Category: Robeson Library

On April 30, Robeson Library hosted an opening reception for its latest exhibit, America’s Birthdays: Selling & Redefining the American Dream. The event brought together students, faculty, librarians, and guests to celebrate the launch of the exhibition and the collaborative work behind it. The students’ research, creativity, and curatorial efforts were recognized, and visitors had an opportunity to engage directly with the themes and stories explored throughout the exhibit.

Developed through the Rutgers–Camden history course America’s Birthdays: The History of Celebration and Memory, taught by Assistant Professor Carly Goodman, the exhibition was created in conjunction with the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary in July 2026. Student curators examined how Americans have commemorated the country’s founding through major anniversaries in 1876, 1926, and 1976, as well as through annual Fourth of July celebrations. The exhibit explores how these moments of remembrance have shaped public understandings of the American Dream and reflected changing ideas about national identity.

Featuring objects researched, interpreted, and installed by students, America’s Birthdays: Selling & Redefining the American Dream highlights the ways Americans have celebrated, marketed, and redefined the nation’s founding ideals over time. The exhibition examines themes of patriotism, consumer culture, public memory, and the ongoing pursuit of the promises of the American Revolution. Through their work, the student curators invite visitors to consider how each generation has celebrated and challenged the meaning of America’s “birthdays.”

The exhibit will remain on display at Robeson Library over the summer. Learn more about the students’ work in Goodman’s story on the Rutgers–Camden website.

On February 19, Robeson Library hosted an evening that honored the enduring impact of Paul Robeson, the distinguished Rutgers alumnus, activist, artist, and scholar. The program highlighted Robeson’s powerful legacy through curated reflections and engaging dialogue, offering a rich exploration of his contributions to social justice, culture, and intellectual life.

Facilitated by Jason L. James, Director, Strategy and Operations Support Initiatives for Rutgers–Camden Student Academic Success, the event celebrated a shared commitment to scholarship, leadership, and cultural impact. Librarian John Powell spoke about the life of Paul Robeson, including his time spent as a scholar and athlete at Rutgers in New Brunswick, where he was a two-time All-American in football. While at Rutgers, Robeson was also inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society and Rutgers’ Cap and Skull Honor Society and was valedictorian of his graduating class in 1919.

The evening was co-sponsored by the Division of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement (DICE), Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. – Nu Gamma Lambda Chapter, and NAACP Rutgers University-Camden Chapter.

After nearly 30 years, Julie Still retired from her role as a history liaison and special collections librarian. Following her retirement, I became the acting Paul Robeson Library liaison for history, world languages, and special collections. I am very excited to take on this role, and I am particularly looking forward to the work ahead in Robeson Special Collections as Rutgers University–Camden celebrates its centennial in 2026. Moreover, as an alum of the undergraduate history program (not quite a century ago!) I have both a personal and professional connection to Rutgers history.  

The special collections housed at Robeson Library fall into three broad categories: ephemera and realia from campus history, campus publications, and collections from the Camden and South Jersey communities, including two haiku-related collections (Nick Virgilio Haiku Archive and the Pamela Miller Ness Fine Arts Haiku Collection). Since the campus was founded in 1926, we’ve had a number of student-produced newspapers, literary journals, and pamphlets, and the student newspapers are among my favorite items in the collection. These publications are a great primary source for campus history but also give insight into how the campus community responded to world events, including the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. On a lighter note, I often find myself reading the features sections to see what music and movies were popular with students during a particular era.  

Building on Julie’s work, I plan to use my time in this role to promote the collection to Rutgers–Camden and beyond. With that goal in mind, Robeson Library is participating in Archives Month Philly, an annual event showcasing collections from throughout Greater Philadelphia. I saw this as an opportunity to create a small exhibit featuring highlights from the past century to share beyond the Rutgers community.  

As part of the Distinctive Collections team, I enjoy our discussions on special collections policy and challenges, as well as the opportunity to promote our collection beyond Rutgers–Camden in the context of One Libraries. I hope to move forward with some of the digitization projects in the works, including making the campus newspaper The Gleaner and our theater bills available online. I also plan to work on collections guidelines for Camden. Of course, I look forward to collaborating with the Research Support Services team, and with my fellow liaisons and Rutgers faculty members in history and world languages.