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My AccountHistory: HIS 240/BLS 280 Malcolm and Mandela (Spring 2023)
Digital Resources and Collections
Wabash College Digital Collections
Newspapers [Digital Collections]
- Hoosier State Chronicles
Hoosier State Chronicles "...[seeks] to provide free, online access to high-quality digital images of Indiana's historic newspapers by digitizing [the Indiana State Library's] collection, and assisting other organizations in making their collections digitally available."
There are 8 historical Montgomery County newspapers available; however, the majority of issues are from pre-1910. The Indianapolis Recorder, 1899-2005—Indiana's longest running Black newspaper—is available via this collection.
Indianapolis Recorder (IUPUI Digital Collections)The Indianapolis Recorder is Indiana's longest-running Black newspaper. Starting in 1897—and still in operation today—this digital collection provides access to issues from 1899-2005.
The Indianapolis Recorder covers state and national stories with different framing than other state newspapers (e.g. Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis News). It also includes more localized news (e.g. family information, local events from across the state), and Wabash College and Crawfordsville can be found in select issues.
Newspapers [on Microfilm at the Lilly Library]
Microfilm holdings are available in the Lilly Library basement.
- Indianapolis News (full issue range: 1869-1999; Wabash holdings from 1876-1973)
- Indianapolis Star (first issue date: 1903; Wabash holdings from 1974-2009)
Other Digital Collections
- Black Metropolis Research Consortium
"The Black Metropolis Research Consortium (BMRC) is a Chicago-based membership association of libraries, universities, museums, community/arts organizations and other archival institutions. The BMRC’s mission is to connect all who seek to document, share, understand and preserve Black experiences.
It is the vision of the BMRC to be essential to promoting discovery, preservation, and use of Black historical collections. Through consortial programs, the BMRC aids in expanding broad access to its members’ holdings of materials that document African American and African diasporic culture, history, and politics, with a specific focus on materials relating to Chicago."
- Civil Rights and African American History (Michiana Memory Digital Collection)"This collection brings together primary historical sources illuminating progress towards full civil rights for all the people of this diverse community, with a special emphasis on the history and development of the African American community. These books and documents come from the archives of the St. Joseph County Public Library and the Indiana University South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center. Of special interest are documents concerning the desegregation of housing and workplaces in South Bend and manuscripts from the Streets Collection."
- Crawfordsville District Public Library Local History Database
"Located on the second floor [of the Crawfordsville District Public Library], our Local History and genealogy section is a part of the Reference Department and features a robust online database in addition to the collection located in the building."
Check out the CDPL Local History database for research on individuals, families, businesses, and organizations related to Montgomery County. In addition to general research files, the database provides access to cemetery information, genealogy research materials, government records (e.g. birth, death, marriage, naturalization, etc.), and other ephemeral materials (e.g. yearbooks, newspapers, etc.)
This database does not work like a typical digital collection with access to digital copies of the materials; the database provides index information for articles and records, and the researcher than has to physically go to CDPL to request access (or find another database or digital collection that provides access).
- Indiana Memory"Indiana Memory is a collaborative effort to provide access to the wealth of primary sources in Indiana libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions. It is a gateway to Indiana's history and culture found in digitized books, manuscripts, photographs, newspapers, maps, and other media. As a portal to the collections, Indiana Memory assists individuals to locate materials relevant to their interests and to better appreciate the connections between those materials."
Archives Materials for Topic Research
The following document is a listing of materials that were pulled for student research into their topics as part of the Malcolm and Mandela course.
- Ramsay Archival Center Materials for HIS 240/BLS 280Archival Materials from the Ramsay Archival Center related to the research topics for HIS240/BLS280 (Malcolm and Mandela Course). Materials include information on interviewees that took part in the Wabash College Black Oral History Project, the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies, and Afro-American Studies and Black Studies programs.
In addition to these materials, there are also several Wabash College publications that may be of interest. Physical copies are available in the Ramsay Archival Center; select issues of some publications are available to check out from the Lilly Library general collection.
- Wabash Magazine, -present
- The Wabash (Student Yearbook), 1922-2014 (first student yearbook called The Ouiatenon, 1890-1910)
- Various student publications (humor publications e.g. The Caveman; student editorials e.g. The Commentary)
Searching the College Archives
The holdings of the Robert T. Ramsay, Jr. Archival Center are primarily searchable via the Archives' internally-accessible database. As work continues to allow the public access to search this resource, it currently remains only accessible to Archives staff.
As a starting place for research, patrons may find it helpful to review the following folder-level inventories of a portion of the Archives holdings. These inventories represent only a fraction of the department's holdings (less than 20%) but provide insight into some of the earliest college records and materials (e.g. correspondence, manuscripts, ephemera, etc.) held by the department.
Select materials are available via the Archives' digital collections. See the Digital Collections page for more information and access along with information on the Archives' blogs.
For general questions about the department's holdings or specific inquiries about materials listed in the following inventories, please contact the Archives at archives@wabash.edu or reach out to specific department staff.
- Wabash College Archives Folder-Level Inventory, Boxes 1-214 (circa 1977)Document containing a folder-level inventory of boxes 1 thru 214 in the Wabash College Archives. Based upon the holdings documented in the inventory, it appears the document was originally created circa 1977. Holdings were verified in the Archives' internally-accessible database circa 2017, and notes were added in the margins of the document (which are not keyword-searchable in the document).
- Wabash College Archives Folder-Level Inventory, Boxes 215-520 (circa 2018)Document containing a folder-level inventory of boxes 215 thru 520 in the Wabash College Archives. Based upon the holdings documented in the inventory, it appears the document was originally created circa 2018. There are some notes added in the margins of the document, which are not keyword-searchable in the document.
- Wabash College Archives Uncatalogued Volumes (circa 1860 to circa 1999)Document containing an item-level inventory of uncatalogued volumes in the Wabash College Archives. The majority of the materials are related to the history of Wabash College (e.g. cash books, ledgers, scrapbooks, college records, large-format student organization materials, athletics) but also includes some special collections or rare books (e.g. Lew Wallace's Prince of India manuscript). It is assumed that this document was originally created circa 2003-2013.
Ramsay Archival Center
For reference questions, inquiries about department holdings, or scheduling a research visit, please email: archives@wabash.edu
Or check out the Ramsay Archival Center website:
Crawfordsville, IN 47933
(765) 361-6100