Jane Manning has been immortalized in the lore of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She was born African American in Connecticut in the early 1820’s. Her mother was enslaved, but was emancipated by the time Jane was born. Her father died when she was very young. She gave birth to her first son in 1839 but the …
150 Years of Utah Suffrage: Stories of Utah Women
On February 14, 1870 Seraph Young marked her ballot for the Salt Lake City municipal election and dropped it in the box. She was the first woman in the United States to vote. Seraph arrived in Utah in 1847, when she was less than a year old. The Pioneer Jubilee book lists Seraph Young (Ford) as one of the first …
Alberta Hill Henry: Stories of Utah Women
Alberta Hill was born in Louisiana in 1920, where her parents worked as sharecroppers. As African Americans, they were discriminated against in Louisiana. When she was three, her family moved to Kansas where they hoped for a better racial climate and educational opportunities for their children. When Alberta was a teenager she was in a car accident. A piece of …
Olene Walker: Stories of Utah Women
Olene Walker was born in Ogden, UT in 1930. Her parents were both educators and her father was the Ogden School Superintendent for 25 years. Olene was elected to her first position in the student government during junior high. She later earned a debate scholarship to Weber College, but transferred to Brigham Young University after her first year. After earning …
Centennial of Women’s Suffrage: Stories of Utah Women
The year 2020 marks the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment being passed! It was ratified in August of 1920 by the thirty-six states needed to add it to the Constitution, and then white women had the right to vote nationwide. It took several more decades for this right to be extended to minorities. We will start celebrating this anniversary …
Now YOU can transcribe Utah history!
Have you ever wondered how records get indexed and pages get transcribed? The truth is, it is a big job and we could use your help! We are thrilled to announce that we have partnered with an online tool called FromThePage. FromThePage is online software for transcribing documents and collaborating on transcriptions with others. You can transcribe anytime, anywhere! All …
Our History: The Next 50 Years
This is the final post in our series celebrating our 50th anniversary as a distinct division in Utah government. While previous entries have explored the early years (and people) of the Utah State Archives and Records Service, today’s post will attempt to look ahead and project what the Utah State Archives and Records Service of 2069 might look like. Obviously …
Our History: The State Archivists of Utah
As noted in the last two blog posts in this series, the Utah State Archives and Records Service has seen its fair share of change from its inception as a program within the Utah State Historical Society to its emergence as a discrete division within Utah’s executive branch. The changes and opportunities that have impacted our agency have been navigated …
Our History: 50 Years Of Service
As noted in the last blog in this series, the Utah State Archives was born as an office in the State Historical Society, before being moved out and on its own as part of the state’s Little Hoover Commission study on government organization. This move became official in 1969 when the “Archives and Records Service Act” was passed and the …
Our History: The Early Years
The roots of the Utah State Archives and Records Service extend back to the earliest days of state government. The seeds were planted in 1917 when the Utah Legislature passed legislation establishing the Utah State Historical Society as a government agency. The law stipulated that the Historical Society serve as the custodian of all records, documents, relics, and other materials …