George Mason University Broadside 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 Broadside photograph collection, Collection #R0135, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
7 Linear Feet (28 boxes)
Creator:
George Mason University
Abstract:
The George Mason University Broadside photograph collection consists of negatives, contact sheets, and prints created for use in the student newspaper Broadside. These photographs are from the Student Media Office. The total collection contains over 57,000 color and black and white images taken between the 1970s and 2001. The collection includes images of student life, campus architecture and construction, campus events, sports, faculty and staff, concert performances, and art.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

George Mason University Broadside photograph collection, Collection #R0135, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

The George Mason University Broadside photograph collection consists of negatives, contact sheets, and prints created for use in the student newspaper Broadside. These photographs are from the Student Media Office. The total collection contains over 57,000 color and black and white images taken between the 1970s and 2001. The collection includes images of student life, campus architecture and construction, campus events, sports, faculty and staff, concert performances, and art.

Series 1 contains over two thousand photographs taken between 1971 and 1999. Ninety-nine percent of the photographs were taken by Broadside staff members, while the remaining images comprise official publicity photos of individuals or organizations. Topics in the collection include: images of the campus, student organizations, university sports, campus events, university administrative units, the GMU Board of Visitors, individuals, featured entertainers and speakers, local restaurants, and the visual and performing arts. The majority of the images are in black and white with a few color images dispersed throughout. The color images are almost all from the 1990s. Some negatives are included in this series and are found mostly with the sports photographs in boxes four and five. There are also editorial cartoon drawings in box one. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject.

Series 2 is estimated to contain more than 10,000 black and white and color negatives, contact sheets, and some non-photographic material. Clamshell boxes numbered 7 through 21 contain both negatives and contact sheets unless otherwise noted. Clamshell boxes 22 through 28 contain only negatives. Negatives and contact sheets date between the 1970s and 2001, with subjects that include George Mason University commencements and graduations; campus buildings including Fenwick Library, the Johnson Center, Finley building, Krug Hall, and on campus living facilities; images of construction on campus including the building of the Johnson Center; student life; sports; events; concert performances are especially common during the 1990s; local businesses; Broadside and campus staff. The majority of the subjects included are men's and women's sporting events, yearly campus events such as Mason Day and International Week, Broadside staffers, students, and university staff. Titles labeled "[Untitled]" indicate the lack of identifying text on the negative or contact sheets. Some negatives are undated and are given a circa date or a decade date range. Many of the undated images appear to be from the 1980s or early 1990s. If the photographers name is known it is included in the scope notes. This series is arranged chronologically.

Biographical / historical:

The Student Media Office is the primary communication center and contact point for information about the Broadside student newspaper. It is the home of Mason's print, radio, television and internet organizations.

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. 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.

The Broadside became a modern newspaper with a strong student voice through the 1970s to 1990s. The main focus of the paper was on campus news and events, but also included trends and styles, commentary on national and world events, entertainment, music, and sports. In the past, photography for each issue was provided by both digital and traditional 35mm format cameras. Later they used only digital images. Broadside used staff photographers and, on occasion, major wire service outlets for its photographs.

Broadside kept its name until 2013 when it joined with the student-run news website "Connect2Mason" and was renamed again, this time as the "Fourth Estate." Fourth Estate is an online-only publication, though it has published physical supplemental editions.

Acquisition information:
Donated by the Student Media Office in 2013.
Processing information:

Series one was processed by Special Collections and Archives staff with EAD markup completed by Jesse Gastelle in 2010. This series was previously included in the George Mason University photograph collection. With series two, original order was preserved with initial description completed by the Student Media Office. Processed by, and EAD markup completed by, Greta Kuriger Suiter in 2013.

Arrangement:

Organized into two series. Series one is arranged alphabetically and series two is arranged chronologically.

Missing Title
  1. Series 1: Prints, 1971-1999 (boxes 1-6),
  2. Series 2: Negatives and contact sheets, 1973-2001 (boxes 7-28),
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard