Inscribed copy of She Had Some Horses by Joy Harjo in Walsh Library
Did you know that Seton Hall’s rare book collection contains poetry by Native American authors? There is an inscribed copy of one of the early books of the first Native American Poet Laureate of the United States, Joy Harjo, in Walsh Library’s Rare Book collection. The inscription reads “for Penny and Bill, in strength and in beauty.” This refers to William Higginson and his wife, who founded From Here Press in Patterson, New Jersey. Higginson, a specialist in haiku, donated his incredible collection of poetry books to Seton Hall in 2013.
An alto saxophonist and artist as well as poet, Harjo breaks boundaries in many aspects of her work. Influenced by jazz and blues as well as by her Cree heritage and poetic predecessors such as Audre Lorde, Harjo’s poetry reflects on loss, survival, and the limitations of language itself.
Saint Jerome or Madonna and the Saints engraving after Francesco Bartolozzi by Karl Heinrich-Muller 19th century 2012.00.0032
November 1 is the annual celebration of All Saints Day which honors all Catholic saints, particularly those with no special feast day of their own. All Saints Day is celebrated worldwide by Roman Catholics as well as other Christian denominations. A feast day commemorates a saint or saints who are remembered on their individual feast days with special services and prayers. Certain feast days include public celebrations and processions. Some saints are celebrated internationally, while others are honored regionally or locally.
All Saints Day was first observed under Pope Boniface IV on May 1, 609 when he dedicated Rome’s Pantheon to the Virgin Mary and the Martyrs. Pope Boniface also instituted All Souls Day, an additional day of prayer and remembrance for the souls of those who have died. Celebrated on November 2, it immediately follows All Saints Day.[1] In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III moved the All Saints Day observance to November 1, though celebrations were local to Rome. Under Pope Gregory IV, All Saints Day became an official worldwide observance for the entirety of the church.[2]
Prior to the 10th century, there was no formalized process for identifying and sanctifying saints. This was addressed by Pope John XV who defined the parameters for sainthood. Previous to Pope John XV, sainthood was often attained through popular public opinion. Today, there are more than 10,000 recognized saints.[3] The Catholic Online website has a comprehensive list of saints, angels and feast days – in addition to a wealth of other Catholic resources. It will give you a sense of the many saints venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, and it is fun to browse. For instance, did you know Saint Bernardino is the patron saint of advertising and communications? Or that Saint Januarius is the patron saint of blood banks, and in Naples, also volcanoes? Seton Hall University’s Walsh Gallery and Archives and Special Collections have a significant number of collections that featuring various Catholic saints. In honor of All Saints Day, we have assembled these images of art and artifacts featuring those who have been canonized.
Design for Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton Medal from Dieges and Clust 2018.17.0001.a
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the University’s namesake, is the patron saint of Catholic schools, widows, and seafarers. She is also the aunt of the university’s founder, The Most Reverend, James Roosevelt Bayley. This image of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is from a medal designed for the Society of the Preservation of Setonia. This design was made in advance of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s canonization which occurred in 1975. This medal design, in addition to numerous other artifacts that illuminate the life and work of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton are currently on display in the Walsh Gallery exhibition “The Treasures of Seton Hall University.” Her feast day is January 4.
Portrait of Saint Pope John XXIII 20th century 2021.12.0001 Courtesy of the Archives of the Archdiocese of Newark
Saint Pope John XXIII is one of the most popular popes in the Roman Catholic Church. He ushered in a new era by convening the Second Vatican Council (1962 – 1965), popularly known as Vatican II. This council resulted in sweeping changes throughout the church to address the modern era. Canonized by Pope Francis in April 2014, Saint Pope John XXIII’s feast day is October 11. He is the patron saint of Papal delegates, the Patriarchy of Venice and the Second Vatican Council.[4] Saint John XXIII was also the pope that beatified Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Beatification, a precursor to canonization or sainthood, is a declaration of blessedness.
Portrait of Saint Pope Paul VI mid to late 20th century 2021.11.0001 Courtesy of the Archives of the Archdiocese of Newark
Saint Pope Paul VI was the 262nd pope of the Roman Catholic Church, succeeding John XXIII as pope. He also presided over Vatican II, closing the session in 1965 which resulted in numerous church reforms including the improvement of relations with the Eastern Orthodox and Protestant churches. Saint Pope Paul VI canonized Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in 1975. He was in turn beatified and canonized by Pope Francis in 2014 and 2018, respectively.[5] His feast day is May 29th.
Saint Martín de Porres canonization medal 1962 2021.01.0011 Gift of Peter Ahr
Saint Martín de Porres (1579 – 1639), a Peruvian born saint ,was associated with the Dominican Order. He was known for caring for the sick, was trained in the healing arts and was also barber. Though he was devoted to the church, at that time his lineage prevented him from taking his vows as the son of an unmarried Spanish nobleman and a mother that was a freed slave of African and Native descent. Like Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, he founded orphanages and was devoted to the cause of education. He is the patron saint of mixed race people, public health workers, public schools, public education, the poor, Peru, innkeepers and barbers as well as lottery winners, racial harmony and social justice.[6] Today, his name graces numerous schools throughout the United States as well as a Catholic University in Lima, Peru.
Anishinabe Enamiad with Saint Kateri Tekakwitha illustration December 10, 1896 – vol. 1, no. 10 BX801 .A55 Courtesy of Archives and Special Collections
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (1656 – 1680), whose feast day falls on July 14th, is the first Native American saint recognized by the Catholic Church. A layperson of Algonquin-Mohawk heritage, she was born in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon which sits on the banks of New York States’ Mohawk River. She was the daughter of Kenneronkwa, a Mohawk chief, and Kahenta, an Algonquin woman who had been captured in a raid, then taken into the Mohawk tribe.[7] In Saint Kateri Tekakwitha’s time, the Mohawks had considerable contact with other tribes, as well as European trappers, traders and missionaries. A resulting outbreak of smallpox took the lives of the Saint Kateri Tekakwitha’s parents and brother. She survived, but with lasting health implications. At the age of 18, after meeting a Jesuit priest, she converted to Catholicism, dying just a few short years later at the age of 24.[8] She was beatified in 1980 by Pope John Paul II, and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter’s Basilica October 21, 2012.[9] Saint Kateri Tekakwitha is the patron saint of the environment, ecology, those who have lost their parents, people in exile and Native Americans.[10]
A mass in honor of All Saints Day will be held at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Seton Hall University at 11am on November 1.
The images and materials shown here are but a small part of the vast patrimony available to students, faculty and researchers. For access to this or other objects in our collections, complete a research request form to set up an appointment or contact us at 973-761-9476
November Eve, or Samhain, celebrates the Moon, the end of the harvest season, and the beginning of winter. And like other holidays that celebrate the change of the seasons with great bonfires, fairs, and festivals, so does November Eve.
Like many Celtic holidays have a Christian counterpart celebrated on or around the same day, so does November Eve. It is known as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. All Saints’ Day is a day to celebrate all saints known and unknown while All Souls’ Day is to remember all others that have passed on. Typically, families will visit cemeteries and graves, bringing flowers, candles and prayers or blessings. Just like Halloween and the Day of the Dead, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day remember the dead.
And like Halloween and the Day of the Dead, November Eve is the “one night of the year when the dead can leave their graves and dance in the moonlight on the hill” (Wilde, 80). However, it is said “mortals should stay at home and never dare to look on them” (Wilde, 80).
One such gives caution, states:
“It is esteemed a very wrong thing amongst the islanders to be about on November Eve, minding any business, for the fairies have their flitting then, and do not like to be seen or watched; and all the spirits come to meet them and help them. But mortal people should keep at home, or they will suffer for it; for the souls of the dead have power over all things on that one night of the year; and they hold a festival with the fairies, and drink red wine from the fairy cups, and dance to fairy music till the moon goes down” (Wilde, 78).
Being the 21st century staying home no longer applies! Kids, after carving their Jack-O’-the-Lantern into a frightful face, dress up to trick-or-treat and adults, also in costume, go off to parties to celebrate and bob for apples. Ever wonder how the Jack-O’-the-Lantern came to be? Or how apples and Halloween became a famous couple?
An Irish tale from Irish Fireside Stories contains an explanation for the Legend of the Jack o the Lantern. After having been excluded from heaven and having tricked the devil making Hell refuse to take him, it was decreed that Jack would walk the Earth with a lantern to light him on his nightly way until Judgement Day.
As for apples and Halloween, an old Celtic ritual has an explanation:
“The first day of November was dedicated to the spirit of fruits and seeds, from which, no doubt, originated the custom of eating nuts and apples on Hallow Eve. It was called La-mas-abhal, the day of apple fruit. This word, pronounced Lamabhool, was corrupted by English settlers into lamb’swool, which name was given to a drink made of apples, sugar and ale. So the apples are still eaten on All-Hallow’s Eve by the merry company in the farmhouse kitchen in Ireland, and the young Irish girls will peel one carefully, taking care to keep the skin whole, which, when cast over the shoulder upon the floor, will fall into the form of the initial letter of her future husband’s name. Or she will take nuts piled so plentifully upon the table and burn them on the grate-bar or the hearth and try to read her future in their ashes, while her companions are setting nuts in pairs together in the same place, naming them carefully, and watching to see whether they will burn pleasantly together or jump apart” (Blennerhassett, 233-234).
The article continues to mention further steps to be taken over the course of finding out information about one’s future husband and the role of apples in this process but as with all love fortune telling, spells, and the like, it is a lengthy process that requires far too much effort and too much typing for one blog post on a day of festivities. So, I’ll leave it here and wish you all a Happy Halloween!
Good luck bobbing for apples! And remember all spells cast on November Eve come true.
Reference
Blennerhassett, Sarah (1899 November). All-Hallow’s Eve. The Gael.
Wilde, & Wilde, W. R. (1919). Ancient legends, mystic charms & superstitions of ireland : with sketches of the irish past. Chatto & Windus.
For the online version, click here. Please note they may not be exactly the same.
Zachary Pelli is the Digital Collections Infrastructure Developer for Walsh Library. He ensures all the Library’s digital projects, from interactive exhibits in Special Collections and the Gallery to remote reference appointments for the liaison librarians, operate smoothly. Additionally, he maintains open source software systems used by the library, giving Zach an opportunity to build new tools as digital library practices evolve. You may also recognize his work from the library website (https://library.shu.edu/home), which he created.
How long have you been working at the library?
Just over 5 years.
What was the last book you read that you really enjoyed?
Currently binging The Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson (currently halfway through Words of Radiance). I also listen to many podcasts.
Print book or ebook?
Audiobook or podcast. I’m a terribly slow reader.
What is the best way to rest / decompress?
Lift heavy weights or go for a run with a (non-political) podcast. I also enjoy PC gaming when I find the time.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I am a tribal citizen of Muscogee Nation. There’s not many of us in NJ!
The nursing profession has always been among the most respected careers in light of their selfless dedication to the health and welfare of patients in their care. October 13th has been designated “National Emergency Room Nurses Day” throughout the United States in honor of those who work in situations that require added patience and attention to those in need. Seton Hall has been a proud training ground for many nurses who have chosen to serve society upon graduation from the school.
Seton Hall College Nursing Education Catalog(ue)/Bulletin Cover, 1940
Seton Hall established its College of Nursing in 1940 and from the starting Points of Purpose included the following objectives . . .
The aim of the School of Nursing Education of Seton Hall College is to provide educational opportunities leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing education for the following types of students:
Graduate nurses who wish to prepare for positions as teachers, supervisors and administrators in schools of nursing and hospitals.
Nurses particularly interested in Public Health Service.
Properly qualified high school graduates who wish to entre the nursing profession.
Hospital administrators or those preparing for such positions.
From that point forward quality instruction by dedicated professionals too numerous to name here, but whose names and course information can be found within our holdings. Presently, we have been working with a valued Nursing History Committee which has provided incredible support to the Monsignor William Noé Field Archives & Special Collections Center over the last few years. This includes Professor Jane Dellert, Professor Eileen Donnelly, Professor Ann Elkas, Professor Gloria Essoka, Professor Margaret Howard, Professor Carolyn Rummel, Professor Mary Ann Scharf, and Professor Mary Ann Whiteman in particular.
Nursing Students in Biology Laboratory, c. 1966
Each of these scholars has also collaborated to the creation and content management associated with a special Research Guide dedicated to the History of the Nursing Program at Seton Hall University that can be accessed via the following link . . .
For more information about the College of Nursing and other aspects of University History please feel free to contact us via e-mail: archives@shu.edu or by phone at: (973) 761-9476
Beyond an educated choice of academic specializations, the selection of a nickname, mascot, school colors, special cheers, and other unique campus traditions have long been one of the most important legacies that any college or university can make to universally celebrate their respective athletic teams in particular while honoring their student, alumni, and fan base by extension. On a competitive level sports-wise, there have been an abundance of Tigers, Bulldogs, Lions, Bears, and other wildlife for example in order to show team pride and hopefully inspire fear in opponents. However, other appellations have a logical link to history including such local models as the “Queensmen” of Rutgers College (founded in 1766 as Queen’s College) and the “Vikings” of Upsala (established in 1893 by Swedish educators who noted the nickname was synonymous with Scandinavian lore). Beyond what their opponents were formulating when it came to their own respective mascot preferences, Seton Hall had its own road to image-based immortality.
Throughout its storied history, the hues of “White and Blue” have always been synonymous with Seton Hall. These colors were adopted during the nineteenth century and likely inspired by Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley whose family crest features a series of white stars affixed to a cobalt field. Additionally, Blue is associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of the early patronesses of the school and associated with finding truth while White is the symbol of purity, light, and saints who were not martyred (although Elizabeth Ann Seton was not canonized until 1975, she did not achieve martyrdom)
The first graphic depiction of a “Pirate” from the December 1930 edition of The Setonian, four months before this nickname was actually adopted by the College
When it came to seminal nicknames at Seton Hall during the years prior to the celebration of its Diamond Jubilee, intercollegiate squads used the sobriquet – “White and Blue” as an all-purpose attribution. Additional adjectives included “The Villagers,” “Alerts,” and the “Quick Step Nine” (for Baseball Nines) have also been documented in print through Setonia-produced imprints (including the title of the School Annual or Yearbook from 1924-42) and external media sources alike. This legacy still lives on in the popular refrain – “Fight, Fight, Fight for the Blue and White . . . Onward to Victory!” Presumably this “mascot” and choice of talisman would have continued further, had it not been for one fateful day on a New England Baseball Field nine decades ago
The Pirates are Born
Within the aftermath of the Seton Hall-Holy Cross Baseball Game held on April 24, 1931 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the visiting team from New Jersey somewhat miraculously came from behind after experiencing a five-run deficit through the stringing together a combination of walks, hits, and errors that helped the “White & Blue” Nine emerge victorious by a final score of 11-10. This outcome prompted a Newark News sportswriter to exclaim, “That Seton Hall team is a gang of Pirates! . . . ,” which applied to the aggressive play and the squad stealing a victory (or a “treasured” result if you will) from the Crusader Nine. Upon hearing of this post-game proclamation within their locker room, the Seton Hall squad decided that their newfound name was both fitting and fashionable, and they would return to South Orange and be known as the Pirates thereafter.
Article from the April 24, 1931 edition of The Newark News
It has been oft-wondered why the writer used the term “Pirates” instead of something else? Upon reflection this makes sense as the noun “Pirate” has been defined according to the Cambridge University Dictionary as one who: “. . . sails on the sea and attacks and steals from other ships.” Combine the formal definition taken from a journalist with the prevalence of Pirate imagery in popular culture including the long-standing renown of such novels as: The Pirate, by Sir Walter Scott (1821); “Long John Silver” a major figure in Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (1883); “Captain Hook” from Neverland, one of the main protagonists from the book – Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie (1904). Book covers/jackets, early cinema, and literary descriptions set the image of English launched a “Jolly Roger” Pirate model (with large, plumed hat featuring a decorative “Skull and Cross Bones” motif, eye patch, peg leg, hook hand, etc.) who sailed the Caribbean during the eighteenth-mid-nineteenth century seas.
Illustrative “Pirate” from the April 1931 Setonian
In 1931, the book entitled: Yankee Ships in Pirate Waters by Rupert Sargent Holland and the daily comic strip, Terry and the Pirates by Milton Caniff helped to reinforce the “swashbuckling” and exciting aspects of Piracy in a fictional sense. On the sports-front, that same year the Pittsburgh Pirates, a major league club was celebrating a half century of existence and their third decade in the National League. They were known as frequent visitors to the Newark-area to play such local teams as the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants in regular series during that era. Thus, “Pirates” already had a wider appeal throughout popular society and the sports world alike.
The first edition of The Setonian (Student Newspaper) after the Holy Cross contest resulted in the first public pronouncement of this new nickname adoption. The Reverend Thomas J. Gilhooly (then a student in 1931) wrote a poetic verse in tribute of this new and figurative era in Seton Hall Athletics History . . .
“THE PIRATES – Our teams are known as Pirates, / In the world where sport holds sway; / And like their honored forbears, / Nothing stands in their way. / On the football field, the Pirates / Fight for every gain; / And though they do not always win, / The enemy earns the game. / In the realm of basketball, / The Pirates stand supreme; For her is their initial charge, / Their booty . . . so it seems. / Then baseball calls them to the helm, / And bold and brave they stand; / Now they justify their name, / They are heroes of the land. / So onward, ye brave Pirates. / On, on to worlds of crowns; / Onward to “runs” and “baskets”, / Onward to many “touchdowns.” / on, onward to greater heights, / In the world where sports holds sway; / And where your honored forbears, / Pridefully bless your day.”
Despite an initially warm and exciting reception, somewhat curiously, the use of the “Pirate” nickname in print did not have wider usage or uniform approval during the remainder of the 1930s and into the 1940s. Interestingly, the “Pirate” term was used conservatively beforehand especially in print as the “White and Blue” and the unofficial and colloquial – “Setonians,” “South Orangers,” and even “South Orange Lads,” were typically used as an alternative term within some press circles.
“Pirate” Mascot caricature used primarily during the Late 1930s-1940s
Conceivably the violent and illegal nature associated with real-life “Pirates” went against Catholic teaching and moral sensibilities, but for the sake of intercollegiate competition having a fearsome nickname makes a team appear more formidable, but all in the spirit of competitive sportsmanship. The question of change came in 1936, when sports scribes from The Setonian made their own attempt to create a distinctive nickname for the Seton Hall Five and every other sports team to supersede the “Pirates” for something more benign. They came up with the “Kerryblues” (the “Kerry” is a bluish furry dog noted for its fighting instincts and “Blues” for the school color), but this particular moniker never stuck, and the “Pirates” have endured and by the 1970s had adopted an alternative and rarely used nickname of the “Buccaneers” or “Buccettes” for Women’s sports teams. And would be used conservatively for a few more years.
However, it would not be until the post-World War II-era when the “Pirates” brand came into greater vogue. This explosion which began in earnest from the early 1950s forward was fueled by the success of each Seton Hall Athletic squad to compete over the last half century plus whether it be on the Basketball or Volleyball Court, Baseball Diamond, Soccer Field, Running Track, Golf Course, or any other venue where Seton Hall squads have competed. Additionally, there is no aspect of school life that has been left untouched by some aspect of a “Pirate” allegory. Whether it be figurative or visual, the proliferation of Pirate references by word, print, and in logo form that is associated with Setonia has not only become regionally recognized, but nationally as well. This has also coincided with the wide-spread growth of sports marketing along with a receptive and passionate student body, alumni, and wide-spread fan base that choose to identify as Pirate Fans.
Additional “Pirate” Historical Sightings and Research Opportunities
Documentation shows that not only athletic teams really ran with the nickname (and the Seton Hall Prep School by extension adopted the nickname as well) The student body also began to incorporate popular Pirate-centered imagery into their activities. As noted above, the renaming of the Student Annual (Yearbook) first known as the “White and Blue” was later changed to “The Galleon” (for one year in 1940) and for good from 1947-2006 when it ceased publication . . .
Examples of the evolution of the Seton Hall “Pirate” logo, c. 1960s-Present
As archival documentation shows, other examples go beyond Athletic Team representation alone to exhibit how the administration and all parts of the University adopted the nickname to coincide with various project designations and publication titles including the aforementioned Galleon (a term for a Pirate Ship), there are others like “Pirate Plank” (as in “Walking The . . . “ as a form of punishment, “Pirate Treasure” (the typical objective that Pirates sought), in other words from 1931 to the present-day, all aspects of University life have been touched by some degree of “Pirate” identification in some way either by exposure, extension, usage, naming opportunities, cheering, school spirit, along with other applications or allegories.
“Pirate” Mascot from the 1970s
Seton Hall University looks to navigate forward with the “Pirate” as its mascot now and well past its ninetieth anniversary. Many more “ahoys” will be heard on campus and beyond when it comes to praising Seton Hall in the following traditional manner . . . “Go Pirates!”
For more information on Seton Hall traditions and other aspects of school history please contact the University Archives by e-mail: archives@shu.edu or by phone at: (973) 275-2378.
Counted among the most important figures in the history of labor relations and human rights advocacy is Cesar Chavez whose legacy remains alive through continual study and application of his principles on behalf of the migrant farm community and other disenfranchised Latinos in particular. As part of an ambitious plan, Mr. Chavez founded the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) in order to bring awareness and advocate for fair working conditions, collective bargaining opportunities, competitive wages, and seeking fairness and respect for all farmers who were in need of support. The following highlights taken from the UFW biographical overview produced by the UFW provides a brief overview on the life and accomplishments of Mr. Chavez which would lead to his wide-spread appeal which became global including Seton Hall on a local level.
Flag and Symbol of the United Farm Workers
Biographical Sketch
Cesar Estrada Chavez (1927-1993) was born in the vicinity of Yuma, Arizona. In 1938, his family re-located to California where they briefly resided at the La Colonia Barrio in Oxnard prior to moving back and forth between his home state and California where the family settled in San Jose by June of 1939, but would soon live in a series of towns including Brawley, Atascadero, Gonzales, King City, Salinas, McFarland, Delano, Wasco, Selma, Kingsburg, and Mendota.
In addition to his moving from place to place, Mr. Chavez was discriminated against as a youth especially as a Latino who attended primarily English-language grade school where racist remarks, discriminatory practices, and the linguistic barrier led to an unbalanced experience in the classroom. Mr. Chavez made it through the eighth grade but dropped out to become a migrant farm worker during the 1930s through the early 1940s. Despite not having a formal education beyond middle school, Mr. Chavez was well-read and studied a vast range of subjects and believed that: “The end of all education should surely be service to others.” Counted among his early inspirations were St. Francis of Assisi and Mohandas Gandhi who both taught non-violence as a means of achieving justice for others.
By 1946, Mr. Chavez enlisted in United States Navy and served for two years prior becoming a civilian and at this time he married the former Ms. Helen Fabela and at first lived in Delano, California and together were parents to eight children over the course of their lives together.
Mr. Chavez became more interested and active in civil rights during the late 1940s and 1950s and offered to assist with voter registration as part of his local California-based Community Service Organization. From this starting point, he founded the National Farm Workers Association (later known as the UFW) in 1962. Counted among his co-founders and long-time allies were Ms. Dolores Huerta and his brother Mr. Richard Chavez. Their core group of supporters were grape farmers, but this soon spread to those who harvested other fruits and vegetables which resulted in 50,000 dues paying members by 1970.
As part of the La Causa “The Cause” movement, the most iconic and effective forms of non-violent resistance initiated by Mr. Chavez included the Delano Grape Strike (1965-70), a 340-mile March for Civil Rights from Delano to Sacramento (1966), and a number of fasts in protest of sub-standard worker conditions including those of: 25 days (1968), 24 days (1972), and 36 days (1988) for example. These demonstrations were also complimented by a number of product boycotts, picketing, and other means of non-violent protest to draw attention to those who were exposed to unfair treatment and in need not only vocal, but also legal and political support.
Mr. Chavez passed away near Salinas, California on April 23, 1993. It is estimated that this was the largest funeral conducted for any labor leader in United States history to date. The following year, Mr. Chavez was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his lifetime of advocacy work on behalf of others and as U..S. President Bill Clinton noted in the accompanying citation: “The farm workers who labored in the fields and yearned for respect and self-sufficiency pinned their hopes on this remarkable man who, with faith and discipline, soft spoken humility and amazing inner strength, led a very courageous life.”1
Newark Star-Ledger Article on the Symposium – November, 1974
Seton Hall Ties – Cesar Chavez & Dolores Huerta
The work of Mr. Chavez had been long known by those on the Seton Hall University campus through media reports that chronicled activities on the West Coast to a national audience including our student body, faculty, and administration. The Monsignor William Noé Field Archives & Special Collections Center has worked with the public on research projects related to the Latino community including primary source documentation connected to the Unanue Latino Institute and their celebration entitled: “The Catholic Symbolism of Cesar Chavez” in 2019. This which resulted in an overview of the event and connections that he and other members of the UFW had to Seton Hall was researched and written by Adam Varoqua. Counted among the main features that marked the connection between Mr. Chavez and our school go back to the founding date of the Puerto Rican Institute (now known as the Unanue Institute) in 1974.
By 1974, the first Seton Hall-sponsored Migrant Symposium was created through the efforts of University President Monsignor Thomas Fahy who was an active supporter of the UFW along with a variety of other social justice related issues. He noted that: We are happy to express solidarity with the aims of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers.” Monsignor Fahy also worked with Archbishop Peter Gerety and other clergy within the Archdiocese of Newark and across the region to help with advocacy on behalf of Mr. Chavez and his mission. Their work also extended to working with state legislators such as Assemblyman Byron Baer who introduced a bill to aid farmer workers in New Jersey later that year.2
Mr. Chavez invited to provide the keynote address, but due to medical issues could not attend. His proxy was Ms. Dolores Huerta who was also a top official within the UFW and was an honored guest then and also when revisiting campus in 2019 to discuss what progress had been made regarding the rights of Latinos and migrant famers over the last four decades since she last came to South Orange.
Catholic Advocate Article, November 14, 1974Catholic Advocate Article, November 14, 1974
Archival & Library Research Opportunities
Over the course of his life and into the present day, the work of Mr. Chavez has also been included as part of various History, Labor Studies, Diplomacy, and Latino-centered courses at Seton Hall. Interest continues not only in regard to the life and work of Cesar Chavez, but Dolores Huerta, UFW, and the Unanue Latino Institute at Seton Hall. Along with materials found in our Vertical Files, Office of Public Affairs Clipping Files, Setonian Newspaper, Seton Hall Yearbooks – https://scholarship.shu.edu/yearbooks/ and other resources found within our repository are available for research project consultation. Additionally, the following resources are available within the University Libraries and the Monsignor William Noé Field Archives & Special Collections for review.
Major Archival Collections
Office of the President & Chancellor of Seton Hall University: Thomas G. Fahy
Identifier:SHU-0003-015
Abstract
Thomas G. Fahy was the fifteenth President of Seton Hall University and oversaw significant physical growth as well as progress in equal access to education for minorities, improved governance, and student affairs during his tenure as president. The Office of the President and Chancellor: Thomas Fahy records include materials generated and gathered by Monsignor Fahy during his time as President of Seton Hall University.
Dates: 1970-1976
Link To Finding Aid: https://archivesspace library.shu.edu/repositories/2/resources/283
Chavez Literary Journals
(Named in honor of Cesar Chavez, but covering a wide range of Multi-Cultural subjects and themes)
Cover Art – Chavez, Literary Journal of Seton Hall University, Spring 2012
Chavez Literary Arts Magazine, 1998-2005
File — Box: 169
Scope and Contents note
Published by: Department of English at Seton Hall University
Original number: 1.191
For more information about our resources and to schedule an appointment to view our resources please feel free to contact us via e-mail: Archives@shu.edu or by phone at: (973) 761-9476.
Original artwork of the Seton Hall coat of arms, created by William F.J. Ryan.
For the 2020-2021 academic year, Walsh Library’s Special Collections and the Gallery has made a coloring book featuring images from the rare book and museum collections. Building on the IHS Library’s “Color our Collections” initiative, over the pandemic the department decided to make printed books so that the community would have a way to take the objects in the collections home with them, even when they could not see them in person.
Coloring can be a meditative experience that allows the mind to rest and reflect, shifting gears from the mode of understanding and deciding to a mode of experiencing and appreciating. In this form the collections can accompany Seton Hall students wherever their day takes them and allow them the time to really get to know what they offer.
Coloring books can be picked up on the first floor of Walsh Library, at the Gallery front desk.
As we reflect on the twentieth anniversary of the tragic events that occurred on September 11, 2001, the historical record is deep and reflects upon the many ranges of emotion for those who lived through that day and subsequent generations who are just now learning about its prevailing effects both past and present. When it comes to the legacy of 9-11 and learning more about the varied issues in published form that connect to this period, the educational benefit is considerable.
The Front page of The Setonian, 13 September 2001
Resources preserved inside the Monsignor William Noé Field Archives & Special Collections Center, the resources found mainly reflect on the student, alumni, and administrative perspective. For example, within the pages of The Setonian published right after 9-11 there are several articles that explore not only the basics of the attack on the World Trade Center, but also on a local level in salute to both the victims and heroes who had connections to the school. Additional articles appeared in the Seton Hall University Magazine and other communiqués produced campus-wide during this time and in subsequent years to mark the occasion.
Additional information can also be referenced within the many articles and books that have been penned about the subject found in our Rare Book and the University Libraries Main Collections. Special copies of the Thomas L. Friedman volume entitled: Longitudes and Attitudes: Exploring the World After September 11. (New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux, 2002) and Superpower Syndrome: America’s Apocalyptic Confrontation With the World. (New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press/Nation Books, 2003) are found in our Special Collections Center. Other volumes include a work by former Writer-In-Residence Anthony De Palma whose work” City of Dust: Illness, Arrogance, and 9/11. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT Press, 2011) is included with many other titles found via our SetonCat bibliographical system. Various print materials under the Library of Congress subject heading: “September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001” can be referenced via our homepage found within this site – https://library.shu.edu/home
When it comes to our Manuscript Collections, the Honorable Donald M. Payne Papers features a detailed file on September 11th from a U.S. Congressional standpoint. More information on the collection proper can be found via the following link – https://archivesspace-library.shu.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/34116 Other documentation and resources from different entities and Catholic New Jersey-centered outlets in particular are also available to our research community on many levels.
Memorial Cross and Register of Deceased from 9-11 located in front of Boland Hall, Seton Hall University
The Seton Hall University Homepage also includes a number of different resources that commemorate the aftermath of 9-11 over the past decades along with other significant pages that touch upon this anniversary. A corresponding list of individual site links can be found here – https://www.shu.edu/search.cfm?q=9%2F11#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=9%2F11&gsc.page=1
For more information related to any aspect related to 9-11 please feel free contact us via e-mail at: archives@shu.edu or by phone at: (973) 275-2378.
Walsh Gallery, on the first floor of Walsh Library
Starting in the Fall semester of 2021, the Archives and Gallery (Special Collections) will operate out of a single reception space at the front desk of Walsh Gallery. Visitors looking for both archival and museum materials, as well as individuals with appointments in the department, or researchers looking for rare books or Archdiocesan materials will come here to be directed to where they need to go.
The Archives Reading Room will remain open by appointment only. Researchers needing to consult with archival documents or view museum objects will be able to make an appointment to see materials. The Archives Reading Room will also continue to host classes incorporating archival materials. Additionally, events centered around Seton Hall’s museum and archives collections may take place in the Reading Room.
Welcome back to campus! We look forward to seeing you during the 2021-2022 academic year!
