The event will begin with a conversation between Heather Calloway, executive director of University Collections and Seth C. Anthony, a published expert on fraternal groups who co-founded the Center for Fraternal Collections & Research. After the talk, attendees will tour the exhibit. Light refreshments will be provided.
Sample Case delves into the founding, spread, organization, and societal impact of the Order of United Commercial Travelers of America (UCT). Founded in 1888 by traveling salesmen, UCT was a fraternal organization that offered its members protection, camaraderie, and ethical guidance. It successfully blended the mutual aid model of fraternal orders with the structure of a professional society. Members participated in fraternal rituals, wore unique clothing, helped each other through accident insurance benefits for members’ families, and donated to their communities. What started as a small group of men in Columbus, Ohio, quickly spread throughout the United States and Canada as the sales profession boomed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The exhibit explores the organization’s history through fascinating examples of UCT regalia, objects, images, and documents.
This exhibit is curated in collaboration with the IU Center for Fraternal Collections and Research. The Fraternal Center is devoted to the collection, preservation, and dissemination of materials related to fraternal organization. Its mission is to advance scholarship and learning, explore fraternal traditions and legacies, and engage the public. With this mission in mind, the Center has become a trusted institution where fraternal organizations can donate their materials. UCT donated its extensive collection to the Center in 2024 so that its records and objects would be preserved for generations to come.
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4:00pm - 6:00pm