Call Number:

MC.801.11.019

Repository:

Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections

Extent:

.08 linear ft. (1 box)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

World's Fair materials (HC.MC 801-11-019) Quaker and Special Collections, Haverford College, Haverford, PA.

Date:

1958-1967 (inclusive)

Form:

letters (correspondence), Photographs, and publications (documents)

Abstract:

This collection consists of photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, a playbill, magazines, and flyers from the Brussels World's Fair in 1958. Much of the content is in reference to the American Pavilion, a part of which still stands today in Belgium. There is also information regarding the controversial "Unfinished Work" exhibition, focusing on race in America at the time.

The Brussels World's Fair (Expo 58) took place at a time during the Cold War, and after World War II. The American Pavilion focused on lifestyle while the USSR, which neighbored the American Pavilion, focused on advancements in technology (especially the "Sputnik" satellite). The fair was a display of cultural and technological advancements, focusing on the future. There were racist and problematic portions of the fair including Congo "human zoos"—a product of Belgian Colonialism. About 48 countries participated in the fair.

This collection consists of photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, a playbill, 2 guidebooks on the United States pavilion, the May edition of Ivy Magazine, a special World's Fair issue of the Paris Match magazine in French, an April 1967 issue of Life magazine on Expo 67 (World's Fair in 1967), and fliers from the Brussels World's Fair in 1958. Much of the content is in reference to the American Pavilion, a part of which (the American Theater) still stands today in Belgium. There is also information regarding the controversial "Unfinished Work" exhibition, focusing on racial issues and other challenges faced in America at the time. The exhibit was originally an acknowledgment of the USSR's criticism regarding segregation and racial discrimination in the United States. The exhibit faced backlash from many lawmakers in the United States, accusing the exhibit of presenting a poor image of the country. In addition, there is material praising the holistic content focused on the American lifestyle, as well as the elegant architecture found throughout the pavilion. Sources include fliers advertising a few shows at the American Theater, a memorandum from the Office of the U.S. Commissioner General, a letter approving the exhibits from the U.S. Secretary of State, a letter from a Yale student about their trip to Brussels and the World's Fair, and a little booklet advertising Flek's Beer Brewery. Most of the photographs highlight the architecture and exhibits of the American Pavilion.

Materials are organized chronologically