Broadside, George Mason University's official
student newspaper, began its life as The Gunston Ledger. The
Gunston Ledger, whose first issue appeared on the then George
Mason College campus located in Bailey's Crossroads, VA on October
15, 1963, was an eight-page monthly printed on 12 inch by 9 inch paper.
Its staff of twelve students included a photograph editor, Richard
Sparks, who contributed two to four photos to each issue. The content
consisted of campus news, features on GMC faculty and students, engagement
and wedding notices, and some commentary.
The Ledger became the Broadside on October
28, 1969. It was noted in that issue that the name change was part
of an effort to remake the paper into more of a news instrument like
the early publications of the nation's revolutionary fathers. The
Broadside was a weekly paper which contained sixteen or more
pages in each issue. Photography in the Broadside was mostly
limited to campus events and personalities.
Today, the Broadside has developed into
a modern newspaper. It is generated via computer and is published
in a large, folded newspaper format. With two issues each week, it
is produced more frequently. Its news is local, national, and international
in scope. 
Besides campus news, the paper features national and
world events, entertainment, music, restaurant reviews, sports, and
commentary. Photography for each issue is provided by both digital
and traditional 35mm format cameras. The Broadside uses
staff photographers and major wire service outlets for its photographs.
The Broadside Photograph Collection contains
over two thousand photographs taken between 1975 and 1997. Ninety-nine
percent of the photographs were taken by Broadside staff members,
while the remaining images comprise official publicity photos of individuals
or organizations. Topics in the collection include: images of the
campus; student organizations; university sports; campus events; university
administative units; the GMU Board of Visitors; personalities; featured
entertainers, restaurants, and arts. The majority of the images are
in black-and-white, and negatives are available for a small part of
the collection. Total volume of the collection is 2.3 cubic feet or
3.45 linear feet.
Special Collections & Archives preserves
and makes available to all students, faculty, and researchers many
kinds of original and scholarly materials. Subject areas in SC&A
include Northern Virginiana, Planned Communities, Congressional Papers,
Performing Arts, Maps, the Civil War, and George Mason University.
Formats in SC&A include manuscripts, rare books, playbills, musical
scores, audio and videotapes, architectural drawings, photographs,
and slides.
E-Mail
SC&A for information and assistance.
Access
Broadside Photograph Collection Finding Aid
Broadside Home Page
Other Photograph
Collections in SC&A
