Archivists Publish New Pictorial History of Syracuse University

“Syracuse University,” part of Arcadia Publishing’s Campus History series, provides a photographic journey of SU from the late 1800s to the present.

A recently published pictorial history of Syracuse University, authored by SU archivists Edward Galvin, Margaret Mason and Mary O’Brien, contains more than 200 images captioned with stories and memories of more than 140 years of SU history.

“Syracuse University,” part of Arcadia Publishing’s Campus History series, provides a photographic journey of SU from the late 1800s to the present, highlighting its growth from a small Methodist college to a university of national importance with more than 20,000 students and more than 240,000 living alumni.

The Syracuse community will have the opportunity to purchase the book and meet the authors at a book signing at Barnes and Noble, 3454 Erie Blvd. E., DeWitt, on Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 6-8 p.m.

Galvin, Mason and O’Brien collectively have more than 50 years of experience working in the SU Archives. In the production of this book, they utilized the rich resources of the archives, which contain more than 750,000 visual images. Those images encompass prints, negatives, slides, photograph albums and postcards, as well as images found within the collections of departments, faculty and alumni. Images in “Syracuse University” highlight the University’s chancellors, schools and colleges, campus buildings, athletics, major events and student life and traditions. Each of these themes has been integral to the history of the University.

Syracuse University was founded in 1870 as a private, coeducational university. Classes began the following year in temporary quarters until the University moved to its current location on “The Hill” in 1873, occupying the Hall of Languages, which is still the iconic center of SU.

Committed to diversity, SU has embraced opportunity—be it with the Syracuse-in-China program in the 1920s, the enrollment of thousands of veterans after World War II or by cofounding the Say Yes to Education scholarship program for urban schools in Upstate New York. Championship football, basketball and lacrosse teams have also brought prestige to SU, and fans around the nation and world “bleed orange” along with those who work, teach or study at the University.

“Syracuse University” is $21.99 and is available at the SU Bookstore, independent and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing.

More information on the SU Archives can be found at archives.syr.edu.