Mission
The University Archives serves as the institutional memory of Brown University by collecting, preserving, and making accessible the materials that provide evidence of past University actions and contribute to an understanding of the University’s structure and its history.
The University Archives documents the intellectual, social, cultural, and visual history of Brown University from its beginnings in 1764 to the present through the University’s official records, the papers of Brown’s presidents, administrators, faculty and alumni, the records of related student, alumni, and faculty organizations, and University publications.
In support of research, teaching, and the dissemination of Brown University’s rich history, the University Archives offers reference services to the Brown University community, including administrators, faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as the general public.
Collection Highlights
To access more archival collections, see Collections Overview.
- Corporation Records
- President’s Papers
- Administrative Records
- Faculty Papers
- Student Organization Records
- Topic Files
- University Publications
- Photographs and Prints
- Edward North Robinson Collection of Brown Athletics
History of Brown University
The Archives contains many published histories of Brown University, including:
Barry, Jay. Gentlemen Under the Elms (1982)
Barry, Jay and Martha Mitchell. A Tale of Two Centuries: A Warm and Richly Pictorial History of Brown University, 1764-1985 (1985)
Bronson, Walter C. The History of Brown University, 1764–1914 (1914)
Guild, Reuben A. Early History of Brown University, Including the Life, Times, and Correspondence of President Manning (1897)
Hawk, Grace. Pembroke College in Brown University; The First Seventy-Five Years (1966)
Kaufman, Polly Welts, ed. The Search For Equity: Women at Brown University, 1891-1991 (1991)
Phillips, Janet M. Brown University: A Short History (2000)
Rhinehart, Raymond P., Walter Smalling, Christina H. Paxson, and Dietrich Neumann. Brown University: An Architectural Tour (2014)
Weeden, Anne T. The Women’s College in Brown University, Its Origin and Development (1912)
Widmer, Edward L. Brown: The History of an Idea (2015)
For the definitive reference work on the history, people, and places of Brown University, please use the Encyclopedia Brunoniana by Martha Mitchell, available in print and online.
University Archives
- Mission
- History of Brown University
- Collections Overview
- Research Opportunities
- Subject Guide
- Online Exhibits
- Donate or Transfer Materials
University Records Management
University Archives is located in the John Hay Library.