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Top 10 Pacific Islands materials in the University of Iowa’s Special Collections and Archives

Cover of book showing carved wooden figure

The following is written by M Clark, instruction and reference graduate assistant for Special Collections and Archives

While Pacific Island cultural experiences are far and few in Iowa, Special Collections and Archives is the proud host of a number of rare and highly regarded publications by prolific Pacific Islander creators or about the rich histories and cultures of the islands. Here is a look at just 10 items from the collection you can come see.

Te Kuia me te Pungawerewere (The Kuia and the Spider) by Patricia Grace.

X-Collection FOLIO PZ5.G73 K853 1981

Patricia Grace’s Māori children’s book Te Kuia me te Pungawerewere (its English language version titled The Kuia and the Spider) is the tale of a Kuia, meaning elderly woman or grandmother in English, and a spider who share a kitchen and are in a constant playful argument of who is better than the other. Patricia Grace, a former school librarian herself, is a famed Māori writer of novels, short stories, and children’s books. The publication of this book in both English and te reo Māori, the Māori language in the 1980s was of immense importance to language revitalization efforts following the presentation of the Māori Language Petition in 1972 and the officialization of Māori Language Week in 1975. Te Kuia me te Pungawerewere was awarded New Zealand Picture Book of the year in 1982 and remains a beloved story by Māori educators and families.

Tongan Ngatu.

MsC 913

Ngatu, or ngatu hingoa, in the Tongan language refers to the elaborately decorated tapa bark cloth tapestries of Tongan cultural significance. The art of ngatu is made distinct through processes of dying, stamping, and hand painting the tapestries, though still similar to the artful practices using tapa bark cloth in other Polynesian islands. The ngatu held in Special Collections was likely created in the 1940s, during or after World War II, and includes illustrations of planes to commemorate the contribution of the Tongan Defense Force to the British war effort. The tapa, or bark cloth itself, is likely made from mulberry tree bark, commonly used in the Pacific for this exact craft. Illustrations and stamping was likely done with dyes made from saps of other native Tongan plant species, such as candlenut trees.

Roma Potiki by Roma Potiki.

X-Collection Folio PR9639.3.P59 R6 1996

Roma Potiki is a noteworthy contemporary Māori poet, playwright, and performer. Her self-titled collection of poetry explores themes and topics of nature, the human spirit, Māori womanhood, politicization, and the lasting effects of colonization. The poems in this limited collection were also published in her 1998 collection Shaking the Tree.

Death and the Tagua by Alistair Te Ariki Campbell.

X-Collection Folio PR9639.3.C275 D4 1995

Alistair Te Ariki Campbell is a famed New Zealand poet and playwright of Cook Islands Māori descent. This collection of poems, Death and the Tagua, is the artistic account of and response to Campbell’s own journey from Rarotonga in the Cook Islands to New Zealand via a Tagua sailing vessel, and the deaths of both of his parents in his early life.

Tapa: the bark paper of Samoa and Tonga by Lilian Bell & Ulista Brooks.

Smith Miniatures Collection TS1095.S36 B45 1979

Tapa is the bark paper or cloth of Polynesian islands including Samoa and Tonga, as specifically shown in this miniature book of paper samples. The bark of mulberry trees, among other plants, is processed into a fibrous paper that is often then ornately decorated with dyes for cultural customary or celebratory purposes. In Tongan culture, these decorated tapas are called ngatu, and in Samoan culture, called siapo.

Whanau by Witi Ihimaera.

X-Collection PZ5.I35 W43 1974

Whanau, meaning family in te reo Māori, is a story of just one day in the lives of a large family living in a rural Māori village, struggling with the loss of traditional values and ways of living due to colonial pressures. It is the second work published by Witi Ihimaera, who is considered one of if not the most influential Māori writer still today. He was the first Māori writer to ever publish both a novel and book of short stories. The story takes place in the small town of Waituhi, were Ihimaera himself was raised and inspired to become a writer after seeing the erasure or mischaracterization of Māori in literature in New Zealand and globally. Our copy is signed by Ihimaera, with a note to the book’s donor, Carmon Slater, that reads “To remind you of a wonderful partnership and warm time at Tokomaru Bay when we worked on improving the self image of Māori Children.”

Ethnic Foods of Hawai’i by Ann Kondo Corum

Szathmary Collection TX724.5 .H3 C68 1983

Ann Kondo Corum, formerly a school librarian in Honolulu, wrote and illustrated Ethnic Foods in Hawai’i to provide a sense of history and culture through the foods and cooking traditions of the now multi-racial state of Hawai’i. She saw a need for this during her time as a librarian, when students had trouble finding information about the foods and culinary customs of their peers. This cookbook dives into the history and popular traditional recipes of the major cultural groups on Hawai’i, including traditional Hawaiian and Samoan recipes, celebrations, and culinary customs.

Māori Legends illustrated by Manu Smith.

Smith Miniatures Collection GR375 .M36 1993

This miniature book is the illustrated telling of major Māori legends or oral histories, including those of Maui, Pania, and Rona, the woman who went up to the moon. Illustrations are done by Manu Smith, who is also known for having illustrated Māori legends series for New Zealand stamps and phone cards in the 1980s and early 2000s.

Standing Place by Fred Hagstrom.

X-Collection Oblong N7433.4.H25 S73 2012

Fred Hagstrom is an artist and professor emeritus of art and art history at Carleton College in Minnesota. Standing Place is an artistic telling of a story about shared culture and the soldiers of the Māori Battalion during World War II. This covers the story of Ned and Katina Nathan, who are also the focus of Patricia Grace’s book, Ned and Katina. In his artist statement on the piece, Hagstrom writes: “I take students to New Zealand every two years, and in doing that have made good friends at a Māori Marae, which is a tribal meetinghouse. This is the story of their parents. …They also founded the Marae that I visit. This book is made in the friendship I feel for this remarkable family.” The Marae in mention is the Matatina Marae at Waipoua. The kawai pattern on the book’s cover, titled Tatai Hono (the joining of lines of descent) was designed by Manos Nathan, son of Ned and Katina.

Francis Wherahiko Rawei, from the Redpath Chautauqua Bureau Records

MsC0150 Box 238, Box 272

Francis Rawei, also known by his former name Wherahiko Rawei or his stage name Dr. Rawei, was a Māori performer and educator of the early 20th century. Alongside his wife Hine Taimoa, a lecturer, harpist and singer herself, Rawei toured internationally lecturing, singing and storytelling about Māori history, life, and culture. Together they toured the United States and Canada on the Chautauqua circuit and lived briefly in Chicago before eventually returning to New Zealand.

Also worth mention are the many travel diaries and publications collated by some of the first foreign seamen to arrive in the South Pacific. I have intentionally not included any of these materials, as these diaries are predominantly accounts of travel to these islands with the goal of imperial conquest or religious purification of Indigenous Pacific Islanders, and unfortunately are not without deeply racist and offensive language. This undoubtedly makes these materials challenging to read and engage with, but the effects of colonialism and religious missionary efforts are very real and prominent parts of Pacific Islands history, as well as our present day. Their place in a rare book repository is just as important to the preservation of Pacific Islands history and culture as those included on this list.

Welcome Ursula Romero

Young woman with curly black hair and glasses smiles at camera while leaning on a card catalog

We are happy to welcome Ursula Romero as our new outreach and instruction librarian in Special Collections and Archives.

Originally from New Jersey, Ursula spent the last five years working as an outreach librarian at the Lilly Library at Indiana University. She earned her BA in media studies and a minor in international cinema from William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey. She went on to receive her MLIS at Pratt Institute in Manhattan, graduating in 2019.

Ursula says she’s looking forward to getting to know the collections here, as well as the people of Iowa City. “I’m also extremely excited to work with the Center for the Book and the other special collections on campus, and to just generally live in a place as bookish as Iowa City.”

As a librarian, Ursula loves meeting people and learning about their interests and finding ways to connect those interests to the collections.

“I feel very strongly that special collections are for absolutely everyone, and it is my mission to make everyone feel welcome here and be able to see themselves in our collections, especially groups who have been historically marginalized or overlooked,” she says, “I love teaching classes or hosting events where visitors are able to interact with the materials and feel a connection to the past and an ownership of our shared cultural heritage.”

When not working, Ursula loves to be watching movies, especially horror/cult/avant-garde/independent films. She hasn’t been here a full month and has already been to FilmScene six times! She also has a love of reading and science fiction, crochet and embroidery, hanging out with her two perfect cats (Zefram and Thisbe), and seeing live music.

Welcome Ursula!

Welcome Rachel Romero

We are excited to welcome Rachel Romero as our new collections archivist in Special Collections and Archives.

Originally from Chicago, Rachel received her MLIS with a special collections certificate in May 2024 and her BA in English from the University of Iowa. Previously, Rachel was a graduate processing assistant in Special Collections and Archives, where she worked on the Estera Milman and Stephen Foster papers. She brings a strong background of public services after 13 years at the Drake Community Library in Grinnell, Iowa, where she filled multiple roles, the latest one being a library assistant.

Rachel is looking forward to cultivating her archival skills, especially with arranging and describing analog and born-digital materials. She also looks forward to collaborating with her coworkers to “increase discoverability of collections and highlighting marginalized communities through accessioning and processing work.”

As an archivist, she states that she enjoys diving “into interesting collections and getting to know their creators. My first collection was so fascinating and off the wall at times that I’ve been hooked ever since!”

When not at work, Rachel enjoys painting, reading, and visiting a good farmers’ market.

Exploring the Legacy of PAN: A jewel in the crown of German Art Nouveau

Various colored paper covers of PAN Magazine, all featuring a close up look at the god Pan

The following is written by M Clark, instruction and reference graduate assistant of Special Collections and Archives

In the blossoming world of the international Art Nouveau movement of the late 1800s, German artists were carving their own unique path that reverberated across Europe. At the heart of this movement stood publications such as PAN, a Berlin-based art magazine that epitomized the era’s youthful spirit and desire to overcome historicism and the endless copying of other art styles. From its inception in 1895 to its culmination in 1915, PAN’s journey mirrored the evolution of German Art Nouveau, capturing the essence of a fleeting yet transformative period in art history.

The international Art Nouveau movement, coming from the French meaning “new art,” began in western Europe as a reaction against academicism, historicism, and neo-classism of the 19th century. A refusal of the official art and architecture academies and their teachings led to a movement with the goal to make art that would not only belong in the museum, but art for the people. Art Nouveau took inspiration from the British Aestheticism movement of the same time period, and its underlying focus on the production of ‘art for art’s sake’. The art, architecture, and applied or decorative art styles birthed by Art Nouveau were often inspired by natural forms and movement, the earlier years of the movement being inspired by the British Modern Style and Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, and the later years being inspired by Secessionism, Abstraction, and the combination of floral decoration with geometric forms.

“Heimweh” (Homesick). PAN Volume 1, Issue 5.

Across Europe, distinct regional sects of Art Nouveau emerged, each reflecting nuanced variations in artistic expression and cultural influences. Germany, in the center of Europe, saw its own unique impacts and shifts brought by regional aesthetics. The German counterpart to Art Nouveau came to be called Jugendstil, translating to “the style of Jugend,” or “youth style”, ultimately being named after the Munich Secession art publication, Jugend. It’s symbol was the swan, inspired by the creature’s prevalence in Japanese art. August Endell, an eventual editor of PAN and major Jugendstil decorative arts figure is quoted having said on behalf of Jugendstil artists, “we are on the threshold of not only a new style, but also the new development of a completely new art; the art of applying forms of nothing insignificant, not representing anything, and not resembling anything.” Jugendstil is claimed to have been launched by the sculptor Hermann Obstrist in Munich in the 1890s, whose art was motivated by visions of architecture and design ‘in motion’.

Illustration of swans by Richard Grimm-Sachsenberg. PAN Volume 3, Issue 3.

“Das Selige Fräulein” (The Blessed Woman) by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. *PAN* Volume 1, Issue 2.

The birth of Jugendstil is attributed to four different major cities in Germany – Munich, Berlin, Karlsruhe, Dresden – each having contributed uniquely to the whole of the German Art Nouveau movement. From the art and artists of these cities came key art publications such as Jugend and Simpiclissmus out of Munich, and PAN out of Berlin. The goal of these magazines was to make accessible new art, creative writing and cultural commentary to the newly literature public of the late 19th century. These magazines, as vessels of the larger art movement, rejuvenated people’s interest in art and design.

Founded by Richard Dehmel, Otto Julius Bierbaum, and Julius Meier-Graefe in Berlin in 1895, PAN was more than just an arts publication. With its name drawn from the Greek god associated with fertility and creativity, and the Greek word meaning “all”, PAN symbolized an emergent vision of artistry that was being led and shaped by a collective. Published in Berlin at the height of Art Nouveau by the artists, writers, and designers of the PAN Co-operative made themselves unique from other German artist publications through its frivolous and decadent production. PAN was the most expensive artistic magazine of its time, with its standard monthly subscription costing 75 Reichsmarks, or RM (308 USD in 2024). Compare this to Jugend’s monthly 24 RM (123 USD in 2024). Subscriptions to PAN were offered in three tiers: standard, printed via copper plate on what was likely wood pulp paper; luxury, printed onto imperial handmade paper; and the artist’s edition, which were luxury edition magazines that included additional original art on various expensive papers, which were only available for purchase to members of the PAN Co-operative for 300 RM (3,116 USD in 2024).

This tiered system, as well as the emphasis on returning attention to the artist collective that made the magazine possible, gave PAN its reputation as one of the most exclusive periodicals ever published in Germany. In contradiction to these high costs and marketing towards an elite clientele, PAN’s publishers claimed to be disinterested in financial gain, and instead intended the goal of the magazine to uplift young artists. Artists who grew noteworthy through their participation include Franz Stuck, Peter Behrens, Otto Eckman, and many others. The magazine sought to show the best of the best in terms of contemporary art, architecture, writing, and social commentary, showing no preference to any particular school or movement of art. Most notably this included pan-European expressionist and naturalist art, and stories and poems from western Europe, predominantly Germany, France, and England.

“Nachtreiher” (Night Heron) colored original woodcut by Otto Eckmann. *PAN* Volume 2, Issue 3.

However, PAN’s lack of a clearly defined style and breadth of published mediums can be attributed to the magazine’s eventual downfall, alongside its high turnover of editorial leadership. Since its first volume in 1895, the editors of PAN struggled with establishing consistency in both the content and release of published issues. The magazine’s first volume included five issues published monthly, which would be changed to four issues published quarterly for the magazine’s remaining volumes. The earliest issues of PAN show the changing trajectory in the choice of paper, cover art, and balance between art and writing. Later issues reveal attempts to highlight singular artists at a time and the inclusion of a routine “Rundschau”, or review.

This inability to establish a clear direction for the future trajectory of the magazine was intensified by its unique phases under different editors. By 1900, production of PAN had stopped, and artists began emphasizing simplistic design. In 1910, the magazine experienced a brief resurrection with German art dealer Paul Cassirer stepping in as editor. Cassirer, a leading promoter of the Berlin Secession and Impressionist art movements, revived PAN in an effort to bring heightened attention to Berlin Secession art and writing and the criticism of restrictions imposed on German artists by Kaiser Wilhelm II. The magazine would stop being published in 1915.

Original Lithography by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. PAN Volume 1, Issue 3.

Despite its short but intense history, PAN magazine culminated to five volumes, totaling 21 issues and 225 published artistic supplements, original or otherwise. Between the three different tiers of quality available, likely 1200-1600 copies of each issue were published, the fewest of course being the artist’s editions. Rare as they have become, the University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives is the proud host of a near complete collection of artist-edition PAN magazines that are available for patron use. Discover which ones we have in our catalog and come view them in our reading room here at the Main Library.

Sources:

“Art Nouveau.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Apr. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau. Accessed 20 May 2024.

“Jugendstil.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 May 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jugendstil. Accessed 20 May 2024. PAN – Digitized, www.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/Englisch/helios/fachinfo/www/kunst/digilit/artjournals/pan.html. Accessed 20 May 2024.

“Pan (Magazine).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Apr. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_(magazine). Accessed 20 May 2024.

“PAN in an International Perspective.” PAN in an International Perspective | Driehaus Museum, driehausmuseum.org/blog/view/pan-in-an-international-perspective. Accessed 20 May 2024.

Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, wcmfa.org/from-the-pages-of-pan-art-nouveau-prints-1895%E2%80%921900/. Accessed 20 May 2024.

Dada collection grows

The following is written by Tim Shipe, curator of the International Dada Archive

Two recent acquisitions by the International Dada Archive illustrate the diversity of Dada and its connection with the developing Central and Eastern European Constructivist movement of the 1920s.

Veshch Gegenstand Objet

With its trilingual title and multilingual content, Veshch Gegenstand Objet is, essentially, a migrant publication, representing the presence of 300,000 Russian emigrés (both White and Red) in Berlin in the 1920s and their interaction with German and Central European avant-garde artists and writers, especially the Berlin dadaists. Edited by the Russian artist El Lissitzky, Veshch displays the sort of radical typography that remained popular in the early years of the Russian Revolution until Stalin crushed the avant-garde arts in the new Soviet Union. With three of the four issues published, Iowa now has the most nearly complete run of Veshch in North America.

Anleitung zum Unterricht im Zeichnen für textile Berufe

One of the founding members of the Dada movement in Zurich, and best known for her geometric paintings and puppets, Sophie Taeuber-Arp’s educational background was in the “practical” or “domestic” arts. Women dadaists like Taeuber-Arp and her similarly educated Berlin counterpart Hannah Höch raise serious questions concerning the place of stereotypically female endeavors like fabric arts in the context of the interwar avant-garde. Taeuber-Arp’s Anleitung zum Unterricht im Zeichnen für textile Berufe (Guide to instruction in drawing for textile professions) was published in 1927 by the Trade School of the City of Zurich. The color samples Taeuber-Arp created for this instruction manual are clearly reminiscent of her better-known abstract paintings and her costume and puppet designs for Dada’s Cabaret Voltaire. Iowa has the only known copy of this significant work in the U.S.

Buttons, Buttons, Buttons!

The following is written by Academic Outreach Coordinator Kathryn Reuter

On a college campus, chances are high that you will encounter at least one button during the course of your day. Pin back buttons – sometimes called “badges” – have long decorated the tote bags, backpacks, sweaters, and jackets of university students. Buttons proclaim allegiance to a politician, to a band, or to a cause. They can commemorate an event and serve as a handy collectable souvenir.

The pin-back button as we know it today was first patented in 1896 and was manufactured by the Whitehead & Hoag Company, a business based in Newark, New Jersey. While there are earlier surviving examples of slogans and images on wearable medallions and badges (like this 1860 Presidential campaign button for Abraham Lincoln), the 1896 patent included two key innovations: a transparent cover of celluloid to protect the button design and a metal pin on the back to act as a fastener. The essential components of this 1896 design have endured to the present day, although most buttons now have a closed pin in the back to prevent pokes – and the plastic covers are made from mylar, not celluloid. A number of pin-back buttons are tucked away in different archival collections here at the University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives. Representing events and issues from over twelve decades, these buttons speak to the age-old appeal of this simple object.

Before the Button – Some History:

Before the Whitehead & Hoag company began producing pin-back buttons as a standalone product, they used celluloid badges as an element of their popular ribbon badges. An example of a ribbon badge can be seen here in Figure 1.

Fig. 1 “Masonic Lodge Souvenirs” from the John Springer Printing Ephemera Collection MsC 0202

This ribbon badge is from 1894 and is preserved (along with many other ribbons and buttons) in the John Springer Printing Ephemera Collection. This ribbon was manufactured by Whitehead & Hoag for the 25th Annual Session of the Le Mars, Iowa Knights of Pythias organization. As it predates the 1896 patent, the button has no pin backing but dangles from the ribbon, the whole ensemble designed to be fastened from the gold top onto a lapel.

Fig. 2 “Volunteer Fire Dept. Conventions” from the John Springer Printing Ephemera Collection MsC 0202

Also in the John Springer Printing Ephemera Collection is an envelope from the Whitehead & Hoag Company. This envelope describes the firm as “Makers of Ribbon, Metal, Celluloid & Enamel Ivory Badges”. The illustration on the envelope shows several ribbon badges, and the reverse of the envelope notes the design for this “Tension Envelope” was patented March 13th, 1883. This envelope is remarkable because it shows the Whitehead & Hoag Company branching out into different materials for their badges, but still primarily selling ribbons.

From Ribbons to Buttons:

In 1896 the pin-back button became a smashing success and quickly outpaced ribbon badges as the main product for the Whitehead & Hoag Company. From the start, people pinned buttons onto their hats and their clothes – and the buttons, well, they stuck! As Christen Carter and Ted Hake, the authors of Button Power: 125 Years of Saying It with Buttons, write: “[Whitehead & Hoag] succeeded in producing a low-cost, wearable, and visually appealing mass-produced novelty.” Not only did the button find fast success with businesses wishing to advertise their products and services, but they were immediately leveraged in political campaigns. Carter and Hake explain: “(the button) …debuted just a few months prior to the 1896 presidential nominating conventions and November’s election day; W&H created over two thousand distinct button designs for (presidential candidates) McKinley and Bryan.” Seen here are a number of campaign buttons from the John Springer Printing Ephemera Collection:

Fig. 3 “Unidentified Buttons” from the John Springer Printing Ephemera Collection MsC 0202

Competing firms soon began producing their own buttons – either by licensing the Whitehead & Hoag patent or by making slight modifications to the design. Another unique piece of button business ephemera in our collections is a price guide and product sample set from the St. Louis Button Co. The advertisement reads:

“SPECIAL DESIGN CELLULOID BUTTONS

With Pin Backs

PRICES IN EFFECT MAY 21st, 1923

Celluloid Buttons with your very own special design in one or more colors can be furnished at very low prices. Send us a description or a sketch of what you want and we will understand your requirements and will be able to arrange your wording and the design so as to please you.”

This advertisement was mailed to the Redpath Lyceum Bureau in 1925 as an appeal to order buttons through the St. Louis Button Company. Now over 100 years old, the sample buttons that were mailed out are still vibrantly colored and very well-preserved.

Fig. 4 “St. Louis Button Co.” from the Redpath Chautauqua Collection MsC 0150, Series V Business Files

Also in good shape considering its age is this button from the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha. The exposition apparently featured an Ostrich Farm!

Fig. 5 “Expositions” from the John Springer Printing Ephemera Collection MsC 0202

In addition to serving as campaign materials and souvenirs, buttons became a way to display allegiance to a fandom or to signal your taste in music. In the Lynda Mendoza Collection of David McCallum Memorabilia, there are a number of buttons from the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Fig. 6 “Buttons and Pins” from the Lynda Mendoza Collection of David McCallum Memorabilia MsC 0895

And from the same collection is a “Listen to this Button” button (a promotional item for John Lennon’s 1974 album Walls and Bridges) and a “Long Live the Beatles Fan Club” button, which has a manufacturing mark from the Asco Company of Winona, Minnesota.

Fig. 7 “Listen to this Button” and “Long Live the Beatles Fan Club” Button the Lynda Mendoza Collection of David McCallum Memorabilia MsC 0895

Buttons also appeared across university campuses pledging school spirit – and a number of University of Iowa branded buttons exist in our collections. Seen here is a button from Iowa’s 1930 Homecoming, as preserved by State University of Iowa student Frances Louise Fourt, who pinned it in her scrapbook along with football game ticket stubs.

Fig. 8 Scrapbook, Frances Louise Fourt Papers. RG 02.0009.008

Today, you can order buttons in bulk through a number of online vendors – or, you can make your own bespoke buttons if you have access to a button maker. Preserved in the Iowa Women’s Archives is the Unbuttoning Feminism collection (IWA 0977), a collection of buttons made by University of Iowa students in the spring of 2013 at button-making workshops at the Women’s Resource and Action Center.

If you enjoyed this look into button history and are inspired to give button making a try, come join Special Collections and Archives and the Art Library in Study Break: Button & Collage Making, a free activity on Monday, October 16th, 2023! The event will be held at the Iowa Memorial Union, First Floor Info Table (by Hubbard Commons) 1:00PM – 3:00PM.

References:

Carter, Christen and Hake, Theodore. Button Power: 125 Years of Saying It with Buttons. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2021.

10 Ye Old Banned Books

The following is written by SLIS graduate student Madison Knupp

From October 1st through October 7th, the American Library Association (ALA) is celebrating Banned Books Week. The ALA first started Banned Books Week in 1982 due to a rise in book banning. However, the practice of book banning is not a new concept and has a long history.

There are many books in Special Collections and Archives that have been challenged or banned historically from various corners of the world, including the 10 below.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

1886 copy of Alice in Wonderland, bound in a red cover with gilt pages

While Alice in Wonderland is now considered a classic by book and movie lovers alike, it has been challenged and banned several times throughout the world. In 1900, a U.S. school banned the book for obscene language, sexual themes, and disrespecting authority figures. Sometime around 1930, it was banned in the Hunan Province of China because the governor believed that animals speaking human language was harmful for society. The book and Disney’s 1951 movie adaptation also received criticism due to the belief that it was portraying the use of hallucinogenic drugs. Despite the bans, Alice in Wonderland has inspired several films, plays, songs and much more in pop culture.

Ulysses by James Joyce

First edition copy of Ulysses, number 412 out of 1000

Ulysses has been banned in several countries, including the United States, England, and Australia due to sexually explicit scenes portrayed in the story. First published in 1920, Ulysses was seen as incredibly obscene and was a massive target of censorship throughout the first half of the 1900s. Areas in the United States, Ireland, and Canada even burned the book. Even with many campaigns to censor this book, it continued to draw readers and praise from literary critics. It’s even been called “the most prominent landmark in modernist literature” by the New York Times.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

First edition copy of the English translation of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank’s diary is a view into the life of a young Jewish girl living in Nazi Germany. It documents her life in hiding, before her and her family were caught and sent to a concentration camp where she would be killed. Her diary was published by her father in 1947, and while many believe it is a necessary book to be on library shelves, it has faced several challenges. Common reasons for the challenge of this book include the tragic events of her life and the topic of puberty. One challenge from an Alabama school in 1983 claimed that the book should be banned because it was “a real downer.” Anne’s diary, however, has impacted readers all around the world, being translated into 70 languages.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from 1885 which includes 174 illustrations

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was banned by many starting from the year it was printed in 1885, attacked because of language and rude nature of the main character. Huckleberry Finn was accused of setting a bad example for young readers with its “inappropriate” narrative. It was also challenged in the early 20th century for depicting a friendship between a white boy and a Black man. Today, however, the book is often challenged because of it is seen as containing racist content.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Privately printed copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. There are only 250 copies of this edition

The Tale of Peter Rabbit is a children’s classic that is loved by many. In the 1980s, however, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, as well as Benjamin Bunny, was banned by London schools for only portraying “middle-class rabbits.” These rabbits were seen as having too much privilege according to its critics. Peter and his friends, however, have been translated into several languages, featured on TV and in film, and have become one of the biggest literature-based licensing organizations of its day.

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman released Leaves of Grass in 1855 and would continue editing and expanding the book of poetry until his death in 1892. This work created an uproar with many readers due to the sexual nature and celebration of sensual pleasures discussed in many of the poems. Whitman was even fired from his job at the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. as a result of his boss finding a copy of the book on Whitman’s desk. Though controversial, even up to and after Whitman’s death, Leaves of Grass has entered popular culture, and is now often considered by scholars as a cornerstone in American poetry.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhourse-Five has faced several bans and challenges since being published in 1969, not to mention a history of even being burned. Much of the controversy around the book has been due to offensive language, sexual scenes, and violence. Many of those who challenge the book thought the book promoted deviance and needed to be kept away from younger readers. Considered Vonnegut’s most iconic work, this banned book has sold over 800,000 copies and is considered one of the best antiwar novels by many critics.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway

Hemingway is no stranger having his work banned, facing international book bans for many of his works throughout the 20th century. Some schools went as far to ban all of his books, while others took specific titles off the shelves. The Sun Also Rises was often banned due to foul language and sexual themes. The book, however, was incredibly popular with readers in the latter half of the 20th century. It was also Hemingway’s first book, and it certainly made the author famous.

Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species angered many people and faced extensive banning throughout the UK and the U.S., as well as Greece and former Yugoslavia. In Tennessee the book was banned from schools, along with the teaching of evolution as a whole from 1925 to 1967. Despite the bans, Origin of Species is still considered to be a highly influential book that changed the study of biology.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H.Lawrence

Privately printed copy from 1928, number 546 our of 1000 and signed by the author

Lady Chatterley’s Lover was considered obscene because of its explicit sex scenes and language. In 1960, the popular publishing company Penguin Books was prosecuted for publishing it. However, Penguin Books won the case and was allowed to continue publishing the book in England. The court case cased such a stir that Penguin Books actually sold over three million copies of the book after the trial to readers eager to see what had caused all the trouble.

10 Adolescent books to read at Special Collections & Archives

The following is written by Olson Graduate Research Assistant Kaylee Swinford

Recognized as a powerful force, the Young Adult genre of fiction has taken the literary world by storm. With cultural phenomena like Twilight, The Hunger Games, and almost any book by John Green, it is difficult to imagine a time when there wasn’t YA. Developing near the mid-20th century, adolescent fiction originally primarily consisted of “problem novels”, sports, and romance. It would not be long, though, before innovation and experimentation worked its way into the genre with authors such as S.E. Hinton and her novel, The Outsiders. These novels dove into the mature, contemplative, and serious themes of youth.

A transformative genre, Young Adult fiction has found itself welcoming all sorts of writing that perhaps wouldn’t have been welcomed elsewhere. Here, writers explore fantasy, sci-fi, romance, horror, and more; sometimes all in the same book! The beauty of the genre is the knack for connecting to realistic themes, emotions, and tackling difficult problems. Here readers can often find relatable protagonists going through tribulations of their own, often overcoming these obstacles. Though once minimized by many, the YA genre is certainly not one to be dismissed.

Highlighted are 10 adolescent novels from our collection. Spanning over 80 years, each novel gives us a glimpse of popular reading at the time. Even though these books focused on pertinent issues of their day and age, they still portray emotions, experiences, and similar conflicts that are important to the youth of today.

1. A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter (PZ5.A365 L3 1928)

Born in Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1881 to pioneering parents, Bess Streeter found herself writing stories of the Heartland and pioneer history, reflecting on the environment of her childhood.A Lantern in Her Hand follows protagonist Abbie Deal (modeled after Bess’ mother) who travels by covered wagon to the Midwest. Wildly popular with teenagers, Bess Streeter’s books excelled at conveying strength in everyday things and portraying an accurate depiction of early frontier life.

2.Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume (PZ5.B6314 T5 1981)

Beloved author Judy Blume is a household name with the ever-timely novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Blume excels at touching on themes young adults and children can relate to, with Tiger Eyes being a moving example. Reflecting on the death of her father, Judy poured her emotions into protagonist Davey, who also loses her father in a violent attack at a gas station in Atlantic City. Frequently challenged and even banned for teenage depression, mild sex attitudes, religious debates, and underage drinking, Judy affirms the importance of writing realistic experiences for teenagers and the value of writing honestly. Though faced with challenges, Tiger Eyes resonated with many adolescents, including Judy’s son, prompting him to write a screenplay with his mother and make a film released in 2013.

3. Bonnie Jo, Go Home by Jeannette Eyerly (PZ5.E98 B65 1972)

Acclaimed for her sensitivity, Jeannette Eyerly solidifies herself as a pioneer in dealing with controversial topics in novels with sympathy and understanding. Bonnie Jo, Go Home follows the pregnant, sixteen-year-old titular character on a trip to New York City seeking an abortion. According to Roger Sutton, editor in chief of Horn Book Publications, despite the apprehension and attempts at challenging the novel, this story proved to be an example of what “teenage girls were actually reading, despite what their teachers said.”

4. Breaktime by Aidan Chambers (PZ5.C375 B7 1978)

Breaktime centers on protagonist Ditto on a journey to sort out his life. Literature obsessed, Ditto is searching for meaning and connection between the fiction he reads to the life he sees. Breaktime has been heralded for its use of postmodernist conventions that are approachable to a young adult audience.

5. Daughters of Eve by Lois Duncan (PZ5.D912 D3 1979)

Dubbed the “Queen of Teen Thrillers”, Lois Duncan is considered a pioneering figure in YA fiction, particularly in genres of horror, thriller, and suspense. One shining example of this can be found in, Daughters of Eve. This novel centers on a group of high school girls in a small town who are convinced by a teacher that the men in their life are oppressing them, and they should seek vengeance. Due to themes of sexual assault, feminism, and domestic violence, this book was banned in several states.

6. Claire Ambler by Booth Tarkington (PZ5.T1755 C44 1928)

Known for depicting characters living a carefree bliss, Booth Tarkington’s Claire Ambler follows the titular character through her life as a flapper girl from her teens to her mid-twenties in the “Roaring Twenties”. A 1928 Atlantic Monthly review from R.M. Gay suggests Booth has “never written better” and “never with such precision” than in Claire Ambler.

7. Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster (PZ5.W377 D3 1912)

The widely adapted novel, Daddy Long Legs follows Jerusha “Judy” Abbott as she leaves an orphanage and is sent to college by a benefactor whom she has never seen. Though predating the adolescent fiction genre, Webster’s 1912 novel was considered a “college girl” book, a type of novel featuring a young protagonist dealing with post-high-school concerns like college, career, and marriage. The story has been adapted into stage musicals, countless films from around the world, and even an anime serial.

8. A Separate Peace by John Knowles (PZ5.K757 S4 1960a)

In this American classic, John Knowles explores the darker side of adolescence and loss of innocence for the central character, Phineas, during his time at boarding school. Set against the backdrop of World War II, themes of morality, patriotism, and trauma are explored, heralding this novel as significant for adolescents and one certainly worth reading.

9. Miriam by Aimée Sommerfelt, translated by Pat Shaw Iversen (PZ5.S6956 M5713 1963)

Aimée Sommerfelt was a Norwegian writer concerned with social justice, often placing protagonists in difficult circumstances and settings, like poverty and wartime. The novel Miriam centers on two teen girls living in Nazi-occupied Norway during World War II. Throughout the novel they are forced to face the reality of prejudice and the impacts it can have on those in a variety of circumstances.

10. Face the Dragon by Joyce Sweeney (PZ5.S975 F33 1992)

I will admit, I wanted to feature this book primarily for the cover – though after looking into it, a protagonist who is influenced by Beowulf really sealed the deal. Eric is struggling in high school; the pressures of relationships and academics are crushing him. Reminded of the heroic poem Beowulf, Eric learns to “face the dragon,” his arrogant debate teacher, Mr. Drake. Author Joyce Sweeney, a prior teacher of 20 years, was encouraged to write stories for kids and teens with themes they can actually relate to. Marking it as a representative novel for youth, Face the Dragon touches on topics like queer identity, disordered eating, and ableism.

Come check out these and other YA books at Special Collections & Archives!

Beauty in Breathing: An Exhibit

The following was written by Rich Dana, Sackner Archive Project Coordinator

Marvin and Ruth Sackner were the world’s foremost collectors of “visual poetry,” artwork that combines visual elements and text. Dr. Sackner was also an internationally respected pulmonologist and inventor of many medical devices. In 1992, the Sackners created a unique exhibition of work by an international selection of artists entitled The Beauty in Breathing, as a special event at the annual meeting of The American Lung Association & American Thoracic Society.

Visual poetry is, among many things, the depiction of the sounds made by the air moving from our lungs and across our vocal cords. It’s not surprising then, that breath is one of the common themes found in the Sackner’s vast collection of artists’ books, images, and 3D objects.

“It was a scientific meeting,” recalled Dr. Sackner in a previous interview. “And in the middle of it, here is this exhibition. A lot of people got exposed to ‘art and poetry’ for the first time. It was really great fun to observe them. A lot of doctors aren’t necessarily art-inclined, but here, over a thousand people got to see this exhibit over a three-day period.”

Presented in the UIHC exhibit is a small selection of the 167 works included in The Beauty in Breathing show, but the other works, along with copies of the exhibit catalog, original photographs from the event, and the Sackners’ curatorial records are all part of Dr. Sackner’s donation to the University of Iowa Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives.

“Concrete Poetry conveys a visual image to the reader through the arrangement of words or typefaces on the page; there may or may not be additional meanings to the poem in the abstract sense which relate to its content as in a conventional poem. Visual poetry is a form of concrete poetry that integrates visual imagery with the text.” —Dr. Marvin Sackner

The Beauty in Breathing: Selections from The Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry will be on display through this fall through January 24th at the UIHC John Colloton Pavillion, located on the 6th floor, as part of their Project Art initiative. The exhibit is curated by Rich Dana, Sackner Archive Project Coordinator.

Welcome Rachel Poppen, new collections archivist

Rachel, a young woman with long blonde hair, stands in front of grey hollinger boxes

We are pleased to welcome Rachel Poppen as our new collections archivist in Special Collections and Archives.

Rachel joined the department in mid-July. Raised in Sibley, Iowa, Rachel received her Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish from the University of Iowa. She then went on to receive her Master of Science in Information Science from the University of Texas at Austin in spring 2023. Rachel is already busy digging into the University Archives.

When asked about what excites her about this position Rachel stated, “I am looking forward to interacting with the history of the University and helping preserve the historic events happening now for future generations.” As an archivist, she looks forward to connecting people and records of the past to people looking for information in the present.

When away from work, Rachel enjoys exploring state and national parks, cooking new recipes (she’s going to love our Szathmary collection), and solving puzzles.