The UNC Charlotte Photographs Collection in the University Archives is a rich amalgamation of images depicting the growth and vitality of the university from the time of its inclusion in the University of North Carolina System in 1965 to 2006. Prints, contact sheets, slides, and negatives cover topics such as scenic shots of campus; campus buildings, including groundbreakings, construction, dedication ceremonies, and exterior and interior images; master planning images; students, faculty, staff, trustees, and chancellors, including headshots and candid images in a variety of settings; academic programs; athletics; convocation; commencement; homecoming; International Festival; University Forum; NCNB and Bank of America Teaching Award ceremonies; receptions; retirements; anniversary celebrations; guest speakers; the University City area; and more.
The collection is now thoroughly described and more easily discoverable through a newly published online finding aid. Before a recent processing project was undertaken, images concerning a specific topic were housed in multiple overlapping photograph collections, often left unidentified, and not publicly inventoried. But now, all of the images have been merged into a single collection, organized into topical groupings, described by format and, where possible, identified by date and names of people and events. In addition to helping uncover the visual gems within the collection, this processing project has also paved the way for further increasing access through future digitization efforts.
To explore the contents of the collection for yourself, use the online finding aid and then come visit us in the Dalton Reading Room on the 10th Floor of Atkins Library to view the items you discover. (Hours). Photographs predating this collection, from the time period of Charlotte College, have been digitized and are available online through goldmine.uncc.edu.
Image: 1984 Architecture Boat Race, UNC Charlotte Photograph Collection, Box 29.
--Olivia Eanes