The University of Akron Archival Services, a division of University Libraries, is pleased to announce that the exhibition on the photography of Opie Evans at the Dr. Shirla R. McClain Gallery of Akron’s Black History and Culture has been extended until early November. For details, view the article.
Tag: collections
The Akron, Canton & Youngstown (AC&Y) Railroad Historical Society recently donated its significant collection of historic records to The University of Akron Archival Services, a division of University Libraries. For details, view the article.
The University of Akron Archival Services, a division of University Libraries, recently completed the processing and preservation of the Archives of the Ninth Air Force Association (9AFA) and digitized selections from the collection. For details, view the article.
“At the time of the Normandy Invasion I was a navigator in the 439th Troop Carrier Group, 94th Sqdn. Our group put up an 81 ship formation for the mission. We were the 79th plane. I had a pretty good view of the show up ahead. When we crossed the French coast we encountered a cloud deck. Some planes went above the clouds. We stayed below so I could see the check points to hit the drop zone. Suddenly there were paratroopers in the air all around us. A plane above the clouds had dropped his troopers. Thank God we didn’t hit any…
… A machine gun position directly ahead on our course began firing at the flight ahead of us. He hit the lead plane; it nosed up, its landing lights flashing, and fell off on the left wing, crashing in a ball of fire on the ground. All I could see protruding from the fireball were wing tips and empennage [tail].
Then our time came to come under fire from the machine gun position. He was firing green tracers and was walking them back toward our plane. They were coming up the right side of the plane. I thought we were going to get it. The co-pilot threw up his arms to protect himself. I had a flak helmet and flak suit on. I ducked my head down, waiting for the impact. The tracers were so close they lit up the cockpit with a green flow, then stopped. We didn’t get a scratch. Another second and the shells would have penetrated the gas tanks. I wouldn’t be here to tell this story.” – “439th Troop Carrier Group Navigator Bob Dains, Tells D-Day Story,” The Ninth Flyer Volume 6, Number 3, 1996
June 6, 2014 is the 70th anniversary of D-Day. In memoriam to the largest sea invasion that has ever taken place, Archival Services is promoting their numerous D-Day related materials including the newly processed Archives of the Ninth Air Force Association, digitized copies of the Ninth Air Force Association’s newsletter, The Ninth Flyer, and dozens of books concerning D-Day and the Normandy invasion. Over 150,000 troops from Allied countries participated in the landing, providing a northern foothold on the continent and ultimately helping to break the back of Nazi Germany; over 150,000 memories to be honored and remembered.
Archives of the Ninth Air Force finding aid
Archival Services, a division of University Libraries, is pleased to announce the successful completion of a
grant to digitize, preserve and to make available online 153 historic technical reports from the Daniel Guggenheim Airship Institute, which was a part of the University’s College of Engineering from 1929 to 1949. The digitized reports, which are available online as fully searchable PDF documents, can be accessed at http://cdm15960.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15960coll3.
The institute was operated by The University of Akron from 1929 to 1949 and was a partnership with the California Institute of Technology, the Daniel Guggenheim Fund, and the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation in Akron, Ohio. Experiments conducted at the institute focused on the effects of turbulence and drag on airship hulls as well as meteorological observations. The technical reports are a valuable source of information that primarily document research in lighter-than-air flight, heavier-than-air flight, meteorology, aerodynamics, and G-force measurements that was conducted at the institute. The reports are frequently used by students, historians, scholars, lighter-than-air enthusiasts, and researchers for a variety of research projects.
This project was supported in part by a nine-month $1,980 National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) Grant that was awarded last April through the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board (OHRAB). Additional funding was provided by the University. UA gratefully acknowledges the support of these bodies.
The Daniel Guggenheim Airship Institute Records and other historical resources on the history of lighter-than-air flight and local history are available by visiting Archival Services located in Room LL10 of the Polsky Building. Business hours are Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. Additional information about Archival Services and its collections can be accessed on the department’s website at http://www.uakron.edu/libraries/archives.
There will be a basic intro to Search A Roo for library staff on Oct 31 from 10-11, Bierce 274.
Glenn V. Bosworth Collection 1894-1979:
This collection encompasses material relating to his long career in athletics. Bosworth coached and managed teams locally from 1919 through 1952. He coached the University of Akron baseball team in 1931-1932, and was later a scout for the Cleveland Indians who honored him as “Mr. Baseball” in 1976. This collection has numerous photographs of the teams and players Bosworth managed and are of particular value to anyone interested in the Akron baseball and basketball leagues in the early 20th century.
http://ead.ohiolink.edu/xtf-ead/view?docId=ead/OhAkUAS0044.xml;query=;brand=default
Some books on local baseball history available:
Industrial League Baseball and Employee Welfare Work by Jeffery E. Smith GV863.A1 S658 1991
Glory Days: The Akron Yankees of the Middle Atlantic League, 1935-1941 by Richard McBane GV875.A53 M33 1997
Akron-Canton Baseball Heritage / Thomas Maroon, Margaret Maroon, Craig Holbert GV863.O32 A47 2007
Other finding aids now available on-line:
Helen E. Arnold Papers, 1965-1975:
Helen E. Arnold (1924-2001) was an employee of the City of Akron who fought for education reform and equal rights for women and African-Americans in the Akron/Summit County area. She was the first black woman to serve on the Akron Board of Education and served in various capacities on numerous boards and organizations, including President of the Akron Branch of the NAACP. Her papers include speeches, writings, correspondence, news clippings, and subject files that document her work.
http://ead.ohiolink.edu/xtf-ead/view?docId=ead/OhAkUAS0055.xml;query=;brand=default
Russell S. Colley Papers, 1933-1977:
Russell S. Colley (1889-1996) was a mechanical engineer for the B. F. Goodrich Company in Akron, Ohio and later the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). His papers include photographs, patents, and printed materials documenting his work with aircraft de-icers and space suits.
http://ead.ohiolink.edu/xtf-ead/view?docId=ead/OhAkUAS0056.xml;query=;brand=default
Karl H. Grismer Papers, 1913-1952:
Karl H. Grismer (1896-1952) was a journalist who worked in Akron, Ohio and Florida. He published several books on local history in the two states. His papers contain materials that document his life and work including his writings and a selection of his artwork as well as numerous newspaper clippings.
http://ead.ohiolink.edu/xtf-ead/view?docId=ead/OhAkUAS0056.xml;query=;brand=default
Courtland B. Manifold Papers, 1921-1952:
Courtland B. Manifold (1894-1973) was a soil specialist who worked for the United States government as well as Goodyear and Firestone. He investigated land in South America, West Africa, and the Far East for the planting of rubber during the first half of the twentieth century. His papers contain both diaries and photographs that document his work and his travels.
http://ead.ohiolink.edu/xtf-ead/view?docId=ead/OhAkUAS0060.xml;query=;brand=default
Mary E. Gladwin Papers, 1898-1939:
Mary E. Gladwin (1861-1939) was a Red Cross nurse who served during the Spanish-American war, Russo-Japanese war and World War I in the Balkans. Her papers consist of her memoirs, photographs, a diary, and various material concerning Gladwin’s experiences serving at various posts around the world. Mary Gladwin Hall at the University of Akron is named after her.
http://ead.ohiolink.edu/xtf-ead/view?docId=ead/OhAkUAS0042.xml;query=;brand=default
Monday February 18th the Akron Beacon Journal had an article announcing that the Summit County Historical Society will recognize Alvin Coe Voris with the Summit Award. [ http://www.ohio.com/news/summit-historical-society-to-honor-civil-war-general-1.374092 ] That article contained excerpts from a letter Voris wrote his wife describing a visit to a field hospital at Folly Island, SC. If you are interested in reading more here is a pdf of the complete letter. Alvin Coe Voris letter July 3 1863 If you or a student you know is interested in the Civil War, the Alvin Coe Voris papers 1860-1865 are available for researchers. If reading hand writing is not your thing many of the letters were published in Professor Mushkat’s book A Citizen-Soldier’s Civil War : the letters of Brevet Major General Alvin C. Voris available in Archival Services.
updates on new collections, exhibits, and events from the Archives