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Syracuse University Yearbook Collection
A description of the collection at the Syracuse University Archives
Summary |
|
| Creator: | Syracuse University Yearbook. |
| Title: | Syracuse University Yearbook Collection |
| Dates: | 1877-2024 |
| Size: | Approximately 25 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | Syracuse University yearbooks as well as forms, documents, illustrations and other materials pertaining to the publication of the yearbook |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: |
University Archives, Special Collections Research Center Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives |
Historical Note
Syracuse University’s first yearbook, the Syracusean was published in 1877 by members of the Delta Kappa Epsilon and Psi Upsilon fraternities. The Syracusean ran for 6 years, releasing its last issue in 1882. There was no yearbook the following year, but in 1884 the first issue of the Onondagan was published. The 1885 edition of the Onondagan is the first to note it was published by the junior class, rather than any specific fraternity. This would remain the case for most of the yearbook’s history. As with the Syracusean before it, the Onondagan was written and published by elected editors until 1895. These boards did not include female students, as members were typically selected from fraternities. The first female chief editor of the yearbook, Frances Meck, was elected to the board of the 1940 Onondagan.
The general format of the yearbook emerged early on. The first Syracusean in 1877 featured information on faculty, students, Greek letter societies, athletics, academics, and student clubs and organizations. With a few additions, such as sections on student life and notable campus events, this remains the general structure of the yearbook. The 1890 Onondagan was the first to feature a variety of photographs, which depicted school buildings, members of the faculty, and a few group photographs of select clubs. In the years that followed, these photographic sections expanded to include group photographs of sororities and fraternities, candid images of campus life, action shots from athletic events, and individual portraits of members of the senior class, accompanied by information on their field of study and participation in campus organizations. The first full-color version of the yearbook was printed in 2007.
In 2017, the yearbook retired the Onondagan title out of respect for the Onondaga Nation, and published the yearbook under the titles Your Slice in 2018 and Squeeze the Day in 2019 before settling on the Syracuse University Yearbook as the new official title in 2020. As of 2025, the yearbook is issued by a student editorial staff with assistance from the Office of Student Engagement.
Scope and Content Note
The Syracuse University Yearbook Collection contains volumes of the University yearbook from its founding to the present day. This includes the earliest iteration of the yearbook, the Syracusean, its successor the Onondagan, and the most recent issues of the renamed Syracuse University Yearbook. The collection also includes materials relating to the production and sale of the yearbook, including records of subscriptions, order forms, and illustrations.
This collection contains materials that users may find objectionable due to outdated, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, sexist, ableist, or otherwise derogatory, or harmful content. Such representations were conventional at the time of the items’ creation, although no less harmful and inaccurate than they are today. The collection is preserved and presented for its historic and research value.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
Though the collection is not fully processed and largely unavailable for research, copies of the Syracuse University Yearbook are available in the Special Collections reading room. Please contact the University Archives for more information.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from the Syracuse University Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Related Material
Further information regarding the Syracusean, the Onondagan, and the Syracuse University Yearbook can be found in the Syracuse University Clipping Files.
Selected Search Terms
Names
Associated Titles
Subjects
Types of material
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Syracuse University Yearbook Collection,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Acquired from several sources, including donations from alumni and their family members, transfers from campus offices, and purchases made by the University Archives. These donations and purchases were made at various times and combined into one collection by Archives staff.
Processing Information
This collection is unprocessed.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: Anna E. Shuff
Date: 2025
Revision history: