000. In 2002, he released his second album, HAWK, on Game Face Entertainment.

On April 9, 2006, HAWK married his longtime girlfriend, Meshah (Henderson) Hawkins. Shortly thereafter, in May 2006, HAWK was shot and killed. His murder remains unsolved. Another album, Endangered Species, was released posthumously on Ghetto Dreams Entertainment in 2007.

HAWK was especially respected as a writer of lyrics. In the pages of his notebook, he worked out the sixteen bars that make up a typical rap verse. Some pages of the notebook show sets of rhyming words that he was considering for a verse. Others capture the activities of HAWK’s everyday life, from phone numbers to scores for dominoes games.

The collection also includes obituaries (memorial service programs) for HAWK and his brother Fat Pat, and photographs of Fat Pat’s burial.

Some of these materials were part of the exhibition, DJ Screw and the Rise of Houston Hip Hop, on view at the M.D. Anderson Library from March 19 through September 21, 2012.

The original materials are available in UH Libraries’ Special Collections in the HAWK Papers.

Many thanks to all those who helped make this digital collection possible. You can find this collection and our many other fascinating collections here at the UH Digital Library.

Frontier Fiesta 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Alex Segura) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 21:23:00 +0000

Do you know what time it is? Yes, it's that time again when our students and UH community ramp up for another great Frontier Fiesta! And with a University growing at the rate ours is, you know you can expect great things from the festival this year. But before we look into the future of this great UH tradition, let's take a trip down memory lane at some of the fun had at Frontier Fiesta throughout the years.

Frontier Fiesta started in 1939 and was one of Houston's biggest annual events. In 1958, Life Magazine called Frontier Fiesta the “Greatest College Show on Earth”. The event actually became so large that it was too much to handle and was discontinued in 1959. In 1991, Frontier Fiesta returned to the University of Houston. The student led showcase is held annually every spring and continues to celebrate the legacy of U of H.

There are many more images capturing the great history of Frontier Fiesta in our University of Houston Frontier Fiesta collection and our University of Houston Campus Life collection here at the UH Digital Library!

Japanese Tea Garden - The "Hole" Story

noreply@blogger.com (Cef Heruela) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 18:05:00 +0000

The University of Houston Digital Library is not only home to items that are historically significant to Houston, it also contains items that are significant to the rest of Texas as well. Scanning through the Harry Walker Photographs you'll come across photos taken from all across the state. One of the sites you will come across is of a large gazebo that sits within a beautiful garden. This is actually the Japanese Tea Gardens in San Antonio, Texas. Once an abandoned limestone quarry, this site is now home to a beautifully landscaped garden with a variety of plant life native to Texas. It is a beautiful place to take photographs.

Japanese Tea Garden in San Antonio. Downtown San Antonio can be seen in the background.

This photograph was taken between 1915 - 1920 around the time the gardens first opened.

The ground in which the garden currently lies was broken by German masons in 1840 when the city of San Antonio was experiencing massive growth. Many of the buildings downtown including the historical Menger Hotel, were built from stones from this quarry. Limestone from the quarry was also used in the capitol building in Austin as well.

View Larger Map

In 1880 the Alamo Cement Company was incorporated and produced cement for 26 years in the kiln, which is the tall chimney structure that can be seen on the left. The site became home to Mexican-American workers and their families living on-site and became a popular spot for tourists who wished to buy pottery, hand woven baskets, and food.

Around 1917, San Antonio City Parks Commissioner Ray Lambert envisioned an oriental-style garden to occupy and beautify the quarry. A design was developed by Lambert's engineer, W.S. Delery, although plans did not commence until they received a considerable amount of funding by 1918. In order to establish a sense of authenticity, Mr. Lambert commissioned local Japanese-American artist Kimi Eizo Jingo to manage and maintain the site. Jingo moved in along with his family and developed a snack bar called the Bamboo Room that served light lunches and tea.

If you get the chance to visit the site, you may notice that the front entrance gate says "Chinese Tea Gardens" despite the fact that it is known today as the Japanese Tea Gardens. This was due to World War II and the anti-Japanese sentiment that was around during that time period. The Jingu family had to move out of the gardens, and Chinese-Americans Ted and Ester Wu were brought in to maintain the Bamboo Room. During this period, Mexican-American artist Dionicio Rodriguez, who was famous for his faux wood sculptures, constructed the "Chinese Torii Gate."

Dionicio Rodriguez's Chinese Torii Gate at the Japanese Tea Gardens in San Antonio

After a while the Wu family moved out, and the garden became known as the Oriental Gardens or simply as the Sunken Gardens. In 1984, the city of San Antonio decided to rename the site back to the Japanese Tea Gardens to honor Mr. Jingo and his family for their early contributions. Despite the name change, the Chinese Torii gate still remains on the premises as a relic of a time gone by.

Today the Sunken Gardens is designated as a Texas Civil Engineering Landmark, a Registered Texas Historic Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

You can see more pictures from across the state in the Harry Walker Photographs collection of the University of Houston Digital Library.

The Return of Shasta

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 20:28:00 +0000

Groups love to implement a mascot as a rallying figure to unite its members and supporters in the shared desire for the group's prosperity. The Houston Rockets claim "Clutch" known for his cake in the face antics as their representative while the Houston Astros have brought back "Orbit" a green furry alien with baseball antennas. University of Houston also brought back a former mascot last year named "Shasta".

Shasta making her grand entrance

During the years of 1947 to 1989, five cougars have served as UH's mascot. After the fifth Shasta died in 1989, cougar-costumed students have carried on the tradition. That is until last year, when Shasta VI arrived at the Houston Zoo after his mother had been killed by a hunter and became the official live cougar mascot for UH. The partnership between the UH Alumni Association and the Houston Zoo allows Shasta to make live appearances during UH events via webcam as well as guard UH senior class rings before the class ring ceremony takes place, all while he relaxes at his zoo home base.

Shasta V

Cougars have displayed school pride by flashing the "cougar sign", a gesture created by folding the right ring finger down toward the palm to imitate a cougar's paw since 1953. The origins of this symbol started when Shasta the First lost her toe in a cage door on the way to a game. The opposing team, the University of Texas, mocked UH by imitating the cougar's injury. The Cougars soon adopted that gesture as a symbol of pride.

Rawr!

Check out more pictures of Shasta hamming it up for the cameras in the University of Houston People Collection and the Houstonian Yearbook Collection at the UH Digital Library.

Playing Ball

Shasta V being held by UH President Barry Munitz

Shasta V being kissed by UH President Barry Munitz

Shasta III relaxing outside of the University Center

Attention UH Students -- We're hiring!

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Cooper) — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 01:09:00 +0000

Are you a little low on cash? Looking for a career that will prepare you for the future? Or, maybe you want to work in a semi-secret underground lair?

Well, look no further. UH Digital Services is hiring a student worker. We are looking for applicants that are available to work 20 hours per week. Applicants should be punctual and reliable. Applicants must have basic working knowledge of Windows. We are looking for someone who is a quick learner, is able to work independently, and is detail oriented.

If that sounds like you, then we strongly encourage you to apply.

We are a fun group and we work on exciting projects that make a difference for the library, the University and the Houston community. Your schedule can be flexible.

We apologize, but due to the volume of applications we receive we will only be able to contact those candidates invited to interview. Please do not call about this position.

To view the full posting, log in to University Career Services Job Bank.
Job ID: 7586.
Position Title: Digitization Student Technician.
Your username will be your myUH ID (PeopleSoft ID). The password will be your last name (Reset password).

We here, at the UH Digital Library, look forward to hearing from you!