Library. Great American Documents Exhibit. Exhibit publicity records. 1947-1950.
Finding aid prepared by University Archives staff, 1996 September; finding aid revised by Katharine A. Lawrie, 2014 April;
machine-readable finding aid created by Katharine A. Lawrie, 2014 April.
UCLA Library Special Collections
©1996 September
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1575
(310) 825-4988
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Title: Library. Great American Documents Exhibit. Exhibit publicity records.
Identifier/Call Number: University Archives Record Series 475
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
0.4 linear ft.
(1 box)
Date: 1947-1950
Abstract: Record Series 475 contains exhibit publicity records of the 1949 Great American Documents exhibit at the UCLA Library.
creator:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library Special
Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Copyright of portions of this collection has been assigned to The Regents of the University of California. The UCLA University
Archives can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the copyright. All requests for permission to publish
or quote must be submitted in writing to the UCLA University Archivist.
[Identification of item], Library. Great American Documents Exhibit. Exhibit publicity records (University Archives Record
Series 475). UCLA Library Special Collections, University Archives.
The Great American Documents exhibit was arranged by University of California, Los Angeles Librarian Lawrence Clark Powell,
and was based on a 1948 touring exhibit entitled "Freedom Train." The exhibit contained over 100 items of historical Americana
from the private collection of Philip H. Rosenbach and A.S.W. Rosenbach.
Items were on display in a guarded and specially remodeled room of what is now the Powell Library. Some of the items on display
included the Barnaldez Cedex (a 1508 chronicle of Columbus' voyages), the first letter sent from America in 1512, the Bay
Psalm Book (the first book printed by American colonists), sketches made by George Washington, letters written by Washington
and Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln's war letters, a blood-stained Ford's Theatre program held by Lincoln at the time of
his assassination, a surgeon's account of the assassination of Lincoln, and the original CA constitution.
On the night of March 4th, 1949, the Bay Psalm Book was illegally removed from the exhibit. The book was recovered by police
on March 5th. The theft was committed by Charles Glenn, a UCLA graduate student who later suggested the theft had been arranged
by an unnamed secret society at UCLA, or as part of fraternity initiation ceremony. Glenn was expelled from the University,
and pled guilty to charges of burglary and grand theft.
Record Series 475 contains exhibit publicity records of the 1949 Great American Documents exhibit at the UCLA Library. Files
include clippings, arrangement documents, publicity and event materials, and visitor information. Additionally, files include
information about the theft of the Bay Psalm.
This is an inactive record series; no additional University records are expected to be added.
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
3466956
Box 1, Folder 1
Box 1, Folder 2
Box 1, Folder 3
Guards - photograph and memos. 1949.
Box 1, Folder 4
Handlist - copies of the exhibit catalog and related correspondence. 1949.
Box 1, Folder 5
Box 1, Folder 6
Box 1, Folder 7