The CA’S archives find new home at the University of Memphis
The Commercial Appeal’s archives, including hundreds of thousands of photographs documenting some of the most consequential moments in the region’s history, have a new home at The University of Memphis.
The 178-year-old newspaper, which is leaving its building on Union Avenue next month for a Downtown Memphis office, donated its archive of photo negatives, prints and newspaper clippings to the university.
The two organizations announced the donation during a ceremony at the university on March 12. The archives will be part of a special collection in the Ned R. Mcwherter Library.
University of Memphis President M. David Rudd said the donation was a chance to make the city’s history accessible to the public.
“It is great for this university, and specifically for the library, to be a part of the chronicling and honoring of that history,” Rudd said. “And it is a fascinating history for this great city. So we’re thrilled to be a part of it.” Pieces of the archive, including the front pages when Martin Luther King Jr. and Elvis Presley died in Memphis, were on display next to the podium in the library rotunda.
“What you see in front of you here are snapshots of that history,” CA Executive Editor Mark Russell said.
Most of the archive comes from the 1920s through 1990s.
Through the archives, Russell said, Memphians can read the “first draft of history” of the efforts to integrate schools and the sanitation workers’ strike that brought King to Memphis.
“You’ll also see other stories about the social fabric of this region,” Russell said.
The newspaper will maintain its microfilm and digital archives for use by reporters.
The CA is moving its offices to the the third floor of the Pembroke Square at Peabody Place in April.
University Provost Tom Nenon said the archive will be available to students, researchers and the public.
“We will make this accessible to others who can take an independent, critical look at our history,” Nenon said.
The archive is available for viewing now. Requests for documents can be submitted to lib_sc@memphis.edu.
Reach Jennifer Pignolet at jennifer. pignolet@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @Jenpignolet.