Haverford College Collection records

Collection was a longstanding Haverford tradition that brought intellectuals, alumni, community members, activists, scholars, writers, and more to speak to students at the College. Collection took place as early as the 1920s and continued into the 2010s. While Collection was originally mandatory for all students, this requirement was eventually lifted, though debates about whether Collection should become mandatory again emerged in the 1970s. Though the time of Collection changed over the years, Collection was mainly held on Tuesday mornings, where no other classes were scheduled, encouraging students to attend the lectures during this free time.

Many notable people spoke at Collection over the years, including Palestinian-American academic Edward Said, poet and activist June Jordan, historian and activist Dr. Mary Frances Berry, and Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale, among many other scholars, activists, and academics.

The Collection Committee received money from the College to hire speakers, and they also collaborated with other Haverford student organizations such as the Black Student League and WeSpeak.