Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections & Archives

04/18/2026

We are ready to go! Come see us at the Piedmont Earth Day Fair at the Fairgrounds (Organized by the Piedmont Environmental Alliance (PEA))

02/13/2026

IRON STATION – The history and people of Tucker’s Grove Camp Meeting have been given a gift in the form of a well-crafted book detailing the history of the campground entitled “Sacred Ground.” Compiled by a documentarian who first thought that he couldn’t take on this project because he wa...

12/05/2025

Special Collections & Archives will be closed today.

05/07/2025

We had a wonderful time hosting Sauda Mitchell and we are thrilled to house her amazing artist book.

On April 29, 2025, Special Collections hosted a visit/presentation with Sauda Mitchell, our Dr. Samuel T. Gladding Fellow (2024-2025), where she discussed he...

02/18/2025

Opening Reception: Fields of Fortune: North Carolina’s Legacy in Leaf and Labor
Tuesday, March 4th, 3-4:30 P.M.
Special Collections & Archives Research Room (ZSR Library Room 625)

Program will include brief remarks and light refreshments.
Register here: https://forms.gle/rLrhQRS16jho6LnX7

To***co has played a significant role in shaping North Carolina’s cultural, economic, and social identity, even before the state’s official establishment. Early depictions of Native American communities along the coast at the end of the 16th century show cultivation and use of the plant.

During the 19th century, to***co became a cornerstone of the plantation economy, generating immense wealth for select families. In the 20th century, the rise of mass production and commercialization, along with an expanding labor force dedicated to its cultivation and processing, further embedded to***co in North Carolina’s way of life. Marketing campaigns and iconic imagery tied to to***co are deeply woven into the state’s historical narrative.

This exhibit showcases images, artifacts, and records from Special Collections & Archives, spanning from the sixteenth century to the modern era. It also features contributions from North Carolina artists and photographers, including Daisha Bunn and Erin Kye and their families, as well as works by photographer Dan Routh.

Please email [email protected] with any questions.

12/11/2024

https://zsr.wfu.edu/2024/words-art-and-inspiration-in-the-archives/

Having trained as both an artist and an archivist, Sauda Mitchell is uniquely qualified to create works that convey artistic reinterpretations of historic texts and records. So ZSR Special Collections & Archives is delighted to be able to host her as visiting artist-in-residence during the 2024-25 a...

11/21/2024

Today, we at Special Collections & Archives commemorate the birth of the French writer Voltaire, born on November 21, 1694. A towering figure of the Enlightenment, Voltaire’s prolific output spanned nearly every literary form—plays, poems, novels, essays, and more. Over his lifetime, he penned more than 20,000 letters and authored 2,000 books and pamphlets. A significant portion resides in our own archives, including an 18th-century collection of Voltaire books once owned by Lytton Strachey. Voltaire is best remembered for championing key Enlightenment ideals, including freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and the separation of church and state. More than three centuries later, his legacy continues to resonate.