-
This Week in Princeton History for June 5-11
In this week’s installment of our recurring series, the baseball team has a disappointing loss, Georgia residents resolve to tar and feather an alum, and more. June 5, 1909—In a disappointing showing for the Tigers in New Haven, Yale shuts out Princeton’s baseball team 6 to 0. June 6, 1836—Citizens of Hillsborough, Georgia, meet to…
-
This Week in Princeton History for April 3-9
In this week’s installment of our recurring series, locals warn students of the consequences of pranks, debates are raging over military presence on campus, and more. April 4, 1874—Locals warn students not to cry “fire” as a practical joke, as occurred last week: “Some day perhaps the actual wolf will come when men may stay…
-
This Week in Princeton History for January 23-29
In this week’s installment of our recurring series, Princeton seeks to build housing for married students, locals consider the merits of slavery in the South, and more. January 23, 1946—Princeton University requests an amendment to local zoning regulations in order to build a “garden-type housing project” to accommodate 150 to 170 families. The proposed housing will…
-
This Week in Princeton History for February 8-14
In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the Bric-a-Brac has a new cover, an employee at an eating club protests unfair treatment, and more. February 9, 1931—The new Bric-a-Brac subscribers receive today has a new cover design. February 11, 1874—The Hampton Singers,…
-
Songs of the Freed: The Hampton and Jubilee Singers at Princeton
In the 1870s, Princeton students were exposed to a form of entertainment new to them: African American choirs. Many of the singers in these choirs, who were raising money for Black colleges, had formerly been enslaved. Their performances met with a mixed reception among Princetonians and on balance appear to have been a negative experience…
-
Dear Mr. Mudd: Did Enslaved People Live in Princeton’s Dormitories?
This post is the first in a two-part series. Dear Mr. Mudd, Rumor has it the dorms at Princeton were designed to allow students to bring enslaved people with them to live in adjoining rooms and serve them. Is this true? Though one often hears a rumor about enslaved people accompanying students to…
-
This Week in Princeton History for December 7-13
In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, concerns about local residents corrupting undergraduates are expressed, sophomores cancel plans to burn a dean in effigy, and more. December 8, 1835—A new academic year begins. The Class of 1838, which began with 12…
-
This Week in Princeton History for November 16-22
In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, a controversial statue finds a home on campus, ticket scalping for sporting events is causing concern, and more. November 17, 1978—Princeton accepts a statue Kent State University rejected, George Segal’s “Abraham and Isaac,” which…
-
“Subsequently Came to Grief”: Evidence and Stories of Corruption in the Autograph Book of Charles P. Stratton, Class of 1848, Part II
By Alec Israeli ’21 This is the second of a two-part series on the autograph book of Charles P. Stratton, Class of 1848, and its relationship to the scandal surrounding the career of William W. Belknap, Class of 1848, Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant. Part one closed with the damning testimony of…
-
What Archival Silence Conceals—and Reveals: Recovering Princeton University’s 19th-Century African American Graduate Alumni
Archival silences distort the past, shaping our current and future self-understanding, so preserving Princeton’s history sometimes means attempting to correct the work of our predecessors. My struggle to bring 19th and early 20th-century African American graduate alumni to light illustrates one way white supremacy of that era continues to influence us today. It also supports…
This blog includes text and images drawn from historical sources that may contain material that is offensive or harmful. We strive to accurately represent the past while being sensitive to the needs and concerns of our audience. If you have any feedback to share on this topic, please either comment on a relevant post, or use our Ask Us form to contact us.