Discovering BYU

As the semester begins students are considering topics for potential research papers and wondering where to gather information for those papers. Only a few of those students will consider investigating the unique history of Brigham Young University. The University Archives hopes to change that. Brigham Young University has a remarkable history and the materials in the University Archives will allow you to explore a variety of different topics related to the university’s history. A few of these topics are:

• The educational philosophy of the Church Educational System
• The role of the university in the creation of leaders
• The history of the teaching of evolution at Brigham Young University
• Race relations and the integration of collegiate athletics during the 1960s
• The role that Brigham Young University places as an intellectual clearinghouse for Church members worldwide
• The relationship between the sacred and the secular at Brigham Young University
• The role of athletics at Brigham Young University
• The importance of performance arts at Brigham Young University
• The impact of Latter-day Saint scholars on their academic disciplines
• The teaching of foreign languages

These are just a few possible topics. The possibilities are numerous.

The University Archives has prepared several resources that will help you begin your exploration of the university’s history. They include the BYU History Digital Collections, the Discovering BYU annotated bibliography, and a series of research starters called Popular Search Topics. If you’ve ever been curious about the history of Brigham Young University, check out these tools or come to the University Archives and we will be happy to help you get started on the path to discovering BYU.

Please direct questions and comments to the University Archivist at (801) 422-5821 or gordon_daines@byu.edu