Collections

The Marie Stiefel Laura Riding Jackson collection 1925-2024 contains materials created by and relating to poet and author, Laura Riding Jackson and Seizin Press including books, articles, manuscripts, and correspondence. This collection also includes materials created by Robert Graves, Shuyler Jackson, and Susan Morris, Riding Jackson's secretary. These materials are useful to historical, biographical, and literary research into the life and work of Laura Riding Jackson and Seizin Press. The collection is divided into five series as follows: Works about Laura Riding Jackson, 1963–2017 Works by Laura Riding Jackson, 1935–1984 Correspondence, 1941–1993 Materials from Laura's Kitchen, undated Books 1925-2024 Laura Riding Jackson, best known as Laura Riding, an American poet and author was born on January 16, 1901 in New York City, NY and died on September 2, 1991 in Wabasso, Florida. She was born Laura Reichenthal and began publishing under her married name, Gottschalk. Riding Jackson graduated Cornell University in 1921 and published her first poem in 1923 in the literary magazine The Fugitive and her first collection of poetry, The Close Chaplet in 1926. After her divorce in 1925, she assumed the surname Riding and moved to England to live with Robert Graves and his wife, Nancy Nicholson. She remained in Europe for 14 years, mainly England and Majorca, Spain, where Riding Jackson and Graves founded Seizin Press in 1927. In 1939, Riding and Graves left Europe for New Hope, Pennsylvania. In 1941, Riding Jackson married Schuyler B. Jackson and they moved to Wabasso, Florida, where she lived until her death in 1991. The Jackson's posthumously published a dictionary titled Rational Meaning: A New Foundation for the Definition of World and Supplementary Essays in 1997. Laura Riding's Florida house has been preserved by the Laura Riding Jackson Foundation and now sits at the Vero Beach campus of Indian River State College. The Foundation supports the legacy of Riding by offering educational events and workshops for writers of all ages, as well as preserving her home.

Collection of photographs from The Weekly Challenger newspaper

The University of Central Florida Eternal Knights collection, 2008-2025, documents past University of Central Florida (UCF) Eternal Knights Memorial Services, organized by the Office of Student Involvement. Materials in the collection include service programs, as well as unclaimed certificates of achievement, Student Government letters, name tents, letters of remembrance, and honorary degrees. The collection also contains two glass awards, a diploma cover, and a small ribbon from the ceremony. The collection encompasses services held from 2008 to 2025. The University of Central Florida's first Eternal Knights Memorial Service took place in 2002. Held each spring in the Student Union by the Office of Student Involvement (OSI), the service honors the lives of students who have passed away over the course of the academic year, from the previous spring and summer leading up to the current semester. Students, family, and friends are invited to attend and recognize individuals, along with the broader UCF community. A livestream is available for those who cannot attend in person.  

The Library collection documents the history of the John C. Hitt library. There are several subseries pertaining to different leaders, committees, and departments found within the library. This collection contains photographs, negatives, CDs, VHSs, and documents.

The University of Central Florida Memorabilia collection, 1965-2020 documents University of Central Florida (UCF) events and activities, such as such as homecoming, various sporting events, building dedications, and university anniversaries. It chiefly contains a variety of memorabilia, including t-shirts, cups, glassware, buttons, pins, programs, plaques, and other commemorative objects related to UCF students, alumni, faculty, staff, and university presidents. It also includes memorabilia from UCF's early days as Florida Technological University. The Pegasus Seal, the university's emblem, is featured on many objects, including those created when the university was named Florida Technological University. This artificial collection was brought together by UCF Special Collections & University Archives staff over time from various known and unknown sources. Items continue to be added as they are collected. Originally named Florida Technological University, the University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public multi-campus, metropolitan research university. Florida Technological University (FTU) was founded in 1963 by the State of Florida to provide educated professionals to work in the growing space program. Building began in 1967 and classes started in 1968. Charles N. Millican served as the founding president. His successor, H. Trevor Colbourn, started the university's football program. In 1978, FTU's name was officially changed to UCF. Steven Altman presided over the university from 1989-1991. John C. Hitt served as president from 1992 until 2018. Dale Whittaker was UCF's fifth president from 2018 to 2019. Alexander Cartwright became the university's president in 2020.