Who do we choose from history to build a legacy for, and why?
The goal of this digital platform is to have our audience dive into the question of what makes a legacy on Princeton University’s campus. As we tackled an unconventional year as an academic community both on and off campus, we often found ourselves wistfully remembering walks throughout Princeton’s historical landmarks as well as questioning the names that were attached to certain monuments and buildings. In a time of virtual hugs and handshakes, we wanted to first and foremost bring the campus to those studying off campus and show that digital spaces can bring together elements from inside a library and the monuments and buildings you see outside.
We tackled the Princeton archives, old newspaper records, and outside sources to find the best intersection of lifeblood for each of the individuals below to pair with their on campus memorials. But how do these public commemorations of (in)famous Princetonians intersect with the public and private archival records of their lives? We chose to tackle this first by creating the StoryMap that you can see below and that allows you to engage with a virtual tour of the campus. This leads you to five pages for five of the most significant (and interesting) Princetonians for whom we could get archival material into our hands. From world-renowned theoretical physicists to beloved novelists to the dark undercurrent of slavery and racism at Princeton, this site tackles each story from multiple angles, allowing you to truly ask yourself: Who do we choose from history to build a legacy for, and why?
A Swiss geologist, Guyot’s contributions to science and Princeton meant he left a great mark on the campus. From a museum to a boulder memorial to a hall that were all created over a century ago, Guyot’s legacy has remained fairly stable since then. In recent years, however, Guyot’s legacy is facing relocation and rethinking.
A president of the university, Maclean was practically guaranteed some sort of legacy on campus, though what that legacy would look like certainly wasn’t guaranteed. While his work as university president may have been critical and a peak in his career, it’s his work with the then new alumni association that seems to be the most visible part of his legacy today.
Possibly the legacy the most in flux among the five discussed in this project, the legacy of Wilson has drastically and at times rapidly changed since his death. Once seen as an idealistic hero to the university and the nation, Wilson has since come under well-merited scrutiny for the racism he propagated but that was previously ignored.
Though Einstein officially spent 22 years at the Institute for Advanced Study and not tied in any way to Princeton University beyond living and working in the same place, Einstein’s legacy lies throughout the campus and town in honor of not only a university icon, but a global one.
Morrison’s legacy is the youngest of all the ones examined in this project. However, that doesn’t mean she and her legacy don’t have a prominent place on the Princeton campus.