Whitman Archives
Lesser-Known Notables Complete
The Death of Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson died in 1938, though the cause of death has been disputed. Some accounts say he was poisoned, others say that he survived the poisoning but contracted pneumonia soon after. Images from the book "Robert Johnson: Lost and Found" by Barry…
Songs of Power and Prayer in the Columbia Plateau
These Native American hymns are from the 19th and 20th centuries. They are in Interior Salish, a language used by the Spokane, Salish, and Kalispel tribes (with variations among the groups). Images from the book "Songs of Power and Prayer in the…
Chess and Checker Records
Chess and Checker Records were popular blues labels in the 1950s and 60s. Based out of Chicago, they were started by brothers Leonard and Phil Chess. Checker Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records, mostly released work by African American…
Wellpinit Pow Wow Costumes
Traditional Interior Salish/Spokane costumes at the Wellpinit Pow Wow. Images from the book "Children of the Sun: A History of the Spokane Indians" by David C. Wynecoop, 1969. Pages 44-45Penrose Catalog: NWest E99.S68 W9Find Through Summit
Conversations with Sherman Alexie
A series of interviews with Alexie, ranging from 1993 to 2007, about the ideas and themes within his work,published in 2009 (front cover image).Penrose Catalog: PS3551.L35774 Z46 2009Find through Summit
In the 1860s, General Philip Sheridan led wars against the Native Americans of the Great Plains. Image from the book "Sheridan: A Military Narrative" by Joseph Hergesheimer. Page i.Penrose Catalog: E467.1.S54 H5Find Through Summit
Gender Neutral Housing
On February 24, 2013, the Associated Students of Whitman College adopted a resolution calling for gender-neutral housing. The resolution called for Whitman's administration to provide a gender-neutral housing option for incoming first year students.…
Mia McKenzie and QPOC
Intersectionality is only just beginning to be talked about at Whitman. As the recent controversy about racial discrimination indicates, Whitman College has something of a shadowed past when it comes to issues of race. This problem is only…
Robert Johnson, Mythmaking, and Contemporary American Culture
Robert Johnson recorded a total of 29 songs in the 1930s. Though he died in 1938, he did not become popular until the 1960s, when some of his songs were released in the album King of the Delta Blues Singers. A popular legend is that Johnson sold his…
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