Past Exhibitions at the Hoole Library

2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000|

2008

2007

Clinging to Mammy: The Faithful Slave in Twentieth-Century America
Fall 2007

“The myth of the faithful slave lingers because so many white Americans have wished to live in a world in which African Americans are not angry over past and present injustices, a world in which the injustices themselves—of slavery, Jim Crow, and ongoing structural racism—seem not to exist at all. The mammy figure affirmed their wishes. The narrative of the faithful slave is deeply rooted in the American racial imagination. It is a story of our national past and political future that blurs the lines between myth and memory, guilt and justice, stereotype and individuality, commodity and humanity.”

This exhibit, curated by Portia Barker, intern at the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library and graduate student in American Studies, highlights key points from Dr. Micki McElya's, Assistant Professor of American Studies at The University of Alabama. Using rare materials from the Hoole Library to emphasize McElya's profound writing and research, it provokes thought and discussion on the issue of race, gender, and humanity.

Selections from the Jeanne N. and Joseph M. Smith Collection on Alcohol and Addition Studies at the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library, The University of Alabama

Spring 2007

Assembled over two decades by John W. Crowley, Professor of English at the University of Alabama, this collection has been presented by him and his wife, Emily Smith Crowley, in honor of her parents, Jeanne N. and Joseph M. Smith, who died a month apart late in 2005.

The Smith Collection consists of several hundred volumes, published between the late eighteenth century to the present that document facets of drug and alcohol use and abuse in the United States. Holdings represent such historical phenomena as the Temperance Movement (especially the role of the Washingtonian Society during the 1840s), Prohibition, and the rise of the modern Recovery Movement (especially the origins of Alcoholics Anonymous).

On the premise that so multifarious a subject demands the differing perspectives and methodologies of various academic disciplines, the Smith collection places narrative histories beside medical texts, political and moral polemics, psychological and sociological investigations, biographies and autobiographies, as well as literary expressions in fiction and poetry.

The Smith Collection, already rich and diverse, is regarded nonetheless as essentially incomplete: a living body of knowledge, the heart of an ever-expanding archive to be augmented by future contributions.

They Came, They Saw, They Reported: Images from the World Press Coverage of "Segregation's Last Stand" at The University of Alabama.

An exhibit of photographs taken by Camille Elebash in June of 1963 for her Tuscaloosa, Alabama weekly newspaper, The Graphic. The exhibit was held in conjunction with a lecture by Hank Klibanoff, co-author of the 2007 Pulitizer Prize winner for History, The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation (Knopf, 2006)

This exhibit is currently on display in on the first floor of the Gorgas Library.

Elebash had ten rolls of 36-shot film and took them all that day. It was a long day of waiting and standing around in temperatures that reached 112 degrees. Scorching sun made the reporters resort to making hats from handkerchiefs and newspapers to protect them from the rays. Water was limited -- the only water available to the out of town press was water spigots on the outside of the building. All drink machines had been removed from campus for fear of rioting and the use of broken bottles as weapons. Her photographs brilliantly capture the tension of the day -- the waiting and anticipation that led to the the end of segregation.

Selections from

2006

The Stuff of History: Celebrating the first 175 Years of Campus Life and Culture at The University of Alabama

In conjunction with The University of Alabama's celebration of the 175th anniversary of its founding in 1831.

The exhibition, which opened on UA Founders’ Day, April 12, 2006, includes a broad range of materials from the holdings of the W.S. Hoole Special Collections and illuminate The University of Alabama’s history and culture. From its earliest beginnings in 1831 and through several eras, this exhibition highlights events, activities and traditions at Alabama’s Flagship University and will include little-known facts about the university and those who have helped make it what it is today. Among the items of interest are copies of several 45 rpm records from the 1960s of songs that were written in honor of legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.

Featured in August, 2006, materials from the Walter B. Jones Collection, in

conjunction with the Walter B. Jones Symposium held at the Alabama Museum of Natural History on the UA campus.

Faces and Places: Selected 19th and 20th c. Photographs of African-Americans from the Wade Hall Photographs Collection
In conjunction with The University of Alabama's celebration of African-American Heritage Month.
February 1- March 17, 2006

Love & Duty: Selected materials from
the Gorgas Family Papers
In conjunction with book signing and lecture by Dr. Sarah Wiggins, February 13, 2006.
January 13- March 17, 2006

Made By Hand: An Exhibition of Handmade Books & Ephemera
An exhibition of artists books and other materials from across the US, in conjunction with the National Book Arts Educators Conference. January 13-February 17, 2006

To Kill A Mockingbird
An exhibit of books, photographs, and other materials relating to Harper Lee's legendary novel.
January 23-March 17, 2006

2005

Lovesick Blues: The Life of Hank Williams

In conjunction with Paul Hemphill's September 28, 2005 talk and book signing, this exhibition featured materials from the Wade Hall Collection of Southern History and Culture at the Hoole Library that highlights the life and legend of Alabama native, Hank Williams.

Supe Store: The First 100 Years!

In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of UA's Supe Store, this exhibition featured UA memorabilia, vintage advertising, and photographs that document the Supe Store and its contribution to UA campus life. See a smiling 'Big Al' and a crimson 'Bama toilet seat, along with photographs of the devastating 1985 Supe Store fire, and much, much more!

Banned in Bama:

An exhibition in conjunction with the Bankhead Historical Symposium for Fall 2005, Censorship, Free Speech and Free Press in the University, held October 13-14, 2005. The exhibit featured banned and challenged books, along with examples of banned and controversial materials relating to Alabama, including The Rabbit's Wedding controversy of the 1950s.

How About That!: The Life of Mel Allen Selections

from the Mel Allen Papers

The How About That! exhibit featured materials from the Mel Allen papers including photographs and memorabilia from probably the most famous sportscaster in American history.

Mel Allen began his sports broadcasting career as a student at the University of Alabama in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He started as the play-by-play announcer for UA football games on Birmingham radio station WBRC in 1933 and by 1937 he was working for CBS in New York. His moniker, "The Voice of the Yankees", was coined during his career with the NY Yankees from 1940-1964. Coining the famous phrases "Going, going, it's gone!" and "How about that!" Mel Allen's voice and name live as legend in American media history. The exhibit featured materials collected throughout Mel's life which are housed at the Hoole Library. The exhibit was done in conjunction with the book signing and lecture in April of 2005 by Steven Borelli, author of How About That! The Life of Mel Allen (2005, Sports Publishing, LLC). Much of the research for this book was done at the Hoole Library.

The Antebellum Architecture of Tuscaloosa:
Images & Text from the 1929 University of Alabama Thesis by Sydnia Keene Smyth.

An exhibit of images and captions from the 1929 MA thesis by Sydnia Keene Smyth. The thesis features text and photographs of homes and other structures as they appeared when Ms. Smyth photographed them in 1929. Many of the homes have since been destroyed or restored. The exhibit is held in conjunction with the Tuscaloosa County Preservation Society's Heritage Week 2005.

Soul Food: Selections from the David Walker Lupton African American Cookbook Collection

Selected titles from the Lupton African American Cookbook Collection were on display in the lobby of the Hoole Library. A second display from this collection was featured on the first floor of the Gorgas Library.

Queen: The Life and Music of Dinah Washington

The exhibit featured materials from the Hoole Library that reflect the library’s holdings, and Alabama’s rich blues history. Included in the exhibit are materials from the U.S. Post Office in Tuscaloosa, where the first issue of the Dinah Washington postage stamp was released in 1993. Rare photographs of Dinah Washington on loan from Nadine Cohodas were be featured. A small exhibit accompanied booksigning/lecture/concert that was held in the Gorgas Library on March 2, 2005. The University Libraries 2004-2005 Lecture Series is sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Lakey Tolbert.

2004

An Alabama Songbook: A Celebration

An exhibit of materials from the Bryon Arnold Collection housed at the W.S. Hoole Special COllections Library was displayed November 9 – December 24, 2004 in conjunction with a lecture and book signing by Dr. Robert Halli, editor of the UA Press’s An Alabama Songbook will speak about his work on this project and will sign copies of his work. Flying Jenny, the Birmingham, Alabama old time string band, performed some of their tunes, along with some from An Alabama Songbook.

“Crimson White: One Hundred and Ten Years in Print ”

October 14 - December 24, 2004
The exhibition featured artifacts and facsimiles of some of the most notable front pages in the Crimson White's long and successful 110 years. Included in the exhibition are features that explore the coverage of Civil Rights issues on the University of Alabama campus and across the US, as well as a section that focuses on war through the years.

The exhibition was held in conjunction with the 110th anniversary of the CW - part of the celebrations for homecoming weekend 2004.

See http://uanews.ua.edu/anews2004/oct04/cwanniv100704.htm

A LEGACY OF WARMTH AND VITALITY: The Mansion, the Presidents, and Their Families at The University of Alabama

An Exhibition of Materials from the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library, The University of Alabama and materials on loan from descendants of the University of Alabama's past presidents. June-September 2004.

Related online exhibition: Presidential Portraits at the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library is available at http://www.lib.ua.edu/libraries/hoole/digital/presidents/index1.html

The Bride Encountered: Six Contemporary Fairy Tales

An MFA thesis exhibition in the book Arts by Elizabeth R. Treadwell. The exhibit featured her thesis project, a series of six contemporary fairy tales bound in three different styles, incorporating various methods and styles. September 2004.

Book of Good Council

MFA in the Book Arts Thesis Exhibition for Susan Wyssen. An exhibition featuring a new handmade letterpress printed edition of the Hitopadesha, a book of Sanskrit folktales. Event for opening includes Sanskrit reading by Dr. Shaligram Shukla, Professor of Linguistics, Georgetown University. April, 2004.

Victorian Exotica: Japanese Design Influence
in 19th c. Publishers’ Bindings

An exhibition of bindings from the 1850s-1910s that embody Japanese style and influence. Exhibit includes 1st editions by Lafcadio Hearn, as well as cloth bindings with Japanese images. March, 2004.

Black Warrior Review: Celebrating Thirty Years

Exhibit in conjunction with a gift of the archives of the Black Warrior Review, a nationally known literary journal published at the University of Alabama. March, 2004.

Afro-Blue: Reflections on
African-American Music and Literature

Exhibition in conjunction with lecture and signing for Tony Bolden, UA Professor in English. Featured materials from the Hoole Library and from a private collector. Artists/writers represented: Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, John Coltrane, Bessie Smith, and Richard Wright. February, 2004.

2003

¡Mapas de Cuba!

Rare Maps from the 16th –19th century featuring Cuba From The W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library This exhibition feature maps from the 16th-19th centuries, many from the Warner Map Collection at the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library. The exhibition is in conjunction with Cuba Week at the University of Alabama. November 14 - December 23, 2003.

WANTED!: 19th and 20th Century True Crime from the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library

Exhibition features wanted posters, books, and artifacts from the Hoole Library and on loan from a private collection. In conjunction with film screening and lecture for The Phenix City Story (1955), sponsored by the Hoole Library, October 22, 2003 at the Bama Theater. Fall, 2003.

The Phenix City Story

Lecture, Film, Reception and Signing: Opening comments by Jessica Lacher-Feldman, lectures by author Alan Grady and film scholar Jeremy Butler on the Albert Patterson assassination and the film noir genre. October, 2003.

Opening Doors: From Both Sides of the Threshold, Segregation, Civil Rights, and Beyond at The University of Alabama

An exhibition featuring manuscript materials, photographs, and published materials held in conjunction with the Opening Doors celebration at the University of Alabama. June-September, 2003.

Opening Doors: Pioneers in Pictures

Exhibition displayed offsite in conjunction with University-wide Opening Doors celebration, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the integration of the University of Alabama. June, 2003.

Alabama Kozo:

The Art and Science of
Japanese Papermaking

Exhibit with Leigh Holden, expert on Asian papers and papermaking. Coordinated lecture and reception in conjunction with exhibition. March-May, 2003.

Angela Davis: Portrait

of A Revolutionary

An exhibition of ephemera and published materials on Alabama native Angela Davis. February, 2003.

The Rabbits’ Wedding Controversy

An exhibit on the children’s book, The Rabbits’ Wedding and its role in bringing Alabama and segregation to international attention in 1959. February, 2003.

Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird

Exhibit of several editions of Mockingbird, along with photos and materials from Lee’s time as a student at the University of Alabama. January, 2003.

2002

Mark Twain, Travel Books, and Tourism

An exhibit featuring first and early editions of Twain’s travel writings, along with digital surrogates of engravings, and interesting features, and a narrative regarding travel writing in the 19th century. November-December, 2002.

Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood

Coordinated lecture and screening at the historic Bama Theater, featuring talks on Capote and his Alabama ties including Harper Lee (J. Lacher-Feldman); Monsters in American Literature (Dr. Fred Whiting, English Dept., UA); and Perspectives from Death Row (Dr. Stan Brodsky, Psychology Dept., UA). Exhibit in Special Collections featured several editions of Capote’s In Cold Blood, and photographs relating to the actual events, as well as the book, and the film. October, 2002

Music Goes to the Movies: Sheet Music and Film from the Wade Hall Collection of Southern History and Culture

Exhibit curated with Daniel Goldmark, a faculty member from the University of Alabama's School of Music. Fall 2002.

PRESS WORK Paul Moxon MFA Thesis Exhibit
in the Book Arts

Exhibit featured broadsides, fine press books, trade book design, and background materials for MFA thesis project, a fine press book of poetry by Romanian poet Nina Cassian. Spring, 2002.

George Starbuck: Visible Ink

Exhibit from the George Starbuck Papers and published materials by Starbuck for the release of his posthumous work Visible Ink by the University of Alabama Press, edited by Elizabeth Meese and Kathryn Starbuck. Coordinated reading and reception with Dept. of English, which featured several community members as guest readers. April, 2002.

Lafcadio Hearn/Koizumi Yakumo at the Hoole Special Collections Library

Part of the 16th Annual Sakura Festival March 1-April 11, 2002. This exhibit featured materials from the Lafcadio Hearn Rare Books Collection. Coordinated all aspects of event and exhibits, including accompanying exhibit of kimonos and Japanese textiles. Project involved several partners including University Museums, College of Human Environmental Science/Clothing & Textiles Division, Japan Cultural Center, Capstone International Programs, and several individuals including a licensed kimono dresser, a Japanese calligrapher, a quilter. The event on April 12 featured a Japanese and English reading of Lafcadio Hearn's adaptation of Baku, the Eater of Dreams, and a lecture by Xavier University Professor Richard Collins, who spoke on Hearn's Southern Decade, 1877-1887. Spring, 2002.

Celebrating African American Culture: Selected Photographs, Publications, and Sound Recordings from the Hoole Library

An exhibition of selected materials that reflect African American Culture from the Hoole Library. Exhibit developed to celebrate African-American Heritage Month. The exhibit featured 19th and early 20th century photographs of African-American subjects, small press titles by African-American authors, and African-American music, including sound records, sheet music, and writings on music. Also included were photographs from the Civil Rights era at the University of Alabama, as well as FSA photographs from Gee's Bend Alabama. February, 2002.

Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird

Exhibit and event honoring Harper Lee and Alabama high school students and their participation in a statewide essay contest. January, 2002.

2001

Poor Pilgrim, Poor Stranger:Remembering
Alabama Author William March

An exhibition of materials from the William March (Campbell) Papers, and published materials by the author William March. Exhibit held in conjunction with the screening of the film "The Bad Seed", based on a story written by March. Screening held at the historic Bama Theater in Tuscaloosa, and featured a discussion by University of Alabama English Professor, Dr. Philip Beidler. October-December, 2001.

Over There! & Back Again: Patriotic American Sheet Music from the First World War Selections from the Wade Hall Sheet Music Collection

An exhibition of WWI era sheet music from the Wade Hall Collection of Southern History and Culture. This exhibit, co-curated with Daniel Goldmark, a faculty member from the University of Alabama's School of Music held in conjunction with the William March exhibition. October – December, 2001.

Visit the online exhibition at http://www.lib.ua.edu/libraries/hoole/digital/overthere/index.htm

Tradition and Reverence: Selections from the Gorgas Family Papers, and the William Crawford Gorgas Papers

An exhibition featuring materials from the Gorgas Family Papers and the papers of William Crawford Gorgas, including artifacts, personal papers, diaries, drawings, and clothing. Exhibition held in conjunction with a weekend of activities for the Gorgas family descendants at the University of Alabama. Opening reception held in conjunction with the exhibition. June-October, 2001.

Coat of Many Colors: A Tapestry of Alabama Artists

An exhibition in conjunction with the Alabama Public Television documentary of the same title. Reception and high-definition screening of the documentary accompanied the opening of the exhibition. Artifacts to compliment the materials from the Hoole Collections were on loan from the UA Department of Music, University Museums, the Clothing and Textile Collection, and several private individuals. Spring, 2001.

2000

Piano Lessons and Other Recollections

An exhibition of the work of Book Arts MFA candidate Suzanne Gray, including her collaborative work with storyteller Kathryn Tucker Windham. Also included other works by Gray, and materials by Windham from the Hoole Library’s Alabama Collection. Reception with Mrs. Windham as guest of honor accompanied the opening of the exhibition. Fall, 2000.

Life at the University of Alabama:
A Retrospective 1831-2000

The exhibition reflected student life and activity from its first years as a military school; through its metamorphosis to a co-ed university in the late 19th century; to the ethic diversity of the 1920s; the campus as a air force training facility during World War II; the 1950s; as well as the Civil Rights Era, and the University of Alabama today. Summer-Fall, 2000.

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