From the Stacks: Manuscript Copy of the Declaration of Independence
Guest post by Esti Brennan, Social Media Intern[First page of the manuscript draft. George Sackville Germain Papers, Clements Library.]In celebration of Independence Day, the Clements Library presents this manuscript copy of the Declaration of Independence, from the papers of George Sackville Germain. Surprisingly, this document is not part of our American manuscript collections, as Germain was a British Lord and served as a colonial secretary for his country. According to a 1959 exhibit...
Civil War Sesquicentennial: Wartime Photography
Guest post by Esti Brennan, Social Media Intern[Mathew Brady, autographed 'Carte de Visite' portrait of General George B. McClellan, circa 1862. From the Clements Library collection.]Photographs of the Civil War, though a poignant and engaging window into the past, were created with very different goals and standards than those upheld by today's wartime photographers. The rise of cheaply reproducible paper-based photo printing in the 1860s allowed commercial photographers to produce...
In the News: Clements in the Michigan Muse
The latest edition of the Michigan Muse, published by the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, features a collection of beautiful cover art from the Clements collection of historical sheet music in its cover story. The story discusses the University of Michigan's role in helping to produce the revised, updated, and expanded version of The New Grove Dictionary of American Music.
June 24th: Michigan Log Cabin Day
Guest post by Esti Brennan, Social Media Intern[Unknown Artist, "Log Cabin With Horses and Tree Stumps." Clements Library Graphics Division, Prints--Original Drawings, P-1604.9]Currently, Michigan is the only state to have an official holiday recognizing the log cabin, residence of choice for centuries of discerning settlers on various United States frontiers. Though many types of log cabins have existed in Europe and the Americas, the iconic image of a rough-hewn cabin in the woods persists...
From the Stacks: Wartime Cookery
Guest post by Esti Brennan, Social Media Intern[General Mills, War Work: A Daybook for the Home (Minneapolis, 1942).]Rationing is a common practice in wartime, meant to ensure that the country's military is kept well-supplied without unduly depriving those civilians who can't afford high-demand items back home. In some cases, rationing covers materials with obvious military uses, such as rubber tires and shoe soles, parachute silk, fuel, and automobile parts. In others, the focus is on...
Bicentennial of the War of 1812
Guest post by Esti Brennan, Social Media Intern["Constitution and Java, December 29th, 1812." Oil on canvas by Nicholas Pocock.]Two hundred years ago today, the United States declared war on the United Kingdom, initiating a conflict sometimes known as "the second American Revolution." Though there were many causes of the war, one of the main points of conflict between the two countries was the impressment of thousands of American sailors into the British Navy, which was already...
From the Stacks: U.S. Political Satire and Cartooning
Guest post by Molly Malcolm, Clements Library volunteerMany of the holdings in the graphics division here at Clements are a form of political satire, which seems especially relevant and interesting during this election year. Presidential races have a strong history as opportunities for media outlets to employ satire to create divisions in public opinions. These divisions occur over differing viewpoints and belief systems and are often created in an effort to ensure a specific party’s political...
Current Exhibit: “Murder Most Foul: Homicide in Early America,” June 11 – October 5, 2012
"Murder Most Foul: Homicide in Early America"June 11 - October 5, 2012Curated by J. Kevin GraffagninoClements Library DirectorThis exhibit looks at murder in America from the seventeenth century to 1900 using the rich resources on crime and punishment held by the Clements. Murder and the source materials about it touch on many aspects of early American social, political, geographic, ethnic, gender, and legal history, and the Clements collections are distinctive windows on this fascinating...
From the Stacks: Baseball in the 19th Century
Guest post by Esti Brennan, Social Media InternThough there's evidence of the sport dating back to Europe in the late 18th century, the first game of baseball as we know it today was played on June 19, 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Over the years the game has become an iconic part of American culture as well as an internationally-recognized sport, and its evolution and rise are well-documented in the Clements Library collections.Chadwick, Henry, Spalding's base ball guide and official...
From the Stacks: Victorian Courtship and the Language of the Fan
Guest post by Esti Brennan, Social Media Intern“The Language of the Fan” is one of the most pervasive myths of Victorian society. In a culture perceived to be straight-laced and highly codified, the idea of a secret language that permitted youthful rebellion (of a particularly romantic nature) has proven too delightful to give up. To signal “I love you” (drawing the fan across the cheek) or “I hate you” (drawing the closed fan through the hand) or arrange a clandestine meeting (showing a...