Leisa Richardson, executive editor of the Greenville News, and Provost Bob Jones sign the agreement to transfer the photo collection to Clemson Special Collections and Archives
Millions of historic photos from across the Upstate will be preserved and made accessible to the public thanks to a donation from The Greenville News and Anderson Independent-Mail newspapers to Clemson University’s Special Collections and Archives.
The collection includes more than 4 million photo negatives dating back to the early 1900s taken by photographers at both newspapers. The process started when The Greenville News moved to a smaller office building. They no longer had space to store their photo negatives, so they reached out to the Upcountry History Museum to inquire about how to preserve the collection. Dana Thorpe, chief executive officer of the museum, put them in touch with Brenda Burk, who was then head of Clemson Special Collections and Archives, and the process began to move the collection.
During this same timeframe, the Anderson Independent-Mail was moving out of its office location and also wanted to find a way to preserve its photo archive.
“These photos are very important as they offer us a glimpse into the past of the Upstate, as well as into the history of the University,” said Clemson Libraries Dean Chris Cox. “The photos from the early 1900s date back to before the University had its own photographers on staff, so these are important records of University history that we did not previously have. I am grateful to The Greenville News and Anderson Independent-Mail for entrusting us with these incredible archives so we can make them available to others.”
The photos cover a broad range of subjects, from every-day life in the Upstate to historic events, making them a valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn about the history of the region.
“These photos really add another dimension to the research about the history of this area,” Burk said. “The reporters and photographers from these two newspapers were very good at reporting on events and happenings across the Upstate, and it is great to have this visual documentation that captures the moments and changes that have happened in this area over the past century.”
Special Collections and Archives is still in the process of acquiring the photos from The Greenville News. The collection will be made available to the public in the future, but preserving, cataloging, and digitizing such an extensive collection will take time.