University Library News

Georgia State University has partnered with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution to house The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution’s photographic archives, a donation that will add thousands of images to the photographic collection in the Georgia State University Library. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Photographic Archives will be selectively digitized by the library and early images are expected to be publicly available online in the next year.

“The Atlanta Journal-Constitution‘s donation to the University Library significantly enhances the collection of research materials available in Atlanta,” said Nancy Seamans, Dean of Libraries at Georgia State University. “It will preserve the recent photographic history of Atlanta while supplementing other collections at Georgia State University, particularly the Popular Music, Southern Labor, and Women’s Collection. It is appropriate for this collection to come to GSU as much of the growth of the university as an urban research university has been during the period that is represented by this collection.”

The archives span the 20th century, and take a photographic journey of Atlanta’s history as well as the surrounding region. Users can view the evolution of Atlanta’s skyline over the years, and understand the city’s growth. The archives also have handwritten notes from the photographer while covering the assignment.

“The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is pleased to partner with Georgia State University to share our photographic archives with scholars and the public,” said Julia Wallace, editor of AJC and ajc.com. “With this donation we hope to foster creativity, positively impact the education of future generations and enrich the lives of the local community.”

Historical milestones include:

• “Gone With the Wind” world premiere at the Georgian Terrace Hotel
• Funeral services of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.
• Former Atlanta Brave Hank Aaron as he broke Babe Ruth’s home run record
• The inauguration of the city’s first African American mayor, Maynard Jackson
• The 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, from the opening ceremony to the park bombing

Georgia State University’s photographic collection, which includes The Lane Brothers and Tracey O’Neal commercial photography, has more than 350,000 images of Atlanta from the 1930s to the 1960s.

About Georgia State University Library:

Georgia State University Library provides one of the most attractive, open and inviting educational facilities in the Southeast. With over 1.5 million visitors per year, the library is an integral part of one of the country’s top urban research universities. It supports both teaching and research with an expansive collection and outstanding assistance. Its signature bridge is a glass link that overlooks downtown Atlanta, connecting the library’s two prominent buildings.

About The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the leading source – both in print and online – of news, information and advertising for metropolitan Atlanta, reaching a total print and online audience of nearly 2.2 million people each week. Every month, nearly 2.3 million unique visitors access the newspaper’s websites, including ajc.com and accessAtlanta.com. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is part of Cox Media Group, a publishing, digital media and broadcasting subsidiary of Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises.

Read the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article about the donation.

Photo courtesy of the Georgia State University Library Flickr site.