Hodges Reading Room Hosts Public History Exhibit and Reception

On the afternoon of December 10th, the Hodges Reading Room played host to a reception celebrating the opening of an exhibit featuring the work of students in History 627, a course in the Department of History's museum studies graduate track. The exhibit, titled "Everyday Change: Stories of UNCG, 1963-1973" featured oral history interviews, photographs, textiles, newspaper clippings, and other materials documenting various forms of student activism on the UNCG campus during the 1960s and early 1970s.

Dr. Anne Parsons, the course instructor, and her students were on hand to speak with the audience about their research and interesting findings. In addition to the many UNCG faculty, staff, and student in attendance, a number of alumni from the time period came to view the exhibit and talk about their experiences on campus.

Student exhibits covered a number of issues relevant during the time period, from changing dress code regulations to the move to co-education to student views on the Vietnam War. Oral history interviews conducted during the development of the exhibit will be donated to University Archives and added to our large collection of interviews documenting the history of UNCG.

While the exhibit and reception serve to mark the end of the students' work this semester, it doesn't signify the end of their work documenting UNCG history during this time period. In Spring and Fall 2014, the collaboration between this cohort of students, Dr. Parsons, and SCUA will continue as the student conduct more oral history interviews and further develop their exhibits.

The "Everyday Change" exhibit will remain  in the Hodges Reading Room through January 6, and is available for viewing whenever SCUA is open (Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm, excluding Winter Break - December 21-January 1).