Help us enrich the historical record of Kent State University by participating in the following collection development initiatives.

• Kent State University Student Organizations
• Kent State University Black Campus Movement Project
• LGBTQ Collection

300+ Initiative

In 2014, Kent State University reached an important milestone of more than 300 registered student organizations. Student groups play a critical role in the social, cultural, political, and educational development of the campus and therefore, student organizational documents assist in providing a comprehensive view in the evolution of a campus.  Special Collections and Archives seeks to acquire analog (paper) and digital documentation of Kent State student organizations including:

• Bylaws/charters
• Correspondence
• Photographs
• Publications (newspapers, pamphlets, brochures)
• Flyers/posters
• Organizational records (minutes, reports, membership lists, etc.)

The initiative also aims to educate student organizations on the significance of preserving historically significant materials in all formats. The University Archivist will work with student groups to discuss the value of selecting a group historian/archivist, best archiving practices, and transferral of records to Special Collections and Archives.

Student representatives may contact Special Collections and Archives for additional information.

The Kent State University Black Campus Movement Project

From 1965-1972, academic institutions were deluged with demands for increasing black faculty hires, developing black studies programs/departments, and increasing the number of black student admissions, these national efforts were collectively known as the Black Campus Movement (BCM). One of the goals of the Department of Special Collections and Archives is to highlight the importance of preserving historic records regarding underrepresented groups from the Kent State community.

The Black Campus Movement Project (1960s-1970s) seeks to collect pertinent records on the role of the BCM at Kent State University. The project is also interested in collecting general records pertaining to black student life at Kent State. We are seeking documentation that includes the following:

• Correspondence
• Diaries
• Photographs
• Newsletters and publications
• Oral histories (will be scheduled by the University Archivist)

Additionally the project seeks a variety of personal and organizational materials documenting black student life and the Black Campus Movement. For more information, contact Special Collections and Archives.

LGBTQ Collection

A collection documenting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) organizations, literature, and people within northeast Ohio was established within Special Collections and Archives in 2010. The focus is on LGBTQ life both at Kent State University and in the surrounding region. Both book and archival collections of historical significance will be sought on a selective basis for this collecting area. 

For more information on the LGBTQ collection development initiative, contact Special Collections and Archives.