HU Library Acquires Two Valuable Collections

Hampton, VA - Hampton University recently received two collections by gift to the William R. and Norma B. Harvey Library. The Tom Feelings and the John Gunther collections will soon be available for research and casual reading at the Harvey Library.

Named after the famous African-American illustrator, the Tom Feelings Collection features a plethora of books. "This donation includes a great deal of beautiful and scarce material. It is actually the biggest gift that I have handled in 20 years as a librarian," said Alfred Willis, the assistant director for collection development at the Harvey library.

The collection features between 5,000 and 6,000 volumes on African-American art and history together with many works of adult and juvenile literature. It also includes some notable examples of fine printing. The collection was donated by the Feelings family out of the estate of the late Tom Feelings. The family, looking for an institution that would utilize the collection to its full potential, was contacted by Charles Blockson of Temple University, who suggested that the Harvey Library was a repository of black art.

"This gift nearly doubles our annual rate of acquisition through purchase and I would expect the university to catalog it over the course of the year," said Willis. The material will be split between the Peabody collection, a special collection supporting the study of African-American history and culture as well as the circulating stacks, juvenile collection, the reference department, and the audiovisual collection.

The late John Gunther, one of America's most distinguished journalists, was famous for his series of Inside books, which detailed profiles of their respective countries and continents. His 1955 publication, Inside Africa featured an in-depth look at the continent. Gunther used the 349 books, pamphlets, and maps donated for research to write this book. The collection was donated because Jane Gunther, the author's widow, wanted to see the material preserved at a university that was interested in African history.

According to Willis, "this collection is significant not only because it provides documentation of the work habits of Mr. Gunther, but also because it provides us with a snapshot of Africa in the late colonial period."

The collection features information on nearly every country and colony across the continent and includes biographical and historical books, government documents and cultural books. A notable inclusion is a copy of African Journey, a 1945 travel account by Eslanda Goode Robeson, the wife of Paul Robeson. The entire collection will be placed in the Peabody Collection.