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Accessing Early University History through Publications
Written by Rossy Mendez It can often be a daunting task to find University-related publications from the nineteenth century. Fortunately, a number are available in Princeton’s collections and online. You can search for these publications directly through the main library catalog or by using the finding aids site to search across the university’s special…
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This Week in Princeton History for November 10-16
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, Arthur Conan Doyle gives a reading of Sherlock Holmes, Theodore Roosevelt lectures, and more. November 10, 1975—As part of the U.S. Postal Service’s Bicentennial campaign to honor Revolutionary War patriots, a nine-cent postcard depicting…
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History of Women at Princeton University
Written by Vanessa Snowden For much of its history, Princeton University had the reputation of being an “old-boys’ school.” Starting in the fall of 1969, Princeton became co-educational, and nine women transferred into the Class of 1970, with slightly greater numbers in the two subsequent classes. Women who matriculated as freshmen in 1969 graduated in…
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This Week in Princeton History for November 3-9
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, Penn Jillette’s joke falls flat, the town decides on Prohibition, and more. November 3, 1975—Penn Jillette (now of Penn & Teller) tries to garner publicity for his upcoming performances with the “The Asparagus Valley…
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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 October 20-26
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the first charter is issued for the College of New Jersey, the first mid-semester fall break occurs, and more. For the week of October 20-26: October 20, 2000—A ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official dedication…
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This Week in Princeton History for October 13-19
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the College starts wearing orange, students protest the Vietnam War, and more. For the week of October 13-19: October 13, 1868—The faculty pass a resolution permitting students to adopt and wear orange ribbons imprinted with…
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The Year Princeton University Delayed the Start of Classes until October 10
The motion was passed that the following resolutions of the Council be printed in the Princetonian issue of October 16th: (1) That all undergraduates shall not enter any moving picture theatre in Princeton. (2) That all undergraduates shall stay within the University limits, avoiding Witherspoon street and other congested districts unless there is an…
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1957 Epidemics at Princeton
The most characteristic sound around the Princeton campus last week was not the familiar and rhythmic tolling of Nassau Hall’s bell, nor even the sleep-shattering bedlam of the steam-shovels on the new U-Store site. The sound around campus was everywhere: if you went to the heights of Blair Tower, behold, it was there, and even…
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This Week in Princeton History for October 6-12
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 October 6-12: Toni Morrison is named a Nobel Laureate, an undergrad gets international attention for a physics paper, and more. October 6, 1938—Princeton University is selected as one of…
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