Syracuse University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) is for the 2027-2028 academic year. The SCRC Faculty Fellows Program supports innovative curricular development that fosters new ideas about incorporating focused use of archives and special collections in pedagogical practice.

Each fellow will receive a stipend, as well as an introduction to SCRC’s collections relevant to their course inquiry, primary source analysis skills, and designing a syllabus that centers activities and assignments that make creative/critical use of archival/special collections materials. Applications are being accepted for the development or revision of a three-credit course to be taught in the Fall 2027 or Spring 2028 semester from any discipline on campus.

SCRC’s primary sources span over 4,000 years—from the 21st century BCE to the 21st century CE—and represent an array of topics and perspectives relevant to the study of human culture and knowledge. They include various formats, from written and printed material, art, architecture and design to music and recorded sound. Engaging with SCRC’s rare and archival collections allows students, faculty and researchers to explore and question historical evidence and testimonies while connecting with the innovative and enduring ways people have communicated, documented their experiences, and recorded personal memories throughout history.

For questions or additional information about the , contact Jana Rosinski, SCRC instruction and education librarian, at jrosinsk@syr.edu.

George Bain G’06, a member of the Library Associates, and William F. Gaske ’72, a member of the Libraries Advisory Board, provided generous funding towards the SCRC Faculty Fellows Program. The original funding for the program was made possible through the generosity of the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, which promotes the advancement and perpetuation of humanistic inquiry and artistic creativity by encouraging excellence in scholarship and in the performing arts, and by supporting research libraries and other institutions that transmit our cultural heritage. For more information about how to financially support a faculty fellow for the upcoming academic year and beyond, contact David Seaman, University librarian and dean of libraries, at 315.443.5533 or via email at dseaman@syr.edu.

The ten women stand together in the gymnasium, faces serious, hands on their hips. With their shoulders squared, right feet turned in a split stance, their eyes stare into the camera in an unmoving challenge.

That’s the photo that accompanies an April 15, 1895, article titled “Women’s Gymnasium Work” in the University News, describing the activities of the Syracuse women students playing a unique sport on campus—battle-ball.

“We, too, have our college athletics,” the article reads. “You have doubtless heard of the basketball teams of Wellesley, and other women’s colleges; but do you know that in our own University we have two teams of young women, not playing basket-ball but the splendid game of battle-ball? Vigorously do we practice on Tuesday and Thursday of each week, and so expert have we become that we quite belie the accusation that ‘a girl can’t throw a ball.’”

What exactly was battle-ball? According to the , there’s no other information on the game in the library’s collections.

But the article’s author Carrie S. Romer wrote that battle-ball was only “a part of our work in the gymnasium.”

“Our eyes have long since wearied of the statement—or we might almost say epitaph—so often seen in our college papers, ‘Miss — has been obliged to leave college because of ill-health,’ and we have determined that we, the members of the women’s gymnasium classes, will prevent, as far as we can, the possibility of such remarks concerning ourselves,” she wrote. “Hence, two, three, or four times each week we repair to the gymnasium to enjoy our exercises and games.”

A Higher Stakes Game

, professor of history and senior associate dean for academic affairs in the , reviewed the article for Syracuse University Today. She says the piece gives a glimpse of the experience of women attending college in the late 19th century.

Women’s education and college athletics both expanded dramatically in the United States after the Civil War, she says.

“Americans worried that men might become weak without the testing ground of war,” Faulkner says.

There was particular concern at the time about “neurasthenia”—a nervous disorder for both men and women, she says.

“As the article makes clear, there was concern that college might be too mentally (and physically) taxing for women, which could also be an argument to exclude them from education, careers, political and legal rights, etc.,” Faulkner says.

According to the University News article, the women used “traveling rings, horizontal bars and ladders” during those gym sessions in the University’s , which was built in the early 1890s and demolished by 1965.

“We strengthen the various muscles of our bodies, and acquire a courage that we should not have dreamed of possessing a few years ago,” Romer wrote.

In the 1895 article, the students made clear that their exercise wasn’t a chore.

“We should not be college women if we did not mingle a bit of fun with our work, and one of our chief pleasures has been to invent names for our various exercises,” Romer states. “Perhaps you have heard of our ‘gymnastic hop,’ ‘chicken walk,’ ‘ostrich walk’ and ‘flying angel,’ but if you do not know what they are, we invite you to come and see for yourself—if you may. Should you be so unfortunate as to belong to the sex seldom admitted during ‘ladies hours,’ we can give you no better advice than to follow the suggestions given by the names and learn for yourself what we mean.”

Faulkner says the article and accompanying photo make clear the women exercised separately from their male classmates, which is likely why their skirts are shorter. During the 1890s, women’s activities were “severely proscribed” by fashion (corsets and long skirts), modesty and propriety of the Victorian era.

The 1890s saw those standards giving way to the era of the “new woman,” Faulkner says, in which women discarded those restrictions as they embraced sports for the health and social benefits.

“I love the picture because their choice of clothing, especially the short skirts, shows how much athletics challenged the still powerful views that women should be modest,” she says. “Women’s fashion did not allow shorter (above the ankle) skirts for everyday wear until about WWI. Earlier, in the 1850s, women’s rights activists stopped wearing the ‘’ because they were mocked so severely.”

Beyond the Gymnasium

The article that follows the story on battle-ball also focuses on the experience of women in higher education at the time, titled “What is the College Woman Doing in the World?”

“We can hardly imagine a woman who has had the inspiration of four years of college life as going out into the world and leaving behind her all the life and stir that have been hers for four years,” the article by M.S. Coon says.

The second article delves into ways female graduates were making careers for themselves, namely with social activism or social work. Specifically, it mentions women college graduates founding and working in , which functioned as community-based centers in poor neighborhoods.

The two articles, side-by-side, give a clear look at how women on the Syracuse campus were advocating at the time for their own athletics, education and careers after graduation.

“The author and her fellow athletes were asserting their physical health along with their academic capabilities in hopes of creating or advancing post-college opportunities at a time when careers were still very limited for women and most women would still marry and have children,” Faulkner says.

The articles from the University News are housed in the in the University Archives. Anyone can visit the Special Collections Research Center and request to see them.

Syracuse University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center’s (SCRC) 2026 exhibition, “We Demand!: A Legacy of Activism in America,”  is now open on the sixth floor of Bird Library.

The exhibition includes examples of resistance and perseverance in the form of publications, posters, protest signs, photographs, demands, newsletters and more representing the critical role of activism in challenging injustice and securing greater freedoms in the United States. Exhibition curators are Courtney Hicks, SCRC lead curator and curator of plastics and historical artifacts; Jana Rosinski, SCRC instruction and education librarian and Lindy Smith, SCRC assistant director.

Since the country’s founding, the American people have shaped—and continue to shape—a more just and a fairer future. For decades, SCRC has collected materials related to histories of activism and reform in America that illustrate how advancements in rights were made possible by those who came before. This pursuit and work of individuals and collective groups who have come together to push for change in the face of extraordinary challenges and circumstances is documented within this exhibition.

“We Demand!” is free and open to campus and the broader community and will be on display until December. In concurrence with the exhibition, SCRC will host programming throughout the year, including an exhibition reception on April 23 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on the sixth floor of Bird Library.

The Libraries’ (SCRC) was recently gifted the personal papers of notable artist and University alumnus Warren Kimble ’57. The collection includes original sketches, personal correspondence, exhibition materials, product catalogs, press clippings, photographs and other unique materials that trace Kimble’s artistic evolution and entrepreneurial journey.

Kimble, who turned 90 in 2025, began his artistic training at Syracuse University, where he studied fine art in the . Under the guidance of accomplished faculty, he developed strong foundational skills and experimented with new techniques and mediums, laying the groundwork for his long and varied career.

As an undergraduate, Kimble was deeply engaged in campus life—serving as president of both his junior and senior classes, joining Lambda Chi Alpha and leading the cheerleading squad during the era of athletics  that included Jim Brown ’57 helping propel the football team to the 1957 Cotton Bowl. Beyond his student leadership roles, Kimble immersed himself in the University’s vibrant artistic community.

Tracing an Artistic Journey From Syracuse to National Recognition

Following graduation, Kimble taught art for many years before settling in Vermont in the early 1970s. At age 50, he was “discovered” while selling his folk-inspired art at a local gallery in Woodstock, Vermont, which launched his national career.

At the height of his success, Kimble partnered with more than 50 companies to produce home décor and household goods featuring his artwork. Today, Kimble maintains an active studio and gallery where he continues to paint, create new works and engage with the arts community. He currently lives in Brandon, Vermont, with his wife, Lorraine, whom he credits as a significant partner in the success of his business and career.

Kimble’s artistic journey has taken him from the traditional to the contemporary, with recurring motifs such as weathered barns, farm animals and New England landscapes—often inspired by his rural Vermont surroundings.

With formats ranging from paintings to assemblages and sculptural works, his work has appeared in reputable galleries in New York and Boston and across New England, as well as in homes across the world via prints, ceramics, furniture, wallpaper and more. The newly donated collection documents the transition of his work from sketches to mass production, and from small gallery showings to national commercial fame.

A Legacy Preserved

Kimble says his decision to donate his papers to Syracuse University Libraries was easy. Drawn to Syracuse University in 1953 without even taking an entrance exam, Kimble still speaks of the University’s early support with gratitude. “They took a chance,” he says. “Syracuse gave me everything: direction, mentors and a belief in what I could become. I owe so much to this place, and I am forever grateful. This is my way of giving back and inspiring future artists and creative entrepreneurs.”

“We are honored and delighted to receive Warren Kimble’s papers,” says David Seaman, Libraries dean and University librarian. “Beyond Warren’s affection for Syracuse, he has been a good friend to the Libraries. We were fortunate to capture his story in his own words through SCRC’s Access Audio production of ‘.’ He created an original owl painting for Bird Library that we used in our holiday card. He has even welcomed our Libraries team to his home and studio in Brandon, Vermont. He is a beloved friend of the Libraries, and we are grateful for his generous gift.”

As an undergraduate at Syracuse, Kimble was inducted into Orange Key, a Junior Men’s honorary, and Tau Theta Upsilon, a Senior Men’s Honorary. Throughout his life, Kimble has remained one of the University’s most enthusiastic and engaged alumni.

The University awarded him the George Arents Pioneer Medal, the highest alumni honor, in 2002 and the Melvin A. Eggers Senior Alumni Award in 2017. The archival donation, Kimble notes, is a homecoming of sorts. “These are the stories behind the work, the trial and error, the joy, the doubts, the breakthroughs. It is my whole journey. And I am thrilled that it will live on at the university that believed in me first.”

When Ricana Walker ’27 saw an email seeking student production assistants for a film project in fall 2024, she had no idea she was about to be part of something historic—or that the experience would change her understanding of the land beneath her feet as a Syracuse student.

“I had very limited knowledge of Native American culture, especially the Haudenosaunee people,” says Walker, a television, radio and film (TRF) major in the . “I thought it’d be a perfect opportunity for me to not only gain professional experience but also learn about the land Syracuse is built on.”

Walker was one of 10 students who spent a weekend at the University’s Minnowbrook Conference Center in the Adirondacks filming “,” a five-part talk show and podcast series that premiered on WCNY-TV in October.

The project represents an innovative collaboration between the Special Collections Research Center’s storytelling initiative, the Haudenosaunee women-led nonprofit , (OTN) and the audio arts program in the and .

Hosted by Michelle Schenandoah G’19, founder of Rematriation and a member of the Oneida Nation Wolf Clan, the series convenes Indigenous thought leaders, traditional knowledge keepers and allies to discuss topics often missing from mainstream education—from the Doctrine of Discovery to the Haudenosaunee influence on American democracy and women’s rights.

3 Years in the Making

“Rematriated Voices” was three years in the making, from initial research and development through filming and post-production. Schenandoah, who holds a graduate degree in magazine, newspaper and online journalism from Newhouse and law degrees from New York Law School, had long dreamed of creating a talk show format that could extend Indigenous education beyond in-person speaking engagements.

“A lot of our people are invited into spaces to speak on these topics, but you’re limited to whoever’s in the room at that time,” Schenandoah says. “By creating this talk show and podcast series, it allows the information and dialogue to expand further into the world.”

The project evolved from Access Audio’s earlier podcast series “,” which featured candid interviews with Indigenous community members. Schenandoah was an interviewee for that 2022 series, which was also produced at Minnowbrook.

When Schenandoah approached Jim O’Connor, Access Audio producer and co-producer of “Rematriated Voices,” about creating another series, she saw an opportunity to expand beyond the podcast format into a video series.

O’Connor assembled a crew of alumni, students, faculty and staff, working with OTN General Manager Meg Craig to recruit student videographers. The production crew hired storytelling consultants, including Mohawk filmmaker Katsitsionni Fox, Rachel Porter and University Ombuds Neal Powless, to ensure the production honored the principles at the heart of the conversations.

“The opportunity to collaborate with Rematriation to produce this project and amplify the significance of Indigenous matrilineality has been a formative one,” O’Connor says.

“Being on set and facilitating experiential learning by bringing emerging filmmakers and media producers into the presence of such renowned changemakers and traditional knowledge holders was a tremendous education for these students, and everyone involved.”

Hands-On Learning Meets Indigenous Knowledge

The decision to involve students was central to the project’s mission. A one-credit experiential learning opportunity was offered for students with interest and experience in video production.

As a camera operator on the three-camera setup, Walker filmed interviews that ran two to three hours each—later edited down to one-hour episodes.

“I definitely gained a better understanding of production workflows,” Walker says. ” I’ve worked on student sets, but obviously things are more serious on a professional set.”

Between filming sessions, students absorbed conversations with guests, including Mohawk Bear Clan Mother Louise “Mommabear” McDonald Herne, botanist and author Robin Wall Kimmerer, historian and author Sally Roesch Wagner (who passed in June of this year) and traditional leaders from across the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The production brought almost 50 people to Minnowbrook for an intensive filming schedule. The five episodes explore interconnected themes: the Doctrine of Discovery, Indigenous relationships with the living world, Haudenosaunee governance and its influence on American democracy, Indigenous women’s authority and its impact on suffragists, and matrilineal men who stand empowered alongside women leaders.

“The goal is to be able to bring a perspective to viewers and listeners that maybe they haven’t heard before—but one that is relevant, and closely tied to their own experience as citizens in this country,” Schenandoah says.

From Campus Collaboration to National Distribution

Based in the University area, Rematriation regularly works with Syracuse student interns through Newhouse and serves as a client for University courses. Support from Chancellor Kent Syverud’s office made Minnowbrook available for the production.

Since its premiere, “Rematriated Voices” has been picked up by PBS stations in Syracuse, Rochester and Watertown, as well as two national Indigenous radio shows including Native Voice One. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube. The series can also be .

For students like Walker, credits on PBS and other distribution networks provide valuable professional credentials. But perhaps more importantly, the experience expanded their understanding of the Indigenous history and contemporary realities.

“I just think it really opened my eyes,” Walker says. “Now I feel like after that, I’ve gained a lot more insight on the Haudenosaunee people.”

Nearly a century ago, Edward Joseph Rimkunas ’40 donned a blue and orange uniform to lead the Syracuse University Marching Band. Now, decades later, the uniform is returning to the public eye, displayed for the first time by the during .

The uniform—which consists of a jacket, pants and drum major baton—is a recent acquisition by the archives, which is part of the Special Collections Research Center in the Syracuse University Libraries. And while the repository has other marching band uniforms, the one that belonged to Rimkunas is the oldest in the archives’ collection. He wore it during his junior and senior years, around 1938 to 1940, and it was donated in the last year by his grandson.

Despite the passage of time, the uniform’s detailed stitching and vibrant colors remain.

University archivist says she’s excited to bring the uniform to Orange Central, which runs Friday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Oct. 19.

“It’s a beautiful piece, and it’s in such wonderful condition,” she says.

, Rimkunas was born in Hoosick Falls, New York, and was the leader of his high school band. At Syracuse, he played trumpet in the University Marching Band before being promoted to drum major. He also served in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corp (ROTC) and was a member of the ROTC honorary society, Pershing Rifles.

A business administration major, he graduated in 1940 from the University with a bachelor of science. He changed his last name to “Richards” after leaving campus, and in 1948, he founded Richards Insurance, now known as , according to the archives. He died in 1994.

A 1940 University yearbook mentions Rimkunas “strutting down the field in front of the band.” An accompanying photo captures the jubilant drum major, his head thrown back and his knee up in a high step, toe pointed down to the ground.

“Besides photographs and newspaper clippings, there aren’t many materials that document the marching band from the late 1930s to early 1940s,” Mason says. “So it’s really special to not only have the uniform with all its brass buttons, but also to connect it to a specific student. This item documents not only something about the history of the marching band but also the experience of a student at Syracuse University.”

The uniform will be displayed during Orange Central in room 304ABC of the Schine Student Center at the archives’ table, where alumni can see other historical memorabilia and materials and learn about the current in the .

Mason says the University Archives tables at campus events like Orange Central for “lots of different reasons.”

“First, we want alumni to be aware that the University Archives exists—that documenting the history of SU, which is also their history—is important,” she says. “Additionally, I hope to inspire curiosity about SU history. If alumni know about us and what a valuable resource we are to the University and to them, as well as how we use our collection material for research, instruction and exhibitions, then they may be inclined to donate something of their own that documents their time on campus.”

Mason had one such interaction with an alum last year, tabling at the Senior Alumni Reunion, where the archives typically does a large pop-up exhibition. The University Archives has a “substantial number” of freshman beanies—the caps first-year students were expected to wear most of the year, from about the late 19th century to about 1970—in  the archives’ Memorabilia Collection.

“The Goon Squad was originally established to enforce this, they were not as helpful as they are now,” Mason says. “Upperclassmen could tell first-year students to tip your hat and they would have to tip their hat out of respect. It put them in their place, but also, it was a great way for other freshmen to find each other. So they knew they weren’t alone.”

Last year, Mason put out a Class of 1963 beanie at the reunion’s pop-up exhibition. An alum from the Class of 1964 came up to the table and asked why there was no cap for her year.

“I was like, ‘We don’t have one,’” Mason said. “And she said, ‘Do you want one?’”

The alumna later sent a ’64 beanie to the archives.

Interactions like those are how the archives often gets donations from alumni, Mason says, but she added that it is also just enjoyable to showcase fun items from the collection during campus events.

“The table or a pop-up exhibition encourages alumni to relive a bit of their past here, and it often generates conversation between staff and alumni, who share their own memories of being students on campus,” she says. “I often learn from them about University history, and I often take notes!”

If a former student or their family has an item related to their time at the University they are interested in donating, they are encouraged to reach out to the Special Collections Research Center by emailing scrc@syr.edu.

The University has entered a historic collaborative relationship to steward the Oren Lyons Collection through the Libraries’ (SCRC). This landmark agreement of custodianship of the archival papers of Faithkeeper Oren Lyons is the most significant collection of its kind and was celebrated at a ceremonial event on Sept. 26 on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle.

Oren R. Lyons ’58, H’93 and SCRC have collaborated to define shared responsibilities for organizing, accessing, preserving and interpreting the collection, while reaffirming Indigenous nations’ rights to manage and control culturally sensitive materials. This collection marks the University as a trusted repository for Haudenosaunee collections, building on academic leadership and Lyons’ global work, establishing an international model for institutional-Indigenous partnerships.

“Oren Lyons has had a deeply profound impact—not just on Syracuse University but on all who have had the privilege to know him over the years,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “From his days as an All-American goalie on our undefeated 1957 lacrosse team to becoming a global voice for Indigenous rights and environmental stewardship, Oren has shown us what it means to live with purpose and principle. As we accept the great responsibility of stewarding his life’s collection, I am deeply humbled by the trust he has placed in his alma mater. He has taught us all to think not just about tomorrow, but about future generations.”

Lyons is a world-renowned faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation, an Army veteran, a University student-athlete alumnus, an award-winning lacrosse player, professor emeritus at the State University of New York at Buffalo, an artist, an author and a pivotal figure in international advocacy and diplomacy. The Oren Lyons Collection is composed of archival material documenting Lyons’ engagement in education, lacrosse, the arts and advocacy for environmental protection and Indigenous rights. Included will be his personal and professional papers along with an extensive collection of photographs, videos and audio recordings.

“Syracuse University Libraries is honored to be granted custodianship of Faithkeeper Oren Lyons’ papers. This is a monumental opportunity for scholarship and research around not only Indigenous studies, but also activism, art, lacrosse, history and environmental studies,” says David Seaman, dean of the Libraries and University Librarian.

The agreement was guided by the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials (First Archivist Circle, 2007) which includes recognition of Indigenous sovereignty; respect for cultural values, spiritual beliefs and traditional knowledge systems; the right of Indigenous nations to define access restrictions or contextual framing of materials; and collaboration in descriptive practices to reflect Indigenous worldviews.

“Oren Lyons’ collection, and his trust in our institution, will enable Syracuse University to serve as a research model, to help create more viable relationships around the world with Indigenous peoples and the land,” says Philip Arnold, professor of religion in the College of Arts and Sciences. “This will ensure that the Haudenosaunee teachings will continue. This is an awesome responsibility and opportunity.”

The Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) at the Libraries has chosen its faculty fellow for the 2026-27 academic year.  , professor of practice of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Environmental Engineering Program in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, was selected by a committee of librarians, curators and educators.

Todorova will participate in a 2026 summer residency at SCRC that includes workshops on handling special collections materials, teaching students how to research within and across collections, and designing hands-on, creative and critically-minded inquiry with rare materials. She will in turn apply what she learned and the materials from SCRC to her courses the following year.

Jana Rosinski, SCRC instruction and education librarian, is looking forward to this unique opportunity to engage students in the civil and environmental engineering program with special collections and archives. “The ability to understand the historical frameworks that have affected where humanity finds itself currently—socially, culturally, politically and ecologically— is an essential way of thinking to create conscious change for the future,” Rosinski says.

Todorova will rework two science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses to integrate SCRC archival materials about Onondaga Lake, to create a dynamic interdisciplinary learning experience that connects technical content with historical, societal and ethical dimensions.  “In Environmental Chemistry and Analysis” (CEE 471/671), a traditional laboratory exercise on alkalinity in the Onondaga Lake watershed will be transformed into a project-based learning module. Students will engage with archival materials from two former faculty members in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering who played an important role in initiating the cleanup of Onondaga Lake. By analyzing historical documents and extracting environmental data from these documents, students will examine the legacy of industrial pollution and connect early efforts to current water quality challenges.

In “The Role of Science in Environmental Governance” (HNR 360), students will examine rare books and archival materials related to mercury contamination in Minamata Bay, Japan. Todorova’s goal is “to help students develop deeper critical thinking and draw parallels in global environmental crises and local contamination issues in Onondaga Lake, which will enhance their understanding of environmental governance, public health and scientific responsibility.”

The SCRC aims to support innovative curriculum development and foster new ideas about how to transform the role of special collections in University instruction. Each fellow is awarded $5,000 along with guidance on how to provide students with a unique opportunity to research, analyze and interpret SCRC’s primary source materials in their class, and pedagogical support.

George Bain G’06, a member of the Library Associates, and William F. Gaske ’72, a member of the Libraries Advisory Board, provided generous gift funding towards the SCRC Faculty Fellows Program. Original funding for the program was made possible through the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, which promotes the advancement and perpetuation of humanistic inquiry and artistic creativity by encouraging excellence in scholarship and in the performing arts, and by supporting research libraries and other institutions that transmit our cultural heritage.

To learn more about the Faculty Fellows Program or teaching with SCRC, contact Jana Rosinski at jrosinsk@syr.edu. For more information about how to financially support a faculty fellow for the upcoming academic year and beyond, contact Dean David Seaman at 315.443.5533 or via email dseaman@syr.edu.

Syracuse University’s newest University Professor takes a “Renaissance Man” approach to scholarship. , an expert in the field of 20th-century literature, science fiction and Afrofuturism, says his work is informed by everything from his personal experiences as a child in Buffalo, New York, to 18th- and 19th-century African American poets and writers, to contemporary filmmakers, musicians and artists.

He is internationally known for his significant contributions to the field of Afrofuturism—an artistic and cultural movement that blends science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction and speculative fiction. Afrofuturist works feature Black characters and communities making technical and societal advancements and use futuristic themes and elements of Black history and culture to examine and critique the past, present and future. The term comes from cultural essayist Mark Dery’s 1993 interviews with Black scholars in “,” published in the South Atlantic Quarterly. The contemporary movies “Black Panther” and “Get Out” are Afrofuturist examples, Lavender says. “But there is no set definition. You know it when you see it.”

Lavender’s work challenges the view of Afrofuturism as a contemporary movement tied to modern technology and science fiction. He says it has existed for centuries in Black literature, as far back as the early 18th-century works of writer and abolitionist whose works contain science-fictional language in their exploration of Black alienation, estrangement and dislocation.

He uses an approach he calls “future past”—expressing the idea of a future event from a past viewpoint—to examine “science fictional Blackness,” a concept that explores how Black identity, culture and history intersect with speculative futures, alternate realities and imaginative technologies.

“Science fiction forecasts, if not anticipates, the potential consequences of such a happening and how we can prevent or survive it by thinking through the ramifications of such a future, derived from the past,” Lavender says. “Science fiction is always in dialogue with the present in which it is written. You can play out these kinds of thought experiments with race, gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, technology and so on.”

Lavender has authored several books and numerous articles. His books include the notable “” (2019), “” (co-edited, 2020) and “” (co-edited, 2023). His newest book, “,” is due out in June 2026. He also serves as an editor for , an academic journal covering speculative fiction.

While he finishes his new book, Lavender plans to teach a spring semester class on race in science fiction and is working with of the University of Liverpool on another book, “Survival Mode: Anticipating Social Problems through Science Fiction.” He is also exploring the at the . Williams, a Syracuse University graduate, is a former journalist, author and teacher who wrote about his experiences as a Black man in America. Lavender also hopes to create a science fiction working group with the .

As University Professor, Lavender has a tenured appointment in the and is an affiliate faculty member in the .

Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) was recently gifted the George W. Hamilton Book Collection from George W. Hamilton ’53, G’54. The collection documents the history and practice of fine press printing in Europe, particularly Austria, and North America across its more than 1,300 volumes. From antiquarian books and festschrifts, type specimens and typography tomes to technical manuals on printing and binding, the titles included cover all aspects of the art, craft and trade of small presses.

The collection includes typefounders’ and printers’ specimen books, some of which date back to the 18th century. In addition to being informative and educational, many items include beautiful examples of letterpress printing with lithographs, woodcuts and other forms of illustration. The collection complements and enhances SCRC’s existing collection strengths in ���Ի���.

“We are grateful to George W. Hamilton for his generous gift,” says Nicolette A. Dobrowolski, Director of the SCRC. “This collection, assembled over many years, reflects George’s deep passion for the history of printing and typography. We appreciate his decision to entrust this remarkable resource to his alma mater, recognizing the vital role that SCRC collections play both on our campus and in the broader research community.”

Hamilton, who resides in Austria, Vienna, has been a long-time supporter of the Libraries. He was an early funder of , the 90-second radio show highlighting audio collections within SCRC, including the . He also provided early sponsorship to support publication of the New York state series by the Syracuse University Press.

The acquisition of the George W. Hamilton Book Collection was made possible by the efforts of Dean David Seaman, Assistant Dean for Advancement Ron Thiele, SCRC Director Nicolette A. Dobrowolski, Assistant Director Lindy Smith, Curator of Early to pre-20th Century Irina Savinetskaya, Lead Curator and Curator of Plastics and Historical Artifacts Courtney Hicks, and graduate students Iman Jamison, Philomena Kern and Mary Visco.

Vanessa St.Oegger-Menn, Pan Am 103 archivist and assistant university archivist in the Libraries’ , is the 2025 recipient of the  from the Society of American Archivists (SAA).

Established in 2005, the award recognizes contributions from individuals who work for the good of the profession and archival collections and whose work may not typically receive public recognition.

St.Oegger-Menn holds an M.A. in 20-century British literature from California State University, Long Beach, and she earned a master of library and information science with a concentration in archives and cultural heritage preservation from the .

Within SAA, St.Oegger-Menn has played a key role in SAA’s work to support archivists and communities collecting in times of crisis. In 2018, she served on the initial Tragedy Response Initiative Task Force which was assembled to create and compile resources for archivists facing sudden tragedy.

The Task Force then evolved into the Crisis, Disaster and Tragedy Response Working Group (CDTRWG) with the charge of maintaining and updating SAA’s “Documenting in Times of Crisis: A Resource Kit,” developing immediate and ongoing resources for archivists dealing with crises and building partnerships with organizations focused on relief efforts for cultural organizations. St.Oegger-Menn was asked to serve as one of the co-chairs of the inaugural working group.

In this role, she had an incredible impact on the work of this group. She led crucial efforts to create organizational infrastructure and identify workflows to keep projects on track and worked with committee members and council liaisons to overcome roadblocks.

St.Oegger-Menn has also served as one of the group’s mightiest advocates, representing CDTRWG through speaking engagements and at regional, national and international conferences. She has co-presented on the working group to a number of internal and external organizations, including the Art Libraries Society of North America and the Australian Society of Archivists.

She co-wrote an article in 2023 for SAA’s magazine, Archival Outlook, that outlined the efforts of the working group and facilitated the working group’s ongoing speaker series. When it was time for her to roll off as co-chair, St.Oegger-Menn devised a strategy for a post-chair transition to offer support to incoming co-chairs and also agreed to stay on the working group, even co-leading the Collaboration and Outreach subcommittee.

St.Oegger-Menn’s hard work and empathy has not gone unnoticed by her colleagues. Through her work with trauma-informed archives, she has tirelessly supported archivists in times of crisis. As her nominator, Kara McClurken, noted, “Her passion, her empathy and her experiences through the working group and through her position as the Pan Am 103 archivist at Syracuse University have been essential to the creation of a supportive and sustainable low-cost support network to archivists and communities experiencing trauma … Long after her time on the working group is over, the infrastructure, the tools, and the community she has fostered will serve as a legacy to her dedication to the cause.”

Editor’s note: This story is reprinted from a posted by the Society of American Archivists.