Personal Reflections on September 11, 2001

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, nineteen hijackers took control of four passenger airliners in a coordinated suicide attack against the United States.  In total, almost 3,000 people died, including 227 civilians and 19 hijackers aboard the four planes.  Across the nation, immediate responses included mixtures of horror, fear, anger, and sorrow.

Shortly after September 11, the Illini Union provided a space for the University community to express their thoughts about the event.  They hoped to promote dialogue in a civil and supportive atmosphere for the entire campus.  Less than a month later, this collection made its way to the University Archives.

This compilation of papers gives insight into the thoughts and emotions of the campus community during a historic national tragedy.  Below are six of hundreds of slips of paper now housed at the Archives Research Center.[1]

Personal Reflections on September 11, 2001, Record Series 37/7/4

Note: the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the author or the University Archives.

 


[1] Reflections on September 11, 2001 Disasters, Record Series 37/7/4, University of Illinois Archives.

 

Ellnora Guitar Festival

The annual Ellnora Guitar Festival begins today at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

In 1964, Illinois engineering alumnus Herman Krannert and his wife Ellnora announced plans for the University of Illinois’ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.  Herman,  a successful entrepreneur in the corrugated fiber products industry, made generous contributions to education and the arts in the Midwest in part because of Ellnora’s appreciation for the arts.  After five years of planning and labor, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts became a reality.

Continue reading “Ellnora Guitar Festival”

Getting the Hat Right: The Untold Origin of Smokey Bear

Aside from records related to the University and surrounding communities, the University of Illinois Archives is also custodian of the records of many outside associations. Among these are the records of the Ad Council, a long-running non-profit organization that works with advertising agencies, media companies, and private businesses to produce and distribute public service advertising. The Ad Council is directly or indirectly responsible for many memorable public service campaigns in print, radio, and television media. The longest-running of these is their Forest Fire Prevention campaign, featuring the well-known spokescharacter Smokey Bear.  But do you know how this public safety icon came to be? Continue reading “Getting the Hat Right: The Untold Origin of Smokey Bear”

Smallpox Outbreak, 1938

This post is part five of the exhibit “Epidemic! Disease on Campus, 1918-1938.”

 

Smallpox Notice
February 25, 1938
Record Series 33/1/806

In late February of 1938,  cities and towns across the state of Illinois showed a marked increase in diagnosed smallpox cases.  Ten victims appeared in the Twin Cities and the Director of the State Department of Health A.C. Baxter indicated an impending epidemic for Champaign-Urbana as a result of the new cases.  Upon Baxter’s advice, President A.C. Willard directed that all students, faculty, and staff receive vaccination or remain away from campus for 16 days.  Notices like the poster located to the right were placed throughout campus. Continue reading “Smallpox Outbreak, 1938”

Tuberculosis Robs, Public Health Protects

This post is part four of the exhibit “Epidemic! Disease on Campus, 1918-1938.”

Despite the progress made controlling tuberculosis in the early 20th century, it was still the leading cause of death of adolescents and young adults through the 1930s.  Champaign County documented 500 cases of tuberculosis and 75 deaths from tuberculosis in 1920 alone.[1] Continue reading “Tuberculosis Robs, Public Health Protects”