College Archives Photo Collection

The thousands of chiefly black-and-white images in Milne Library’s College Archives Photograph Collection constitute a visual history of SUNY Geneseo, from its 19th-century beginnings as the State Normal School at Geneseo through its more recent years.

The photographs depict a wide range of Geneseo subjects including campus (and some village) buildings, construction, events both traditional (commencement, homecoming, freshman orientation, Senior Week, etc.) and varied (sporting events, performances, protests, Greek life, etc.) and above all, people – students, faculty, staff, visitors, and others – groups and individuals, posed and candid, engaging in the many activities typical of life at Geneseo. Milne’s archival collection is complemented by more recent photographs available through the College Communications and Marketing Photos site.

Statement on potentially harmful content in archival collections
Milne Library is committed to building and preserving special collections and archives which support learning and understanding of American history, local history, and the history of SUNY Geneseo as part of our mission to support research, teaching, and learning.

Readers and viewers of the primary source materials found in the College Archives and Special Collections and the digital primary sources found in KnightScholar should be aware that some of the historical objects found in these collections represent harmful and offensive material that reflected society and culture at the time of their creation.

Milne Library does not endorse these past expressed attitudes and beliefs. The Library provides access to archival materials so that they may be studied as historical objects and illustrations of evolving societal norms and culture and to expose the negative impact that past beliefs, behaviors, and practices had and continue to have on certain groups.

Please contact members of the KnightScholar Services Team knightscholar@geneseo.edu with any questions or concerns.