“American Journeys: From Columbus to Kerouac”

Courtesy of the Mary and David Harrison Institute of American History, Literature and Culture and the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library

Take an American journey through the pages of time at the U.Va. library’s exhibit, “American Journeys: From Columbus to Kerouac.” Shown at left is one piece of the exhibit: an image from a 1495 printed version of Christopher Columbus’ letter about his voyage to the New World.

The voyage of Christopher Columbus unleashed forces of unprecedented speed, scope and impact. Driven by choice or coercion, Europeans, Africans and Asians made their way in this New World, with catastrophic consequences for Native Americans. The interactions of these diverse peoples created the conflicts and innovations that shaped American history, literature and culture.

In this ever-shifting landscape, words on paper preserved public acts and private thoughts and became powerful agents of change. The Mary and David Harrison Institute of American History, Literature and Culture and the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at U.Va. present a selection of treasured manuscripts, books and artifacts, which trace some of the remarkable journeys that brought people from 1492 to the mid-20th century era of social protest.

The exhibit, on display until July 23, can be viewed during Special Collections’ hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.