Columbia’s colonial times predecessor, King’s College, educated many of the men who helped create the new nation such as Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Robert Livingston and Gouverneur Morris. But King’s College was also the one-time-home for some who died during the conflict. Harman Rutgers was the first King’s College alumnus to fall during the Revolutionary […]
Category: Columbia University Archives
Commencement: An Out of Doors Exercise
This year’s University Commencement on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, will be held on the Morningside campus over two ceremonies: one for the graduate students at 10:30 am and one for the undergraduate students at 5:00 pm. As we get ready to celebrate this year’s graduates, it is only fitting that we look back to another […]
Now Available | OPA Biographical Files
The headlines read: “‘Boss’ Lady at the Cyclotron,” “Girl Atom-Splitter” and “She Runs a Cyclotron, Loves Each Atom of It.” It was 1952 and Miriam Levin was working at the cyclotron down in the basement of Pupin Labs. As chief cyclotron operator (1946-1956), Levin set up experiments for the Atomic Energy Commission, assisted graduated students […]
On View | CU Amateur Radio Club QSL Cards
The CU Amateur Radio Club is not a broadcasting radio station (what we now know as WKCR). Amateur radio involves two-way communication between radio operators known as “hams.” Hams used to exchange QSL cards to confirm two-way radio contact between stations. In our display case, we feature some of these colorfully illustrated postcards. These include […]
A Football Championship Revisited
In the latest issue of Columbia College Today (Fall 2025), Charles Butler writes an amazing story about a recent “you-gotta-be-kidding” coincidence in Columbia football history. Last year, junior Jack Smiechowski helped Columbia win the Ivy League Championship (tied with Harvard and Dartmouth) and this year, as a senior, he is one of the co-captains. The […]