UMass Amherst Libraries Host Exhibit, “Ephemeral Politics”

Just in time for this election season, the UMass Amherst Libraries’ new exhibit, “Ephemeral Politics,” showcases new additions to the Hon. Stephen P. Driscoll Collection of Political Americana and Popular Culture. On display on the lower level of the W. E. B. Du Bois Library through January 2025—and spanning Abraham Lincoln (a silhouette portrait) to Kamala Harris and Tim Walz (campaign buttons)—the exhibit reflects the enduring changeability of American politics, whether in policy or in candidate.  

As long as there have been political campaigns, there have been memorabilia and ephemera to accompany them. Bold, captivating, humorous, or pointed designs have captured the imagination of the public during the campaign season, inspiring curiosity and driving action around political candidates. The artifacts on display endure as symbols of democracy, empowerment, propaganda, patriotism, and protest.  

The Driscoll Collection was donated by the Honorable Stephen Driscoll ’73 ’75 MEd to the Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center. In addition to his distinctive career in the performing arts and professional wrestling, Driscoll has been politically active since childhood. He founded the National Stonewall Democrats, became a delegate to national conventions, and has served a member of the executive committee of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. 

For more information about the Driscoll Collection, see the online finding aid.  

The Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center (SCUA) collects materials of enduring historical and cultural value relating to four major thematic areas: the history and experience of social change in America; the histories and cultures of New England with an emphasis on Massachusetts; innovation and entrepreneurship; and the broad community associated with the University of Massachusetts Amherst. SCUA’s collections are highly integrated and span all formats, including personal papers and organizational records, books and periodicals, maps, photographs, audio and video recordings, and digital materials of all kinds. The department is located on floor 25 of the W. E. B. Du Bois Library and is open to the public.