University of Maryland's annual May Day festivities were first established in 1923 by Adele Stamp, the Dean of Women, and lasted until 1961, the year after Stamp's retirement from the university. May Day included an elaborate pagent with costumes and dancing, a processional on the campus mall, and the crowning of the queen and her court. In addition, May Day served as the occasion when rising seniors were selected for Mortar Board, a women's honorary society. This collection consists of over 90 photographs, slides, and negatives documenting May Day between 1927 and 1957. The images feature female students dressed up for the pagent or dancing around the May pole, as well as several of the May queens and courts.
Dates
1927-1957
Majority of material found within 1927-1930, 1946-1949
Use and Access to Collection
This collection is open for research.
Duplication and Copyright Information
Photocopies of original materials may be provided for a fee and at the discretion of the curator. Please see our Duplication of Materials policy for more information. Queries regarding publication rights and copyright status of materials within this collection should be directed to the appropriate curator.
