The University Archives was first formally organized in 1950 under the joint sponsorship of the University and the Association of Former Students. The archives concentrated on Texas A & M history and organizational records, including aspects of the extension agencies: the papers of the presidents and other upper level administrators, minutes and various records of the Board of Regents, bound issues of the student newspaper, Texas A&M publications, records of the agricultural and engineering experiment and extension system agencies, campus photographs and audio-visual materials, and material associated with important support groups, such as the Federation of Texas A&M University Mothers’ Club.
Many of the documents in the University Archives fall into three broad categories:
University Archives consist of documents, books, manuscripts, and serial publications. There are many audio/visual materials and electronic media: cyanotype, photographs, slides, film, microfiche, video tapes, audio tapes, optical storage, hard drives. Also present are physical artifacts: paintings, textiles, jewelry, uniforms, balls, ceramic plates, metal instruments and markers, etc.
“Special Subjects File,” an ongoing collection of news items and other clippings related to people, subject, colleges and buildings connected to Texas A & M University. This collection stands apart from others in that it was built from scratch as an initiative of the archives staff, rather than as a set of records collected from another campus office or entity.
Photograph collection, primarily created from materials donated by the university’s Graphic Services department and student publications through the late 1990s. It also contains scrapbooks from former students and campus organizations and departments from the early 19 th Century forward.
Building Plans for significant razed campus buildings, farm buildings, and experimental designed buildings. Additionally, there are the plans from prominent former students like Raiford Stripling.
Oral history program – The archives contains two significant oral history collections. The Terry Anderson oral history collection contains the product of a History class assignment to document local community members contributions to various historical events like the Vietnam era, Mexican Revolution, as well as agricultural and military history. The A&M Heritage Preservation Oral History Program collected by Haskell Monroe, contains oral histories from administrators, faculty, staff, students, and people highly involved in the university that tell the stories of the University’s development from the 1930s to the early 2000s.
Cushing Library seeks to acquire materials that speak about student life and student organizations, past and current. Nascent collaboration is underway with former student groups like the Black Former Student Network and the Waggies to conduct oral histories and further develop relationships.
Cadet & Athletic uniforms: While Cushing has many cadet uniforms, the coverage within the collection is sporadic, depending upon time periods or units and (almost) non-existent for female uniforms. Likewise holdings of athletic uniforms – like jerseys – is sparse.
While very useful, yearbooks, with the exceptions of the World War 1 era and 1999, are not actively being sought. While not usually considered for inclusion in the University Archives, data and research materials, and faculty papers, are not precluded. The decision to take research materials and faculty papers will be made on a case by case basis.
Institutional Repository / Digitization Projects
Texas A&M University Newspaper Collection / Battalions
Texas A&M University Yearbooks
Cushing Historical Images Collection
Images of the Rural Past
Raiford Leak Stripling Architecture Collection
Towards a Better Living: African American Farming Communities in mid-Century Texas
Curated Texas A&M University websites via Archive-it.org
Chapman Texas & Borderlands Collection, Ragan Military Collection, Dykes Rangeland
Collection.
Curators: Anton duPlessis (acting), Robin Hutchison (acting), Jaime Janda (acting)
Date: July 30, 2020
Mailing Address:
Cushing Memorial Library & Archives
TAMU 5000
College Station, TX 77843-5000
Physical Address:
400 Spence St.
Main Campus near the Central Campus Garage
Phone:
979-845-1951