Intercultural Center Records
Scope and Contents
This collection contains documents related to the founding of the IC and its intergroup activities, as well as records specific to several of its constituent groups: HOLA (Hispanics Organized for Latino Awareness/Hispanic Organization for Latino Awareness), SAO (Swarthmore Asian Organization), SQU (Swarthmore Queer Union, known previously as Action Les-B-Gay), and NASA (Native American Student Association).
The documents in this collection range from 1989, the date of the earliest student organizing towards the creation of the IC, up to 2014. Most of the documents cover the years between 1990 and 2000. An important document is the 2010 Bridge Program Report compiled by the IC/BCC Coalition.
The collection is organized into six series:
- 0
- Photographs from IC events
- 1
- IC Intergroup Records
- 2
- SQU Records
- 3
- HOLA Records
- 4
- SAO Records
- 5
- NASA Records
The SAO series is further divided into sub-series, which include: SAO Organizational Materials, SAO Publications, SAO Events, Conference Materials, Asian American Studies, News Articles/Newsletters on Asian Americans, Asian American student groups at other colleges, and Miscellaneous.
Dates
- Creation: 1988 - 2017
Creator
- Swarthmore College. Intercultural Center (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in to the Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.
Biographical / Historical
The Intercultural Center (IC) was founded in 1992 by students at Swarthmore College to promote systemic change toward a multicultural perspective across the institution and to foster community-building and collaboration among the many diverse groups within and outside of the college. It hosts programs and services that support the personal and intellectual development of Asian American, Latinx, multiracial, Native American, queer (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender), low-income, international and first-generation college students at Swarthmore College.
While organizing began around 1989, it was in 1992 that the IC officially opened and in 1993 that the first part-time staff person was hired. At the time of its founding it consisted of three groups: SAO (Swarthmore Asian Organization), Hispanics Organized for Latino Awareness (HOLA), and Action Les-B-Gay. They emphasized that they did not see the formation of the IC as solving the problems facing marginalized students on campus, but rather hoped that the IC would enact gradual changes that would "bring about a new consciousness" at Swarthmore.
See the folder entitled "Intergroup IC Records: Proposal for the establishment of the IC and IC Operating Manual" for a more complete history of the IC. See below for more detailed descriptions of SQU, HOLA, and SAO.
Extent
7 linear ft. (16 boxes and 1 photograph album in a slip case)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Intercultural Center (IC) at Swarthmore College was founded in 1992 to promote systemic change toward a multicultural perspective across the institution and to foster community-building and collaboration among diverse groups within and outside of the college. The collection contains records relating to the founding of the IC and its activiites, as well as records that detail the activities of groups within the IC, specfically HOLA (Hispanics Organized for Latino Awareness/Hispanic Organization for Latino Awareness), SAO (Swarthmore Asian Organization), SQU (Swarthmore Queer Union), and NASA (Native American Student Association).
Physical Location
For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Subject
- Swarthmore College -- Students (Organization)
- Swarthmore College. Intercultural Center (Organization)
- Swarthmore College. Swarthmore Asian Organization (Organization)
- Swarthmore College. Hispanic Organization for Latino Awareness (Organization)
- Swarthmore College. Swarthmore Queer Union (Organization)
- Swarthmore College. Native American Student Association (Organization)
Topical
- Asian American Students -- Pennsylvania
- Bisexual college students -- Pennsylvania
- Education, Higher
- Gay students -- Pennsylvania
- Hispanic American students -- Pennsylvania
- Indian students -- Pennsylvania
- Intercultural communication in education
- Lesbian students -- Pennsylvania
- Multicultural education
- Student movements
- Transgender college students -- Pennsylvania
- Author
- FHL staff
- Date
- 2018 May
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Find It at the Library
Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Library
