Category: Special Collections

There’s a Doctor in the House…

Anita Nanez Martinez was born in Dallas, Texas on December 8, 1925, the fifth of six children born to Jose and Anita Nanez. She lived in the Dallas neighborhood known as “Little Mexico”. From her early childhood, Martinez demonstrated a passion for community advocacy and volunteerism. At the age of 14, she led her first…Continue Reading There’s a Doctor in the House…

Miniature books

  Summer is a good time for library housekeeping projects due to the short downtime between busy semester schedules. In August the Broadside File Box location and Miniature books were rehoused in uniform boxes and relocated to another part of the library. At the DeGolyer Library, miniature books are 10 cm and smaller. Early miniatures…Continue Reading Miniature books

The Virginian: 120th anniversary of a cowboy classic

Fans of American western culture are celebrating the 162nd birthday of author Owen Wister on July 14th. In 1902 Wister published The Virginian: a horseman of the plains, which is considered the basis for the modern western novel and film genres.   The Virginian is the story of an unnamed ranch hand in Wyoming called…Continue Reading The Virginian: 120th anniversary of a cowboy classic

On the road across Texas…

Needing some inspiration for traveling this summer? Then look no further than in the archives! From maps to travel guides, postcards to posters, diaries to scrapbooks, there are a variety of resources to guides your plans. So plug in that hybrid vehicle, and grab something to take notes. For those looking to venture down to…Continue Reading On the road across Texas…

Send me a postcard!

  On exhibition this summer in the DeGolyer Library’s Hillcrest Hall Send me a postcard! Women on the road across 19th-20th century America examines women motorists/automobilists and their travels across the country. The concept for this exhibit developed from a series of blog posts written over the course of a few summers. “That’s Where the…Continue Reading Send me a postcard!

Defeating the Stereotype

“Will electronics replace the housewife?” was the title of a 1958 tongue-in-cheek promotional piece for household appliances printed in Texins, Texas Instruments employees’ magazine. In addition to being a leader in oil exploration and the defense industry, the company’s advancements in infrared optics, transistor and vacuum technologies were positioning it as a contender in the…Continue Reading Defeating the Stereotype

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day The National Women’s Conference, held in Houston from November 18 – 21, 1977, was the largest political conference of women in the United States since the Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. Approximately 2,000 voting delegates from fifty states and six territories formulated and passed a National Plan…Continue Reading International Women’s Day

Remember the Ladies… Adlene Harrison 1923-2022

Remember the Ladies… Adlene Harrison 1923-2022 On Saturday, February 19th, 2022, Dallas lost a leading lady. Adlene Harrison, the first woman mayor of Dallas, Texas passed away at the age of 98. Harrison was a member of the Dallas City Council from 1973 to 1977. She was the city’s mayor pro tem when she was…Continue Reading Remember the Ladies… Adlene Harrison 1923-2022

Octavio Medellín: Spirit and Form

Octavio Medellín portrait

  The exhibition Octavio Medellín: Spirit and Form is now open at the Dallas Museum of Art. This exceptional retrospective exhibition features many fabulous works of art on loan from Bywaters Special Collections. Bywaters Special Collections holds the Octavio Medellin Artwork and Papers. A detailed finding aid and extensive digital collection are available. https://www.smu.edu/libraries/digitalcollections/med https://txarchives.org/smu/finding_aids/00272.xml…Continue Reading Octavio Medellín: Spirit and Form

In Process, Natalie Ornish papers

New Year, new processing project for the Archives of Women of the Southwest. Archival processing is a crucial element of collections care; it’s how we begin to know what materials are included in a collection, how we ensure preservation, and the first step in making our collections available to the public. This year I am…Continue Reading In Process, Natalie Ornish papers