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Did U Know Series: Home

"Did U Know" was a collaborative project that took place during the 2019 academic year. The partnership was between the Office of Multicultural Affairs (now the Office of Intercultural Affairs) and Andrea Belair, Librarian for Archives and Special Collect

January, Human Trafficking and Slavery Awareness Month

January is "Slavery Awareness and Human Trafficking Month." For this month, we shared materials about Moses Viney, who was a man who had been enslaved. Eliphalet Nott, one of the early presidents at Union College, employed Viney and helped to secure his freedom. Materials included for this month are pages taken from pages from the diaries of Jonathan Pearson, who graduated from Union in 1835 and went on to work at the college librarian and treasurer, and his discussion of Viney within. We shared photographs of Pearson and Viney, as well, and we've attached transcripts of the diaries of Jonathan Pearson as well. 

February, Black History Month

For February, Andrea Belair created a document that discussed the first African-American to attend Union College, David Rosell. Andrea discusses what happened to Rosell, and traced some of his history after his early departure from Union. 

March, Women's History Month

For March, Women's History Month, we included information about two prominent women in Union College's history, Anne Perkins and Urania Sheldon Nott. 

April, Stress Awareness Month, Earth Day and Arbor Day

The month of April is Stress Awareness Month, and it contains Arbor Day and Earth Day as well. Joseph Conti, Arborist at Union College, helped add some information regarding the history of the trees at Union College for this month.

May, Jewish Heritage Month

May is Jewish American Heritage Month. For this month, we shared the newly digitized collection Lucille W. Brown and Stephen M. Berk Oral Histories of American Jews .

June, LGBT Pride Month and African-American Music Appreciation Month

For this month, there was a lot to celebrate. Andrea Belair retrieved documents about some of the history of LGBTQ Rights at Union College, upon which Prof. Baston submitted his commentary. For African-American Music Appreciation Month, Belair compiled some materials from musical performances at Union College, and Matt Miless shared a playlist and spreadsheet of musicians who have performed throughout the history of the college.