Founder's Day

Students in costume at the faculty-student baseball game
1300 plates
Founder's Day has included a variety of activities since the first celebration on April 29th,1866, Matthew Vassar's birthday. The images in this series document visits to the founder's grave, step-singing and the Song Contest, the faculty-student baseball game, parades, and various performances. Attendees of the baseball game, the parades, and the performances were encouraged to dress in costume, according to either a predetermined theme or individual whim. With some frequency, these costumes and performances were based on racist or stereotypical representations of marginalized groups, including blackface, redface, and yellowface. Similarly, the faculty play or skit show which was given on the evening of Founder's Day, included racist and stereotypical costumes and performances.
Content Warning
The Vassar College Archives within the Digital Library include some images, texts, and material items that are racist, xenophobic, or otherwise harmful. The Vassar Libraries have provided descriptive text and additional notes whenever possible to alert Digital Library users to these items. The Engaged Pluralism Initiative Race and Racism in Historical Collections Project Group is working with the library on contextualizing and facilitating community conversations about these materials. For more information see: https://library.vassar.edu/rrhc
Students in costume at the faculty-student baseball game
Faculty-student baseball game
Students in costume at the faculty-student baseball game, two in stereotypical Asian costume
Students costumed as members of Queen Victoria's court
Two students in costume, one in a baby carriage
Class of 1922 performing at the song contest
Students in costume, three in stereotypical Native American dress
Faculty-student baseball game. Geology professor Thomas M. Hills is playing catcher
Class of 1925 marching to the song contest
Elizabeth D. Woolsey (VC 1930) at bat at the faculty-student baseball game
Class of 1928 performing at the song contest
Faculty-student baseball game. Geology professor Thomas M. Hills is playing catcher
Students in costume at the faculty-student baseball game
Class of 1927 at the song contest
Professor at bat in the faculty-student baseball game. Sarah H. McLean (VC 1930) is playing catcher
Class of 1920 with the winning banner at the song contest
Faculty-student baseball game
Faculty-student baseball game
Students performing in the song contest
Class of 1923 mounting the steps of Student's Building for the song contest
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