University Archives news

Two people examining photographs and documents on a table in a library.

University Archives chronicles more than 140 years of Sun Devil history

From photos to video and audio recordings, administrative records, manuscripts, yearbooks, club information, and faculty and staff bios, the Arizona State University Archives chronicle approximately 140 years of school history — and at 7,200 linear feet, cover roughly the length of 24 Frank Kush Fie...

Black and white archival photo of Martin Luther King Jr. sitting with a group of people on stage

MLK's 1964 speech at ASU subject of new, continuing exhibit

On June 3, 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech at Goodwin Stadium, then the home of Arizona State University’s football team. The speech was titled “Religious Witness for Human Dignity” and was delivered just days before the Civil Rights Act was passed by the U.S. Senate. “The bill must pas...

Person walking through hallway looking at art and photographs on the walls

Thunderbird archives: These walls do talk

At most universities, if you want to learn about their history, you must enter a library and dig through an expansive archive. At the Thunderbird School of Global Management on Arizona State University’s Downtown Phoenix campus, a good portion of its history is displayed on its walls. Spread out ov...

Group of young Japanese-American ladies at Poston War Relocation Center, circa 1942. CP AWHC 126, Greater Arizona collection, ASU Library.

Fighting the Silence: Understanding the Japanese-American Student Experience during World War II

  Group of young Japanese-American ladies at Poston War Relocation Center, circa 1942. CP AWHC 126, Greater Arizona collection, ASU Library. I met Astha in the Fall semester of 2022 when she visited the Wurzburger Reading Room in t...

1925 yearbook photo

Photo album sparks discovery of ASU's first female African American graduate

Michele Neptune McHenry and her husband, Joseph McHenry, were slowly making their way through the photo album when they came upon the photos and name card. The card, gray in tone, was about 1-by-2 inches. On it was a name: Miss Stella McHenry....

Maria Juliette Escudero

Women's History Month: Dr. Maria Juliette Escudero, Professor of Spanish, 1948 to 1977

By Christine Marin Professor emerita and Founder of the Chicano/a Research Collection, Arizona State University It’s March, 2022, and I celebrate and welcome Women’s History Month. I recognize the remarkable scholar and distinguished linguist, Dr. Maria Juliette Escudero. ...

ASU Committee on Cultural Diversity poster

Documenting Campus Events: Promotional Posters from the University Archives

Over the decades, Arizona State University has been the setting for a great breadth of artistic talent and diverse cultural perspectives. From providing a stage for student talent in athletics, fine arts and more, to hosting nationally known performing artists, to the traditional rites of a universi...