Home by the Sea: Preservation of Architectural Drawings at Hampton University

FAIN: PG-252883-17

Hampton University (Hampton, VA 23668-0108)
Valinda S. Carroll (Project Director: May 2016 to September 2018)
Tina Darlene Rollins (Project Director: September 2018 to December 2019)

The purchase of four flat file cabinets and interleaving paper to store 316 prints and drawings by Hampton students from the Bachelor of Architecture program. These materials, dating from 1934 through 1970, document the evolving history of African American education in architecture, from training in skilled trades and industrial arts to research-oriented professional development. Purchase of flat files was recommended as part of a 2011 survey, and reiterated during a 2014 effort to document, clean, and rehouse individual objects in the collection.

The William R. and Norma B. Harvey Library requests $5,916 for a Preservation Assistance Grant from the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH) for “Home by the Sea: preserving architectural thesis drawings at Hampton University.” This project supports humanities scholarship by demonstrating Hampton University’s contributions to the world of architecture and by illustrating the evolution of African American education from vocational training to professional formation. The drawings had constituted a hidden collection, stored in a closet until their rediscovery five years ago. The collection was inventoried, cleaned, and transferred to the library, but there was not adequate flat file cabinet space for these oversized items. Many of the drawings feature overlays and collage elements that require them to be stored flat; grant funds would permit the library to purchase appropriate storage furniture.