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William Taylor’s “Doggie Wagon”
Searching for materials in archival collections means, at times, trying to figure out how the people of the past would have labeled their photos, named their articles, or categorized their artifacts. They didn’t always use the same terms we would now. For this Black History Month, we examine William Taylor and how he illustrates the…
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This Week in Princeton History for October 26-November 1
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the campus suspends mail delivery due to fears of contamination, Coretta Scott King speaks to an audience of more than 500, and more. October 26, 1963—An undetermined number of Princeton undergraduates join an estimated…
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This Week in Princeton History for October 12-18
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, graduates get high praise for writing skills, influenza severely disrupts life on campus, and more. October 13, 1748—The Trustees of the College of New Jersey send an effusive letter of thanks to Governor Jonathan…
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African Americans and Princeton University
Dear Mr. Mudd: Q. What information do you have about African Americans and Princeton University? A. Until the twentieth century, Princeton’s history has mostly been dominated by white men, typically from prosperous backgrounds. Though decidedly pro-Union during the Civil War, the campus had strong Southern influences, and its reputation as the “northernmost university town of the…
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“Princeton College Bought Me”: The Life of a Fugitive Slave in Princeton
Many nearly-forgotten legends surround James “Jimmy Stink” Collins Johnson, who lived in Princeton for most of his life after escaping from slavery in Maryland. Today it is impossible to completely separate fact from fiction, but this is our best reconstruction: The sources tell us that two slaves in Easton, Maryland, welcomed a baby on October 2,…
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“Princeton University Does Not Discriminate…”: African American Exclusion at Princeton
Bruce Wright applied for admission to Princeton University in the 1930s, having spent some of his childhood living in its shadow in Princeton, New Jersey. He was excited to be awarded a scholarship, and showed up in the fall ready to start as a freshman. So far as the Dean of Admissions was concerned, however,…
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Princeton and Apartheid: The 1978 Nassau Hall Sit-In
Princeton di-vest! Oh yeah Just like the rest! Oh yeah And if you don’t! Oh yeah We will not rest! Oh yeah We gonna fight And fight And keep on fightin’ some more Princeton di-vest! (Student protest chant, quoted in Princeton Alumni Weekly 24 April 1978) Following the recent “Coming Back: Reconnecting Princeton’s Black Alumni”…
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This Week in Princeton History for September 8-14
For last week’s installment in our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its students and alumni, click here. For the week of September 8-14: The College goes coed, a NASCAR champion talks with engineering students, the first African American joins the faculty, and more. September 8, 1969—The College goes coed, as 171 women join the…
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