Author Archives: Aaliyah Joseph

Anti-Semitism at Bryn Mawr

Bryn Mawr Yearbook Photo 1938 – Nazi Flag

Welcome back,

After browsing through Bryn Mawr’s online Repository (for a whopping 2 minutes) I encountered this photo. The photo is from the 1938 yearbook and features unknown Bryn Mawr students or possibly faculty/staff and a Nazi flag.

For context, Bryn Mawr is going through a process of archiving and indexing its history. This process has begged the question of who is in charge of maintaining or combating injustices of the college? I am stunned–ashamed. What a horrible photo to include in the official yearbook of the school. As a current Bryn Mawr students I am more upset to say that this photo has not been mentioned or named once in the classroom.

I can only imagine how many other inappropriate photos are scattered throughout our college’s history and archives. Anti-Semitism is all too present in the school’s past and surely now in the future. What actions will take to prevent such ignorant mindsets?

In class today, we pondered a number of questions: Whose job is it to do this discovery work? What does the process of flagging these types of photos look like? Where would we like to recognize and acknowledge these photos?

This post will become part of an ongoing series that will stand as the initial flagging of Bryn Mawr’s problematic history. In exposing the college’s history, the intent is to honor the harmed and silenced. Furthermore, we will also be working to prevent such misfortunes in the future by actualizing our college’s history and setting an equitable precedent.

Talk soon.

Aaliyah Joseph ’22

Blog Post 1: Perry House Oral History Project Introduction + Update

Hello all!

My name is Aaliyah Joseph and I am a current member of the Class of 2022. I am so excited to have the opportunity to participate in this class H268. The project that I am working on this class is supported by The Pensby Center through a grant provided by LITS. The Perry House Oral History Project is also championed by Joi Dallas, Janina Calle, Vanessa Christman, and Allison Mills.

What, How, Why

Bryn Mawr college recognizes the historical significance that the Perry house has had on both students and faculty/ staff within the community. The Preserving the Histories of Perry House project is working to collect oral histories of previous Perry House community members and of other faculty and staff associated with the Perry House.  This project stems from the desire to include the voices of historically marginalized– Black and Latinx students within Bryn Mawr College’s archival collections and to highlight the students who tirelessly worked towards creating a space for Black and Latinx members of the college. We believe that the voices of these students who lived and engaged with their communities in a space that was advocated for by those very same students, should be marked as figures and events that have undoubtedly contributed to the history of Bryn Mawr college and towards the recognition of Bryn Mawr’s past and for a better future? 

Mission Statement

Develop and actualize a community archive that houses the stories, experiences, hopes, joys, and overall resiliency and community within the Perry House Community by conducting an oral history project.  

This project will greatly enhance the Bryn Mawr community and its archives. I do want to make clear this project is oriented around the alumni and their experiences. Our intent is to honor and recognize them through a project that is guided and provided by them.

Thank you all for your support.

Aaliyah Joseph