The Cooper Union Archives Collection of Yearbooks

Collection

Identifier: MG.006

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Cooper Union Archives Collection of Yearbooks contains yearbooks from 1922 (the date of first production) through 2019. The Cooper Union yearbook, "The Cable," typically documents rising or graduating seniors with portraits, although portraits of School of Art students are not featured until 1934. They also include names and/or photographs of administrators and faculty, along with information about clubs and other student organizations, and athletics. Cables for the years 1943, 1965, 1971, 2020, and 2021 were never produced, and are thus not represented in the collection. Most yearbooks in the collection are straightforward in approach and aesthetic, but some were constructed in a more experimental fashion, for example: the 1954 volume was accompanied by a 33⅓ rpm disc recording entitled "Traces"; the 1969 volume features a selection of student writing rather than portraits; the class of 1975 appears on a poster, rather than in a bound volume; and the 2011 volume takes the shape of a paint fan deck.

Dates

1922-2019; missing years: 1943, 1965, 1971, 2020 and 2021

Creator

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restriction.

Biographical / Historical

The Cooper Union did not start producing yearbooks until 1922, and portraits of School of Art students were not featured until 1934. Due to circumstances surrounding World War II, there were no yearbooks produced for the class of 1943. There were also no yearbooks produced in 1965 and 1971, for reasons unknown. Due to restrictions required by the Covid-19 pandemic, there were no yearbooks produced for the classes of 2020 and 2021.

Extent

13 Linear Feet (184 volumes, 2 33⅓ rpm disc recordings, 1 poster)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection contains yearbooks dating from 1922 to 2019 issued by The Cooper Union. The Cooper Union yearbook, "The Cable," typically documents rising or graduating seniors (with portraits), administrators and faculty, clubs and other student organizations, and athletics. Cables for the years 1943, 1965, 1971, 2020, and 2021 were never produced and are thus not represented in this collection.