Collection: The Cooper Union: Unlocking Peter Cooper’s New York
Description: This project proposes the digitization and transcription of a selection of materials from the Erskine Hewitt collection of Cooper-Hewitt papers. This is a series of approximately three (3) linear feet of correspondence to and from Peter Cooper, the founder of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and a leader in New York’s industrial and political spheres. Primarily spanning 1830 to 1880, these manuscripts form a unique and underexplored archival collection that documents the interconnected networks of New York City during a period of immense transformation.
This project builds on existing digitization efforts at The Cooper Union, particularly the Great Hall Ledgers and Orders project, a digitization initiative undertaken with a METRO grant in 2023. These ledgers, which document events led by notable figures such as Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, and the Chinese Civil Rights League.reflect the public face of activism in New York. The new initiative to digitize a selection of Peter Cooper’s papers offers the private dimension – detailing the negotiations, correspondence, and emerging ideological frameworks that underpinned public actions. This digitization project will offer a more complete and nuanced story of New York City’s contributions to national movements for justice and democratic participation.