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McCrorey Gallery

 Collection
Identifier: RG-025-001

Scope and Content Note

When Lawrence McCrorey retired from UVM in 1995, the H. Lawrence McCrorey Gallery of Multicultural Art was created to commemorate McCrorey and his work in fighting racism both at the University of Vermont and in the state at large. Located on the first floor of the Howe Library, the Gallery displays works that focus on racism, diversity, and social issues, created by contemporary artists of color. According to Senior Vice Provost Rebecca Martin, the Gallery is located in the library, rather than the Fleming Museum, because it’s a central and popular part of campus, allowing students to view the art on a daily basis. She also said that the goal of the Gallery was to "create a welcoming environment for students of color," and to "stimulate us to think about life from many different perspectives." This collection includes photos and documents from the opening of the gallery in November of 1995, a list of works in the collection from September of 1997, a flier for a lecture from part of the McCrorey Gallery Lecture Series in April 1996, a pamphlet about the gallery with information about the works in the gallery, a record of oral history by Rebecca Martin (Senior Vice Provost), Keith Williams (Registrar), and Peter Blackmer (Assistant to the Dean of Libraries and Information Technology), and guest books from 1995 and 1996. The collection also includes a folder for each of the artists whose work appears in the gallery. These folders contain a variety of information about the artists, including artist portraits, images of their work, information on exhibits, and in some cases books or lithographs including their work.

Dates

  • 1995-1997, undated

Biographical / Historical

Lawrence McCrorey was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1927, and raised in Camden, New Jersey. He was hired by University of Vermont in 1966, as a professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, and at that time was one of only two black professors at the University. In the 1970s, University President Edward C. Andrews promoted McCrorey to Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, and later to Acting Vice President. McCrorey worked as the Dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences from 1981 to 1993, and continued to teach as a professor in the College of Medicine until his retirement in 1995. Lawrence McCrorey was also passionate about fighting racism at the University and in the state of Vermont as a whole. He was a charter member of the Vermont Human Rights Commission, and fought to challenge race-based policies in Vermont. After his retirement from the University of Vermont in 1995, McCrorey continued to travel the United States to give lectures on racism, until his death in 2009.

Extent

1.25 Linear Feet (1 carton)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection contains material about artists whose work appears in the McCrorey Gallery as well as information about the gallery's creation.

Physical Location

Silver Special Collections, Billings Library.

Title
Guide to the McCrorey Gallery
Status
Completed
Date
2022 May
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the University of Vermont Archives Repository

Contact:
Silver Special Collections Library
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington Vermont 05405 U.S.A. US
802-656-2138
802-656-4038 (Fax)