George Mason University photograph collection

Access and use

Location of collection:
George Mason University
2400 Fenwick Library
Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library MS2FL
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Mieko Palazzo
Phone: (703) 993-2220
Fax: (703) 993-2669
Restrictions:

Collection is open to research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

George Mason University photograph collection, Collection R0120, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
147 Linear Feet 119 boxes
Creator:
George Mason University
Abstract:
The George Mason University photograph collection is a combination of nine series: University Relations, Yearbook Photographs, George Mason University Foundation, Athletic Department, Office of Admissions, Office of the Registrar, photographs from unidentified offices, and Creative Services. The total collection contains over 100,000 color and black and white photographs, including prints, contact sheets, and negatives, taken between the 1950s and 2007. The collection includes images of student life, campus architecture and construction, campus events, faculty and staff, performances, and art.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

George Mason University photograph collection, Collection R0120, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

The George Mason University photograph collection is a combination of eight series: University Relations, Yearbook Photographs, George Mason University Foundation, Athletic Department, Office of Admissions, Office of the Registrar, photographs from unidentified offices, and Creative Services. The total collection contains over 100,000 color and black and white photographs, including prints, contact sheets, and negatives, taken between the 1950s and 2007. Photographers include Neil Adams, Ben Boblett, Evan Cantwell, Judith Desplechin, Tad Hirshorn, Lu Hoang, Tom Horan, Tom Legro, Myrna Garza Miller, Matt Rourke, Susan Sterner, Steven C. Tuttle, Kevin Weber, and Carl Zitzmann among others.

Series 1 contains 1696 folders which contain thousands of photographs; estimated to contain 10,000 photographs or more. The date range is from 1950s-1999. The series is mostly black and white photographs, contact sheets, and negatives. There are also some color images. Subjects include commencements and graduations as well as campus development from the beginning as Northern Virginia University Center (NVUC) to George Mason University in 1972. The modern university depicted in the photographs from the 1980s-1990s include construction photographs of academic buildings, dormitories, and parking lots. A few events seen throughout the collection are George Mason Day, Patriot's Day, freshman orientation, Alumni Association parties, registration, athletics, student club meetings, art sculptures and displays, GMU Law School, extended studies, Speakers Bureau, Chess Federation, Northern Virginia Press Club, counseling, class trips, dances, festivals, presentations, promotions, donation events, Agora Society, Federal Theatre Project, Wolf Trap, and student productions.

Series 2 consists of 210 folders which include photographs, contact sheets, and negatives. The images contained in the collection encompass all areas of student life at George Mason University including students on campus, studying, Greek life, athletics, professors, and campus scenery. The date range is from 1979 to the mid-1990s. The total volume is 2.5 linear feet.

Series 3 contains color negatives and slides documenting the 1989 GMU Foundation Fundraising Campaign. The majority of the negatives and slides are images of student life on campus but also campus buildings, arts and performances, faculty, and campus technology. The slides and negatives occupy eleven boxes and span 2 linear feet.

Series 4 consists of photographs from the GMU Athletic Department used in game programs and promotional literature. Subjects include campus life, game crowds, and athletic competitions.

Series 5 includes photographs of office scenes, staff, and social gatherings from the Office of Admissions.

Series 6 consists of slides from graduation ceremonies in 1970 and 1971. These slides originated in the Office of the Registrar.

Series 7 was artificially created with photographs from unidentified offices. Subjects are similar to those from the other series including athletic events, campus life, faculty, and campus buildings.

Series 8 contains thousands of photographs from the Creative Services division of University Relations.

The date range for this series is 1964-2007. The series consists of mostly black and white photographs, contact sheets, slides, and negatives. There are also some color images. Subjects include graduations (commencements) as well as campus development from the 1970s to early 2007. The bulk of the material contains images of faculty, staff, students, alumni, campus scenes, construction, and events. Subjects seen throughout the series include George Mason Day, Patriot's Day, freshman orientation, Alumni Association parties, registration, athletics, student club meetings, art sculptures and displays, GMU Law School and Arlington campus, Prince William campus, Mason community, Chess Federation, Northern Virginia Press Club, Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. scenes, class trips, dances, festivals, presentations, promotions, donation events, the Federal Theatre Project, Wolf Trap, and student productions. This series has many images in common with series one.

There are four subseries to this series based on original order.

The first subseries is Subjects. This subseries contains mostly black and white photographs with some slides, color photographs, negatives, and contact sheets. It is arranged by subject according to a number system employed by the university photographers. The number system is as follows: 1. Outdoor campus and scenic, 2. Buildings and physical features, 3. Construction, 4. Students: Individuals, 5. Students: Groups 6. Students: In classrooms, 7. Students: Non-class academic, 8. On-campus housing, 9. Student services, 10. Student-Faculty interaction, 11. Social events / club activities, 12. Admin/faculty/staff: Individuals, 13. Admin/faculty/staff: Groups, 14. Admin/faculty/staff: Workplace, 15. Admin/faculty/staff: Social/casual, 16. VIP's on campus, 17. Commencement (graduation), 18. Arts Gala, 19. University Day, 20. Miscellaneous annual events, 21. Miscellaneous one-time events, 22. Student performances, 23. Faculty performances, 24. Student artworks/exhibitions, 25. Faculty artworks/exhibitions, 26. Visiting performances/exhibitions, 27. Fine and performing arts classrooms, 28. Science labs, 29. Science field trips, 30. Computer facilities, 31. Cablecast facilities, 32. Nursing School facilities, 33. Law School Facilities (Arlington campus), 34. High-tech centers and firms, 35. Northern Virginia area, 36. Washington D.C. attractions, 37. Patriot Center events (non-GMU), 38. Basketball (GMU), 39. Soccer (GMU), 40. Other varsity sports, 41. Special effects and abstracts, 42. Copy shots, titles and logos, 43. Other off-campus locations, 44. Alumni, 45. Community service/events, 46. Historical/archival photos, 47. Federal Theatre Project (FTP), 48. New Century College, 49. Campus community, 50. Miscellaneous, 51. Prince William, 52. President Alan Merten

Subseries two is Chronological. It is arranged by date from earliest to most recent. This series contains mostly contact sheets and negatives but also includes some black and white photographs, and slides.

Subseries three consists of publications and their accompanying photographs. Formats include black and white photographs, color photographs, slides, negatives, and contact sheets with their corresponding brochures, reports, posters, or newsletters. They are arranged alphabetically.

Subseries four consists of fourteen disassembled photo albums. Photo albums are arranged alphabetically by subject.

Biographical / historical:

The Office of University Relations is the primary communication center and contact point for information about the university. The office leads the university community in promoting George Mason University as a world-class institution of higher education.

Broadside, George Mason University's official student newspaper, began its life as The Gunston Ledger. An eight-page monthly printed on 12 inch by 9 inch paper, The Gunston Ledger first appeared on October 15, 1963 on the then George Mason College campus located in Bailey's Crossroads. On the staff of twelve students included a photography editor, Richard Sparks, and he contributed two to four photos for each edition. The content consisted of campus news, features on GMC faculty and students, engagement and wedding notices, and some commentary. The Ledger became the Broadside on October 28, 1969. It was explained in that issue that the name change was part of an effort to remake the paper into more of a news instrument like that of the nation's revolutionary fathers. The Broadside was a weekly paper which contained sixteen or more pages in each issue. Photography in the Broadside was mostly limited to campus events and personalities. Currently (2012) Broadside is a weekly newspaper, published on Mondays during the semester, in print and online. In addition to campus news, the paper features local, national and world news, entertainment, sport, music, restaurant reviews and commentary that might, in some way, affect college students. Broadside prides itself on being a newspaper by students and for students, and uses the tagline "Writing the first draft of Mason history."

Student groups published yearbooks under various names from 1964 until 1989. In 1989, the yearbook staff began producing a video along with a less comprehensive print yearbook.

The George Mason University Foundation was established in 1966 to advance and further the aims and purposes of George Mason University. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation organized and operated exclusively for the benefit of the university. The foundation assists the university in generating private support, and manages, invests, and administers private gifts, including endowment and real property. It is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, led by a chairman.

Acquisition information:
Donated by the offices of University Life, University Relations, and the GMU Foundation.
Processing information:

Processed by Special Collections and Archives staff. EAD markup completed by Jesse Gastelle in 2010 and Greta Kuriger in 2011.

Date Expression fields for Boxes 1.11 to 3.20 were corrected to reflect actual dates on folders by Robert Vay (4/13/2023)

Arrangement:

Organized into eight series and then sorted either chronologically or alphabetically.

Missing Title
  1. Series 1: University Relations, 1950s-1999 (Boxes 1-37)
  2. Series 2: Broadside, 1971-1999 (Boxes 1-6)
  3. Series 3: George Mason University Yearbook, 1979-mid 1990s (Boxes 1-6)
  4. Series 4: George Mason University Foundation, 1989 (Boxes 1-11)
  5. Series 5: Athletic Department, 1978-1994 (Box 1)
  6. Series 6: Office of Admissions, 1985-1995 (Box 1)
  7. Series 7: Office of the Registrar, 1970-1971 (Box 1)
  8. Series 8: Photographs from Unidentified Offices, 1951-2000 (Boxes 1-3)
  9. Series 9: Creative Services, 1964-2007 (Boxes 38-118)