In April 1887 Columbia celebrated the Centennial of the 1787 Charter, the charter that is in effect to this day. At the grand Convocation, there were speeches, a special poem for the day, and the conferring of 60 honorary degrees. The newspapers the next day focused on Columbia’s “fair doctors” because Columbia was one of […]
Category: Columbia University Archives
John Jay: #DormLife in 1764
John Jay would probably be amused if he knew that many, many years in the future, his old Alma Mater—then King’s College, now Columbia—would honor his legacy by naming a dormitory after him. It was a dorm room incident in the original College Hall in 1764 that earned him a suspension from the College and […]
Every Day Is Valentine’s Day at Kent Hall
Stand in front of Kent Hall and take in the classical design by McKim, Mead and White. Now, take a look above the second story windows. Among the recurring decorative elements, you will find engraved putti or little, chubby cherubs holding garlands and flowers. That’s right: there are “cupids” in front of Kent Hall, the […]
Sylvia’s In Morningside Heights?!
Long before pop-ups became a thing, the Columbia Dining Services’ Guest Chef Program brought the Harlem landmark restaurant Sylvia’s to the John Jay Hall dining room. On February 4, 1997, students not only got to sample the restaurant’s classic dishes, but they were also treated to a performance by the jazz band Funky Bud, featuring […]
A World Room Welcome
The announcement of Columbia’s 20th University President, Nemat “Minouche” Shafik, was held last week at the Journalism School’s World Room. Journalism Dean Jelani Cobb welcomed guests to the World Room and shared a bit of the history of the Statue of Liberty stained glass window that anchors the room. A history, which he rightly claimed, […]