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Halle Berry on “Women, Race, and Film” (2000)
Fifteen years ago, Halle Berry made history as the first African American woman ever to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. A year and a half before her Oscar win, Halle Berry was the keynote speaker for a two-day conference at Princeton, “Imitating Life: Women, Race, and Film, 1932-2000.” We’ve recently digitized the video…
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This Week in Princeton History for February 20-26
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, a Supreme Court justice visit ignites protest, the women’s squash team completes eight undefeated seasons, and more. February 21, 1920—Princeton University holds a special graduation ceremony for students who missed their own but have…
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This Week in Princeton History for February 13-19
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, a professor starts a controversial contraceptive hotline, the campus agrees on a method for resisting the British crown, and more. February 13, 1967—Vassar’s debate team argues the merits of coeducation in Whig Hall. Vassar’s…
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Integrating Princeton University: Robert Joseph Rivers ’53
As we have previously pointed out, Princeton’s first African American undergraduates were not purposefully admitted: they were instead brought as part of a Navy training program during World War II. In 1945, Trustee Laurence G. Payson wrote to fellow member of the Class of 1916 John McFerran Barr to explain the presence of black students…
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This Week in Princeton History for February 6-12
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the first woman ever to enroll defends her dissertation, the town decides not to rely exclusively on students to fight fires, and more. February 6, 1975—The Borough of Princeton installs a traffic light at…
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This Week in Princeton History for January 30-February 5
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, an investigation of a masked swordsman begins, a graduate carries the Olympic torch, and more. January 30, 1805—The faculty of the College of New Jersey meet “to make inquiry concerning a mask & sword…
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“A Haven for Radicalism, Intolerance, and Lesbianism”: The Ongoing Struggle for an LGBTQ+-Inclusive Princeton
Mudd Library’s University Administrative Fellow for the fall 2016-2017 semester curated an online HistoryPin exhibit to document the history of minority sexualities at Princeton University. In this post, she provides broader context for the materials she chose to highlight. By Ariana Natalie Myers GS For much of its history, Princeton University students who experienced attraction toward…
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This Week in Princeton History for January 23-29
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, a drawing is held for room assignments in a new dorm, the basketball team plays its first game ever, and more. January 23, 1767—Jonathan Baldwin secures an affidavit from Job Stockton to defend himself…
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Ask Mr. Mudd: “Levee Song” and Princeton’s Minstrel Shows
Q. Dear Mr. Mudd, Is it true that the University of Texas school song, “The Eyes of Texas,” has a Princeton University connection? Where did the song come from, and why don’t Princeton students sing it anymore? A. “The Eyes of Texas” is set to a tune best known today as “I’ve Been Working on…
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This Week in Princeton History for January 16-22
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, a riot paralyzes the campus, a senior performs for the U.S. president, and more. January 18, 1893—The faculty approve a resolution ending supervision of exams, provided that students sign a pledge stating that they…
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