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UNO Artifact Collection

 Collection
Identifier: UNO-0132

Scope and Contents

The UNO Artifact Collection includes objects related to the University of Nebraska at Omaha and its predecessor the University of Omaha, from circa 1908 to the present.

The collection includes a diverse array of OU and UNO branded items, t-shirts, hats, sweaters, blankets, scrapbooks, proclamations, trophies, award plaques, flags, pennants, pins, pens, seat cushions, coffee mugs, toys, ephemera, memorabilia, and other objects.

The bulk of this collection has not yet been further arranged or described.

Dates

  • 1908-present

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the Nebraska Public Records Statutes (Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 84-712 through 84-712.09), and other relevant regulations. Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of Nebraska Omaha assumes no responsibility.

Conditions Governing Use

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, Archives & Special Collections will provide information about copyright owners and related information. Securing permission to publish or use material is the responsibility of the researcher. Note that unless specifically transferred to the University of Nebraska at Omaha, any applicable copyrights may be held by another individual or entity. Further information about copyright policy is available at http://libguides.unomaha.edu/library_policies.

Extent

170 Cubic Feet (210 boxes; 3 crates; 3 envelopes; 1 garment bag; 95 loose objects. (Approximately) )

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Some artifacts are boxed and labeled. This collection has not been further arranged or described.

Custodial History

Most of these artifacts were received by Criss Library prior to 2014. For many items, accession details are incomplete or absent. The collection as a whole does not share a common provenance. When accession details are known, they are included in the description at the component level.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

These artifacts have been collected from many sources over decades.

General

Statement on Harmful Material: Materials in UNO Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections are historical in nature and reflect the society in which they were produced. As such, they may contain racial, gender, sexual, religious, and other language and imagery that are offensive by today's standards. The documents, images, publications, and other materials have been retained in order to fully represent the materials in their original format. If the offensive text is not in the original, but in a finding aid, catalog record, or other description created by library employees, please contact Archives and Special Collections to bring this to our attention. Archives & Special Collections is guided by the core values of the Society of American Archivists. If you have questions about this statement or about Archives and Special Collections’ work, we welcome your feedback. Please contact us at unoasc@unomaha.edu or 402-554-6046.

The Municipal University of Omaha/University of Nebraska at Omaha sports team name of "Indians" was abolished in May 1971, along with associated mascots, nicknames, and other references to Native American imagery or terms (such as the yearbook name "Tomahawk"). UNO would be briefly without a mascot, until "Mavericks" was selected in October 1971. The university now recognizes that the mascot and associated depictions is offensive. When the university first selected this mascot in 1939, school mascots based on Native American stereotypes were common. Many artifacts, publications, names, and other material from university history from the period 1939 through 1971 depict Native American caricatures, and it is difficult to present materials from this era without showing or acknowledging this mascot. We accept this as a part of our history, as we accept that the 1971 mascot change represented a positive step for the university.

Processing Information

Processed by Criss Library staff prior to 2014.

Title
UNO Artifact Collection
Status
Unprocessed
Author
Angela Kroeger
Date
2014-11-05
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Edition statement
31st edition

Repository Details

Part of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Archives & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Archives & Special Collections
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
6001 Dodge St.
Omaha Nebraska 68182-0237 United States
402-554-6046