By Jessica Swaringen & Sabrina Wade
Each fall semester, colleges across the country prepare for homecoming celebrations. They welcome back the alumni, engage in fun traditions, and commemorate the community that makes the institution special. Homecoming and similar celebrations present an ideal opportunity to showcase institutional archives; Lane Library seized this opportunity in October 2024 at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus in Savannah, GA.
The Armstrong Time Machine is an event featuring an exhibit and game; the project was designed to highlight the history of the Armstrong campus, particularly focusing on student life and diversity. The project was part of Celebrate Spirit Week, leading up to an annual festival for current students and alumni called “Celebrate: Together.” The Armstrong Time Machine sought to make the university’s archives more visible and accessible to students, and to recognize the often overlooked stories of Armstrong’s students of color.
Historical context is key to understanding Armstrong’s journey. Founded in 1935, Armstrong College initially excluded Black students. However, following the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, the college was forced to confront racial integration. In 1961, Alfred Owens became the first African American to apply to Armstrong, though he was initially rejected. Two years later in 1963, Navy veteran Otis S. Johnson successfully enrolled after a tense period of racial unrest in Savannah. Despite the challenges, Johnson’s admission marked a significant milestone in the desegregation of Armstrong. Students were made aware that a copy of Johnson’s autobiography, From “N word” to Mr. Mayor: Experiencing the American Dream, is available through the university libraries.
Central to the exhibit was a set of posters featuring a timeline of Armstrong's history, with a focus on desegregation and a special section dedicated to the stories of Owens and Johnson. The display also featured a variety of archival materials, including student handbooks, event memorabilia, and yearbook clippings. Artifacts featured labels and QR codes linking to their digital records. These elements aimed to connect visitors with the university’s past while encouraging engagement with the archives.
While the posters and archival artifacts were featured all October, an interactive component of the exhibit was held from October 21–24. The game utilized a touchscreen Jeopardy-style game to engage visitors. Players were shown clippings from the student newspaper, The Inkwell, and tasked with identifying their publication year. Participants could scan QR codes for a “hint,” which would lead them to a digitized copy of the newspaper edition in question. The activity encouraged students to interact with history and explore the archives firsthand.
Over the four days, 55 people participated, with many using the QR code hints to delve deeper into the material. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive; 88% of respondents reported learning something valuable, with many expressing surprise at the depth of the campus's history. The exhibit successfully connected students to Armstrong’s history and sparked curiosity about the archives. We hope that the Armstrong Time Machine will prove to be another recurring event for Celebrate: Together moving forward. Engaging with the past can establish a new fall tradition.
To learn more about Georgia Southern University Libraries, go to https://ww2.georgiasouthern.edu/library/.
