Women's History Month Archives Exhibit

There is a new archives exhibit in the library in honor of Women's History Month entitled, "Women's Work: Lutheran Missionaries in India at the Turn of the Twentieth Century." Curated by intern, Meriah Swope, the exhibit features missionaries Jessie Brewer, Annie Sanford, and Mary Baer and their work in the Guntur Girl's School in Guntur, India. The exhibit will be up all month in the library entrance. Stop by to check it out!

To learn more about Women's History at LTSG, please contact Assistant Archivist Sheila Joy by email at sjoy@ltsg.edu or by phone at 717-339-1317.

Movement Towards Diversity at LTSG

In honor of Black History Month, the A.R. Wentz Library and Seminary Archives would like to highlight African American history here at the Seminary. This post features African American students who fought to create a place of diversity, equality, and inclusion at LTSG, paving the way for future students of color. The research for this post was compiled from Seminary Archives records that are on display on the first floor of the A.R. Wentz Library. The exhibit will be up through March.

The Seminary was founded in 1826 and after only nine years of operation, Daniel Alexander Payne became the first African American student to attend Gettysburg Seminary, graduating in 1835. Payne went on to become a pastor, educator, and bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was also elected as president of Wilberforce University in Ohio in 1863, becoming the first African American to lead an institution of higher education in the United States.

Daniel Alexander Payne

Although the seminary had its first African American student in 1835, they didn’t have their second until the 1960s. America was undergoing a turbulent time engulfed with protests, riots, and assassinations, all in the name of civil rights. Times were changing and many Americans began fighting for equality in all areas of life, especially the school system.

Rudolph Featherstone graduated in 1960 and was hired by the Seminary in 1977 to head a new initiative called the Black/White Studies Program. This program was funded through a grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. for the 1976-77 school year.
Read the grant application and objectives by clicking the link below.
A Program For Black Theological Education in the Lutheran Church of America

Rudolph Featherstone

This program, split between the Philadelphia and Gettysburg campuses, was created to equip both black and white seminarians for leadership roles in the church as well as to teach inclusion for all races in their congregations.
Read more information about the Black/White Studies Program and Rev. Featherstone by clicking the link below.
"Black White Studies Begins"

The Black/White Studies program was funded by the Council for Lutheran Theological Education in the Northeast and the Lilly Endowment for three years. After the program was complete, the mission was transferred to the Black Concerns Program and was funded by each of the seminaries separately. Read more about the Black Concerns Program by clicking the link below.
Black Concerns Program Proposal

Many students and faculty voiced their concerns for civil rights in Table Talk, a student-run publication.
"White Perspectives on a Black Conference" by Rogger Digges
"Black Concerns Proposal Accepted" by Ken Regan

In one 1970 Table Talk article, a white student wrote about their experience attending a class at Morgan State College, where the professor and most of the students in the class were black. The student recognized the different perspectives in the classroom and the importance of embracing diversity as future church leaders.
This article can be read by clicking the link below.
"Studying in a Black Class" by Myron Schevy

Also featured in Table Talk is an article highlighting LTSG student participation in the 1980s Anti-Apartheid protests and staged arrests, involving fourteen students. Student Debbie Conrad shares her story, which can be read by clicking the link below.
"Protesting Apartheid" by Debbie Conrad

1985 issue of Table Talk with the headline "Protesting Apartheid."

Lastly,  “An Urgent Message from LHS” asks students to call or write to their representatives regarding bills that concerned the affairs of South Africa and Apartheid. Their plea can be read by clicking the link below.
"Urgent Message from LHS" by Roy J. Enquist

To see these documents in person please stop by the first floor of the A.R. Wentz library to view the exhibit.

Sources Cited

Strobert, Nelson T. Daniel Alexander Payne: The Venerable Preceptor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Lanham: University Press of American, 2012.

Written by intern Meriah Swope, graduate student at Shippensburg University.

Looking for another read? Check out the On the Glorious Hill Blog.

To learn more about Black History at LTSG, please contact Assistant Archivist Sheila Joy by email at sjoy@ltsg.edu or by phone at 717-339-1317.

Black History Month Exhibit

There is a new Seminary Archives exhibit in the library entitled "Black History Month: Movement Towards Diversity at LTSG." Curated by intern Meriah Swope, a graduate student at Shippensburg University, the exhibit features LTSG's first five African American students and efforts made in the 1970s towards incorporating diversity programs such as the Black/White Studies Program and the Program for Black Theological Education in the Lutheran Church.

The exhibit will be up through March and an accompanying blog post expanding on the exhibit will be published soon. Be sure to stop by the circulation desk area to check it out!

New Acquisition and Archives Exhibit: Lutheran Historical Postcards

Front of postcard depicting Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.

The Seminary Archives have recently received a donation of over 700 Lutheran historical postcards! Spanning across the United States and into Canada, the collection contains images of Lutheran camps, colleges universities, schools, hospitals, orphanages, and retirement homes.

Back of postcard, postmarked December 6, 1915.

Some of the postcards contain correspondence, which is a rare find. This one in particular was mailed to Nova Scotia, Canada from Gettysburg on December 6, 1915. The sender, Mrs. Henry Wherley writes to her friend, Mrs. Austin Cleveland, mentioning a recent snowfall, the upcoming Christmas holiday, and that Mrs. Cleveland's mother has fallen ill. Mrs. Wherley asks, "did you even try rubbing dog fat on her legs...?" Quite a strange remedy, which I don't think became too popularized over the century! If you know anything about this so-called "remedy," leave a comment below!

To view more of the historical postcard collection, stop by the Library Lobby where an assortment are on display, or contact  Assistant Archivist, Sheila Joy at sjoy@ltsg.edu or via telephone at 717-339-1317.

Suffering, Death, and Enemies: Rare Books from the A. R. Wentz Library Collection

Thank you to everyone who attended the Suffering, Death, and Enemies: Rare Books from the A. R. Wentz Library Collection and enjoyed our wine and cheese spread. The reception was hosted by our Library Director and Archivist, B. Bohleke and the exhibit was prepared by Karin Bohleke of LTSG and Shippensburg University with assistance from Vince Evener,  LTSG Visiting Instructor in Reformation and Luther Studies. The exhibit featured publications by Martin Luther's contemporaries--both faithful supporters, and "enemies" who wrote against the Reformation. The exhibit will remain up until Friday, October 28th.

Want to learn more about our rare book collection and Seminary Archives holdings? Contact the Assistant Archivist, Sheila Joy by email at sjoy@ltsg.edu or by phone at 717- 339-1317.

New Archives Exhibit: Signed Mother Teresa Biography

The Seminary Archives has a new exhibit up featuring our newest acquisition! On September 9th, 2016 Rev. Richard Englund donated a biography signed by Mother Teresa during a special Morning Prayer service in commemoration of her canonization. Mother Teresa was canonized, "St. Teresa of Calcutta" on September 5, 2016 by the Roman Catholic Church. Rev. Englund also donated a photograph of St. Teresa with Alice DeGama Brown, whom is the connection between Rev. Englund and the biography written by Navin Chawla.

An important figure to all Christians around the world, the Seminary Archives is delighted to have this signed biography and photograph. We welcome anyone who would like to view them in the A.R. Wentz Library lobby.

Want to learn more about Seminary Archives holdings or Gettysburg Seminary History? Contact Assistant Archivist Sheila Joy by email at sjoy@ltsg.edu or by phone at 717- 339-1317.

New Archives Exhibit: Commencement Over Time Exhibit

Each month the Seminary Archives features an exhibit featuring material from our collections. Currently on exhibit is "Commencement Over Time," a visual depiction of Gettysburg Seminary's past graduation commencements ceremonies and traditions. On display is an 1883 diploma, class of 1928 photograph, and various commencement programs, the oldest in our collection dating back to 1889. We invite you to stop by the Library lobby to take a look!

Want to learn more about Gettysburg Seminary History? Contact Assistant Archivist Sheila Joy by email at sjoy@ltsg.edu or by phone at 717- 339-1317.