Category Archives: Archives Month

Ohio Archives Month: Special Olympics

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is recognizing and celebrating archives month through a series of blog posts throughout October 2024.

By: Stacy Crouse (Local Coordinator, Allen County Special Olympics Ohio) & Collette McDonough (SOA Advocacy and Outreach committee member).

The mission statement of the Special Olympics is to provide “year-round sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.” This is very true, but the Special Olympics is so much more. The athletes who participate not only learn new sports skills, but they also make lifelong friends. The athletes are celebrated for what they can do. The athletes, coaches, and volunteers all train together at practices and invest in each other. Athletes learn that they can trust and count on the coaches and volunteers to encourage them and be their biggest fans. The coaches and volunteers get the opportunity to pour into the athletes and get to celebrate the athletes’ achievements. When you can go to a Special Olympics competition and watch the comradery between the athletes competing, you witness true sportsmanship at its best, “the thrill of victory.” The athletes are high fiving and hugging each other and cheering for each other no matter the outcome of the competition.

The organization that one day would become the Special Olympics got its start in 1946 with the establishment of the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation.  The foundation was focused on how society cares for people that have intellectual disabilities.  By 1962, Eunice Kennedy Shriver opened a summer camp for children “with intellectual disabilities at her home in suburban Washington, D.C. What was then known as “Shriver Camp” welcomes dozens of young people from local institutions and agencies.”[1] By 1968, the organization held its first track meet at Soldiers Field in Chicago and the organization has grown to be an international organization.  Special Olympics Ohio was incorporated in 1975 and has since made a positive impact on the lives of thousands.  “Special Olympics Ohio provides a lifetime of opportunities to athletes of all ages, at no cost to them, through the transformative power of sport.”[2]

As a coach I know that I get so much more out of coaching and volunteering with Special Olympics than I feel like I give. As coaches and volunteers, we get to witness joy, accomplishment, hard work, and resilience. We get the honor of celebrating all the personal bests and achievements as well as encouraging and supporting every step of the journey. Everyone deserves the opportunity to have their moments to SHINE and being part of Special Olympics gives the athletes their moments to do just that!

two men holding basketballsThe Society of Ohio Archivist chose the theme for 2024 because we wanted to share the stories of Olympians such as Jesse Owens, but also the amazing people that compete around our state in the Special Olympics. We received many photos from Special Olympics groups from across the state that were not featured on the 2024 poster.  The following image is from Defiance County Special Olympics Program. According to Jenna Peper “this group of young athletes has been involved in the Defiance County Special Olympics Basketball program since 2011. They would tell you their favorite part of being involved is creating friendships within the program and other counties programs and being State Champions in 2014!”

Another image that did make onto the poster is of Cory Martin and Bob Hale. They both enjoyed an extraordinary experience with Special Olympic Powerlifting. The photo with three men includes their coach/trainer. Cory was also mentioned in the Sports Illustrated December 2008 issue.  This image was sent to us from the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities in Canton.

 

 

 

We also wanted to feature some of Allen County’s own.  Seth Kunkleman and Alex Hunter, who competed in Allen County Special Olympics, are shown receiving their medals. Seth won Gold and Alex won bronze, and they both made it to the state competition last year. The Advocacy and Outreach Committee is so happy that so many of you were able to send in photos of Olympians.  We look forward to reviewing all of your photos next year.

[1] https://www.specialolympics.org/about/history/out-of-the-shadows-events-leading-to-the-founding-of-special-olympics?locale=en

[2] https://sooh.org/what-we-do/

Ohio Archives Month – Olympic Memories

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is recognizing and celebrating archives month through a series of blog posts throughout October 2024.

Even if we haven’t been to the Olympics, most of us still have memories associated with them. We asked our Advocacy and Outreach Committee members about their favorite Olympic memories. Here’s what they said:

“More than any other year, I paid attention to the 1996 Olympics. It was so exciting because they were right in the USA! I also was younger and didn’t have a whole lot of other things going on to pull my attention in other directions. 

One thing I remember is that I looked forward to reading the newspaper daily, mainly for the hilarious Olympics related columns from Dave Barry, which ran regularly in the Akron Beacon Journal. I remembered that I would read them aloud to my family, laughing hysterically.

I was obsessed with the women’s gymnastics team and tried to stay caught up with everything there and remember screaming my head off when Kerri Strugg nailed that one-legged landing. I lived for the SNL skits with her and Chris Kattan as Kippy Strugg. I was also a pretty big fan of the Russian men’s team because they had Alexei Nemov and my girlfriends and I were BIG fans. 

I also remember watching with horror when learning of the bombing at the Olympic Park and following all the details of that. That was really the first time I remember following live news updates that we’re so used to having today.”

– Natalie Fritz

“1984, LA Olympics. I was obsessed with the Olympics. I had an Olympic beach towel, my grandparents had a pool. I was sure I was going to be an Olympic swimmer.”

-Jim McKinnon

“I’ve always loved the Olympics. I watch every sport I can, even if I haven’t heard of it. I especially watched religiously during the 2020 Games in Tokyo. It was a positive distraction from so much hardship going on in the world.”

-Sarah Aisenbrey

“Decades before Michael Phelps broke records accumulating gold medals, Mark Spitz set the record of seven gold medals swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. The joy I felt as a young swimmer at his athletic achievement was overshadowed by the horror of the death of 11 Israeli Olympic athletes who had been taken hostage by the Palestinian militant organization Black September. The Olympics of 1972 have left me with an indelible memory of triumph and tragedy.”

-Connie Conner

“My favorite memory around the Olympics took place in 1996 a few months before the Games.  My riding instructor and 4H advisor was given tickets to the last Olympic trials that were going to be held at a farm near Canton, Georgia. Her instructor was a coach for the newly formed Eventing team for Brazil. Eventing is a sport where the horse and rider combo compete in three events. The events are dressage, cross country, and show jumping and it is considered to be one of the more extreme equestrian sports. A few days before the event, I along with some other members of our 4H Club packed into a F-350 super cab and drove to Canton, Georgia.  Since we had a connection to a coach, we were able to get to see behind the scenes and I was able to have many of the competitors such as Karen and David O’Connor and Phillip Dutton sign a poster which I still have today. At the end of the event, we were invited to a party where the Brazilian riders taught my friends and I the ‘Macarena.’ Sadly for the Brazilian team they went on to finish second to last but the American won silver.” 

-Collette McDonough

“My favorite memory is from the 2024 Olympics and Quincy Hall, Men 400 Meters in Track.  Hal is not a household name in Men’s Track Carl Lewis or Usain Bolt. Quincy Hall was in fourth place in the last 100 meters of the race and he came back in dramatic fashion to win gold.”

-Jacky Johnson

Paris Olympic Games – 1924/2024

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is recognizing and celebrating archives month through a series of blog posts throughout October 2024.

by Jim McKinnon, co-chair Advocacy and Outreach.

The theme for this year’s archive’s month poster is O-H-I-Olympics, most of you, if not all, should have received your posters by now so the theme is not a surprise. The Summer Olympics this past summer were held in Paris where athletes from around the world competed for a gold, silver or bronze medal. 2024 wasn’t the only time that Paris was the host city for a summer games. In 1900 Paris hosted, but also in 1924, 100 years ago. How did the games 100 years ago compare to the games of this year? Were there similarities or glaring differences? Continue reading

American Archives Month 2024

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is recognizing and celebrating archives month through a series of blog posts throughout October 2024.

by Christine Liebson, MLIS, CA, member of SOA Advocacy & Outreach Committee.

Since 1979, Archives Month has been a time to reflect on the importance and value of archives and archivists. Although SOA has been celebrating Archives Month/Week since 1993, October was officially designated American Archives Month by the Society of American Archivists in 1999.  Continue reading

Ohio Archives Month Poster 2024 – Voting Open

Help select the images used for the 2024 Ohio Archives Month Poster!

This year for the annual Society of Ohio Archivists’ October Archives Month poster the theme will highlight Ohio connections to Olympic competitions with “O-H-I-Olympics: Competitors from the Buckeye State.”

The submitted images from around the state include not only those related to the summer and winter international Olympic Games, but also those connected to the Special Olympics and Senior Olympics. Continue reading

Ohio Archives Month Spotlight 5: Cleveland Police

Ohio Archives Month Spotlights: Cleveland Police Historical Society and Museum

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is happy to announce that we will be spotlighting archives around the state again this year to celebrate archives month throughout October 2023. Each of our archives spotlights will feature places that house materials related to the theme of the posterLand, Water, & Air: Transportation in Ohio.

by Christine Liebson, MLIS, CA

Introduction

A black and white historical photograph of a Harly Davidson police motorcycle. It is parked in front of a brick building.

1939 Harley Davidson police motorcycle

The Cleveland Police Historical Society and Museum exists to collect and preserve Cleveland police history and to use its collection and programs to educate the public and to foster a mutual understanding and respect between law enforcement and the public. The Cleveland Police Historical Society (CPHS) works in cooperation with, but is independent of, the Cleveland Division of Police. Financial support comes from membership dues, donations, and small grants from various government agencies and private organizations. The CPHS receives no tax funds from the City of Cleveland, State of Ohio, or the Federal Government. The Cleveland Police Museum opened in June 1983 with Florence E. Schwein as its director. The current director, Mazie Adams, graciously accepted our invitation for an interview to share with us about her work and collections at the museum. Continue reading

Ohio Archives Month Spotlight 4: The University of Akron

Ohio Archives Month Spotlights: The University of Akron Archives and Special Collections

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is happy to announce that we will be spotlighting archives around the state again this year to celebrate archives month throughout October 2023. Each of our archives spotlights will feature places that house materials related to the theme of the posterLand, Water, & Air: Transportation in Ohio.

By Natalie Fritz, Archivist and Outreach Director, Clark County Historical Society

A photograph of a large, multi-story cement building in a city setting. This is a view of the corner of the building. Large letters UA are attached to the corner of the building.

The Polsky Building, University of Akron

This week we are shining a spotlight on the University of Akron Archives and Special Collections. The University was founded in 1870 as Buchtel College. The Archives and Special Collections are housed in the Polsky Building and they provide access to a wide variety of historical resources including collections on the University’s history, the city of Akron and Summit, the surrounding county, the rubber industry, which was integral to the community’s development, and more.

A black and white historic photograph of a large blimp with Goodyear printed on the side. A large hanger is in the background.

The ground crew hauls out the Goodyear blimp, The Puritan, from the Wingfoot Lake Hangar, for its first flight, July 3, 1938.

Important transportation related collections in the archives include the Lighter-than-Air Collections. The images from the  Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Records are great for those interested in blimps and airships. (Especially for someone like me who grew up in Akron and was amazed by the sheer size of the Wingfoot Lake Hangar and who got excited whenever we’d spot the Goodyear Blimp around town)!

Continue reading

Ohio Archives Month Spotlight 3: University of Dayton

Ohio Archives Month Spotlights: University of Dayton’s Hidden Aviation Gems

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is happy to announce that we will be spotlighting archives around the state again this year to celebrate archives month throughout October 2023. Each of our archives spotlights will feature places that house materials related to the theme of the poster, Land, Water, & Air: Transportation in Ohio.

By Jim McKinnon, CA, Associate University Archivist

A photograph of the exterior of Albert Emanuel Hall at the University of Dayton. The building is a large, brick structure with white columns.

Albert Emanual Hall, University of Dayton

This week we will be spotlighting the University of Dayton Archives and Special Collections. The University of Dayton’s history is one of perseverance, tenacity, ingenuity and transformation. The school began with an act of faith more than 170 years ago. On July 1, 1850, St. Mary’s School for Boys opened its doors to 14 primary students from Dayton. Known at various times as St. Mary’s School, St. Mary’s Institute and St. Mary’s College, the school assumed its present identity in 1920. Today, the University of Dayton is recognized as a top-tier national research university rooted in the Catholic tradition.

A historic black and white photograph of four people standing in front of a small airplane.

Photograph of Charles F. Kettering’s secretary, Mrs. Olive Kettering, Bernard L. Whelan, and Mrs. Kettering’s friend.

The University Archives and Special Collections documents the history of the University as well as being the home to many special collections of prominent alumni such as Congressman Charles Whalen and the humorist Erma Bombeck. In addition, University Archives is home to approximately 12,000 rare books, some dating to the mid-15th century. The archives are located on the second floor of Albert Emanuel Hall, which was built in 1927 as the new library.

Continue reading

Ohio Archives Month Spotlight 2: Inland Rivers Library

Ohio Archives Month Spotlights: Inland Rivers Library, Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1895 informal group portrait with mostly women, one man, and several children wearing fine clothes and hats on the shores of a river with a steamboat in the background

Caption: Group waiting to board a steamboat at Evansville, Indiana, 1895. Photograph link

The Society of Ohio Archivists Advocacy and Outreach Committee is happy to announce that we will be spotlighting archives around the state again this year to celebrate archives month throughout October 2023. Each of our archives spotlights will feature places that house materials related to the theme of the poster, Land, Water, & Air: Transportation in Ohio.

About the Inland Rivers Library

By A&O Committee member Erin Wilson, Ohio University Libraries

Sepia toned photo of Cotton Blossom showboat on the banks of the Ohio River with band members on board and children posing on the shore and boat ramp

People aboard Cotton Blossom showboat on the banks of the Ohio River, circa 1908-1917. Photograph link

Have you ever wondered what life was like along the Ohio River when steamboats were the dominant form of transport? Whether you’re interested in river travel, trade, navigation, or the history of local river towns, the Inland Rivers Library is one of the largest and most comprehensive collections documenting use of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and their tributaries. Housed in the Genealogy and Local History Department of the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library, the Inland Rivers collection includes materials dating back to the 1820s which present some of the earliest images and descriptions of the steamboat era and its Ohio locales.

Continue reading